Over the weekend of 23/24 April 2016, Montagu in the Western Cape will host the first edition of Eroica South Africa.
The historic Eroica brand has travelled well internationally and South Africa will be the first southern hemisphere destination on the calendar.
Eroica South Africa is to take place in and around Montagu. The beautiful Route 62 town is overlooked by the Langeberg and Swartberg Mountain ranges. As with other Eroica events, there will be a few different route options – 150km, 90km and 40km to fit most levels of fitness and passion.
Montagu is situated in a narrow valley on the southern edge of the greater Karoo. This semi-arid desert covers almost a third of South Africa’s total land area. Low rainfall, cloudless sky, extreme temperatures and an unforgiving, yet beautiful landscape characterize the Karoo.
Montagu has a very active farming community producing wine, olives and farming various fruits. The town also has it’s own hot springs, an old English fort and has big 5 game reserves nearby.
As with all other Eroica events, riders must ride period steel framed bikes with down tube shifters, original parts, and authentic clothing. Mustaches optional. Many of the bikes, will be Bianchi’s, Cinelli’s and Peugots, but international riders will see many new bike names at Eroica South Africa.
The country has a strong history of local steel framed biked building that was grew as imported bikes were less and less accessible. The longevity and quality has led a resurgence in the restoration of many of these fine steeds. Bikes from the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s with names such as Alpina, Hansom, Lejeune, Delange and Sancini are still riding the streets of Johannesburg and Cape Town today.
All routes will start in Montagu and the riders hit gravel road on the edge of town. The longer versions will then proceed out of the valley up onto the Karoo plateau. This is achieved via the gravel Ouberg Pas – a good drive in an off-road vehicle – a serious undertaking on a heroic steel frame bike.
The vastness of the Karoo becomes apparent as the riders arrive on top of the plateau. All they will see ahead is sparsely vegetated flat arid land. Fortunately the routes turn and riders will traverse the edge of the plateau, up and down past isolated farmsteads and rusty windmills, before dropping back down into the relatively lush valley and back onto the paved roads into Montagu.
Refreshment stops along the way will be supported by the local farming communities supplying fruit, cheese, wine and maybe some local mampoer – a sharp local fruit liquor. Not too many gels and energy drinks on this event.
On the culinary and hospitality side, the Karoo and the Western Cape are famous for lamb, wine and great feasts. After the ride, all participants will gather in the town to be a large Karoo lamb spit-braai (barbecue) produced by a top local chef, and finished off with refreshments provided by the award-winning local wine farms.
L’Eroica means ‘the heroic’ in Italian and covering the distances and terrain on these ancient steeds, fuelled by cheese and wine, certainly calls on ones inner hero.
Early bird registrations open 1 November 2015. Sign up for notifications about this event here.
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