Adventure News: MTN Tulbagh MTB - You can still enter!

Adventure News: MTN Tulbagh MTB - You can still enter! - Ndorfin, South Africa

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Thursday, 09 February 2012
MTN Tulbagh MTB - You can still enter!

The excitement is growing each day as we near this event! Bets are already being taken up by mountain biking fanatics and fans of the top riders locally!
Any rider who has hopes of winning the MTN Tulbagh ultra-marathon on 18 February 2012, will have to be wide awake. One little mistake could effectively mean �race over� for him.

Kevin Evans (Nedbank360Life) can vouch for this. During last year's Cape Epic he crashed during the Tulbagh stage of the marathon and broke his collarbone. This ended his race prematurely.

But Evans tasted �sweet revenge� during the MTN Tulbagh ultra-marathon when he and his teammate, David George, put their rivals in a checkmate position with their tactically sound riding.

George won and Evans finished second.

According to Evans the racing in and around Tulbagh is challenging because of the loose sandy sections and loose rocks.

�It is a real battle to get into a comfortable rhythm because you have to struggle to find your way through and over nature's obstacles. Of course this makes the race interesting for spectators to watch.�

Listening to Evans and some of the other top mountain bikers describing their racing experiences, it becomes clear that the MTN Tulbagh Ultra is truly a hard man's race.

Even though the trail does not venture out of the Saronsberg valley, there are some challenging climbs and technical single tracks that test the skills, as well as the stamina, of the riders.�

The organizers recommend that the riders at the back should stop to admire the scenery when they come close to the magnificent Saronsberg mountain.

They will see the route winding its way around cool farm dams, between luscious green vineyards and along rocky mountain tracks that are edged with indigenous fynbos, including proteas.

The route that makes a full anti-clockwise loop around the town of Tulbagh, takes full advantage of the scenic beauty of the Saronsberg valley.

Because the race has been rescheduled for February, it is very likely that some of the top international riders will compete. It will be ideal preparation for riders who plan to race in the Cape Epic, because it will give them an indication of their fitness levels.

The event is not just for the professionals and the MTN Marathon as well as the Nissan makes this an ideal family escape to the wine lands.

Desiree Pooe, Senior Manager: Sponsorship and Events at MTN SA says� The MTN Tulbagh    ultra-marathon is a test of fitness and it requires a different range of skills from all the riders who participate in the race. Besides the off-road , we encourage all riders to come with their families and enjoy the scenic beauty Tulbagh has to offer�

The charming historical town of Tulbagh is situated in the winelands of the Boland in the Western Cape Province of South Africa.

The town is part of the Witzenberg municipal region and its neighbouring towns are Gouda, Wolseley, Ceres and Prince Alfred Hamlet.

The people of Tulbagh are renowned for their friendliness and easygoing hospitality and the valley has become an attractive weekend getaway.

Proteas and herbs are indigenous and peaches, pears, as well as 70 percent of the country�s plums, are cultivated in the shadow of the mountains. The valley is perhaps best known for its production of some of the country�s finest wines. Estate wines, such as Twee Jonge Gezellen, Drostdyhof and Theuniskraal, originated in the valley known as Het Land van Waveren where wines have been cultivated since 1906.

National level class racing have given Capetonians a taste of National Level racing, with well marked courses, World Class routes and a event that's second to none! This year we're back and happy to announce that we're improving the route and fine tuning the thrill factor for 2012!

Make a family trip out of it! We have a distance for everybody, with good old Tulbagh hospitality and GEAT Saronsberg Wines!

Programme:
Date:     18 February 2012
Venue:     Saronsberg Wine Farm, Tulbagh, Western Cape
Start Times:     110km � 07:00am | 75km � 07:20am | 45km - 08:15am | 20km - 08:45am
Terrain:     Plantations | Game Farms | Savanna
Elevation:     341m | Ascent: 2339m* (ultra) | 1518m* (75km) | TBA (45km) * to be amended
Features:     Dams | Forests | Mountain passes | Stunning Views | Cape-Epic Routes
Registration:     Fri 17/02 - Saronsberg Wine Farm - 17h00-21h00
      Sat 18/02 - Saronsberg Wine Farm - 05h30-09h00
Online Entries:     Close midnight 14 February 2012 - ENTER HERE - Late entries will be accepted
Early Bird Fees:     Midnight 25 Jan - 110km - R200 | 75km � R170 | 45km � R140 | 20km � R70 (CLOSED)

Ultimate Sports Nutrition from USN:

We've just signed a deal for 2012 that will see USN come onboard as the official Nutrition partner of the MTN National MTB Series. You can expect to be treated pre race to post race, you can even leave your stuff at home, ther'll look after you! Experience what the best athletes in our country use! http://www.usn.co.za

Powasol Bike Wash:

We're happy to announce that Powasol will be at the event doing a professional job cleaning your bicycles with their famous products. This service will be charged for, for costs and bookings go to http://www.powasol.co.za. Powasol will also offer a fee bike rinse for those who don't mind doing it themselves.

Numberboard:

Please bring your number boards with, these number boards are your personal boards to be used at all MTN, Nissan Series and SAS Seeding friendly events. Lost boards will be charged a replacement fee of R50. New boards will also be issued on the day if you do not yet have one. Please don't borrow boards out amoungst family of friends as the number board is connected to your ID number for results and seeding purposes. For more info go to http://www.saseeding.co.za

Accommodation:

Accommodation information on all available accommodation can be obtained from Tourist Information Web Site or from Tourist Reservations.

Saronsberg website: http://www.saronsberg.com
Tulbagh Website: http://www.tulbaghtourism.co.za
Tourism Info: tulbaghtourism@lando.co.za or +27 (0)23 230 1375
Tulbagh info centre - http://www.tulbagh.net/accommodation.htm
Tulbagh Hotel - http://www.tulbaghhotel.co.za   +27 (0)23 230 0071
Booking.com - http://www.booking.com +27 (0)23 230 1177
Sleeping out - http://www.sleeping-out.co.za
Fine dining, Paddagang restuarant - http://www.paddagangrestaurant.com/
Waterval accomodation - http://www.waterval.co.za/ or info@waterval.co.za