CONFIRMED: 100+ Races and cycle tours for the next 12 months!

Our rather complete South African cycling calendar for this year and next (2022)

I loved compiling this SA cycling calendar below and having new races to look forward to, especially after the covid turmoil as of late. Upwards an onwards, let’s race, tour and travel. Move MY Bicycle around South Africa? Move YOUR Bicycle around South Africa!

September 2021

Spring day! From here on the vineyards start growing at a rapid pace. May I suggest sending yourself and your bicycle to the Ride to Nowhere in Montagu? Why not.

  • 4th: Race to the Sea is a 164 km gravel bike journey from Franschhoek to Hermanus #noexcuses
  • 11th: King Price Trailseeker MTB series #3 at Van Gaalen in the North West province
  • 11-12: Ride to Nowhere since 2012, for the love of the ride, in McGregor Western Cape
  • 17-19: Magoeba Trek is Limpopo’s 3-day mountain bike stage race! #itsmountainbiking
  • 20-25: Lesotho Sky is a 6-day stage race limited to 100 riders only and referred to as The Race With Stoke

October 2021

Oktoberfest! With bicycles and blossoms and breweries and gravel grinders there is ample to choose from. Did you know that the Amashova is the oldest road race classic in SA?

  • 1-3: Elgin Bikes 2 Blossoms MTB Tour powered by Trail’s End in Elgin, Oak Valley and Paul Cluver
  • 2-3: BrewerytoBrewery MTB Weekend in Greyton on 2 & 3 October 2021 sounds like my pint of beer
  • 3rd: Durban Ultra Triathlon with 1900m swim, 90 km Cycle and 21km Run, plus Team (relay) entries
  • 7-9: Inyatsi Swazi Frontier is a stage race held over 3 days in the north-west corner of Eswatini
  • 8-10: Eselfontein MTB 3 Day Stage Event in Ceres about 30, 55 and 40km on each of the 3 days
  • 8-10: Y2Karoo is (another) the race with soul and please note this date was moved to here because of covid
  • 9th: King Price Trailseeker MTB series #4 at Banhoek in the Western Cape is right on my doorstep
  • 16-24: SRTR Spring Race to Rhodes is a 6-day 480km guided & supported MTB ride from PMB to Rhodes
  • 21-24: Karoo GravelGrinder October 21st 2021 by John and the team at MTB Africa Event Management
  • 23rd: King Price Trailseeker MTB series #5 at Sondela in the Limpopo Province of South Africa
  • 24th: Amashova Durban Classic powered by Cycle Lab is the oldest road classic in SA
  • 30th: King Price Trailseeker MTB series #6 at Wellington in the Western Cape (say hello to Schalk Burger)

November 2021

YE functions! ‘The sun is pulling water’ and so is the year. Enjoy the last bit. November in my mind is synonymous with the Wines 2 Whales events, is Chardonnay, Pinotage & Shiraz.

December 2021

Closing time! After the last major race, ‘it’s the end of the year as we know it’ (and we feel fine). If you haven’t done the Munga just yet, I can strongly suggest it. Probably the best way to start the holidays…

  • 1-6: The Munga MTB and the new Equipe Relay both offer over 1000km in 120hrs from BFN to Wellington
  • 3-6: Camdeboo GravelGrinder 3rd December 2021 starting in the fourth-oldest town in SA, Graaf-Reinet
  • 5th: Joburg Ultra Triathlon takes place just outside of JHB at the Cradle Moon Lakeside Game Lodge
  • 10th: Nedbank Desert Dash 24hr 393km MTB race crossing the world’s oldest desert, Namibia

January 2022

Resolutions! Time to fill of blank canvas calendars with races, tours, and bike travel. And the year certainly kicks off with a bang; ATTA! I also see that the Tour de Boland has a new gravel event, in January?

  • 12-16: Outeniqua GravelGrinder 12th January 2022 in Knysna is a 3 day social ride of +-65km per day
  • 15th: Attakwas Extreme MTB Challenge #HellOfTheSouth is a proper test of your MTB skill and endurance
  • TBA: IRONMAN® 70.3 South Africa in Buffalo City, East London has a difficult swim and hilly cycle and run for fun
  • TBA: Tour de Boland Road and Gravel tours from TDBcycling

February 2022

Hot! If you want to test your hydration strategy, this is the month to do so. Once again their are many races and tours on the cycling calendar, so just pick one and book your bike travel with us.

  • 3-6: Momentum Tankwa Trek presented by Biogen 4 day stage race is one of the first UCI events of the season
  • 9-13: Outeniqua GravelGrinder 9th of February 2022 has 4 nights of luxury and 3 days of fantastic cycling in Knysna
  • 12-18: TransCape 2022 6 days 6 stages 550km 9000m climb MTB in George and the beautiful Garden Route
  • 19th: The Karoo Burn boasts the longest straight gravel road in SA! With 242km to go, are you ready?
  • 20th: The Herald Cycle Tour in Nelson Mandela Bay offers MTB, Junior and Road Races
  • 23-26: Prudential PE to Plett 4 day stage race in the Garden Route is the Eastern Cape’s Premier MTB event
  • 25-26: Ride the Karoo 50 & 100 miler in the beautiful Sneeuberg region around Nieu Bethesda
  • 26th: Stanford MTB Classic XCM 2022 is The Overberg’s most challenging one-day mountain bike race

March 2022

Hoopla! Fun in the sun and plenty of cycle tours in the winelands. Welcome to Cape Town, where the V&A waterfront is usually packed during this time of year. Oh, and the ABSA Cape Epic.

  • 6th: The Cape Ultra Triathlon takes place at the Theewater Sports Club near Villiersdorp
  • 6-10: Hotchillee Cape Rouleur is a luxurious road bike tour with ride captains in the winelands and before the CTCT
  • 8-11: Camdeboo GravelGrinder 8th March 2022 goes around Sneeuberg, Murraysburg & Nardousberg
  • 13th: CTCT Cape Town Cycle Tour the World’s Largest Timed Cycle Race with spectacular views
  • 15-19: RTC Race to Cradock 580km from Rhodes to Cradock, via Kranskop, Romansfontein en Elandsberg
  • 17-24: Absa Cape Epic is the most televised mountain bike race in the world, about 700km & 16000m
  • 18-21: Karoo GravelGrinder 18th March 2022 where Non-Rider companions have their own tours in the area
  • 22-25: RTW Race to Willowmore 530km from Cradock to Willowmore part of the Freedom Challenge series
  • 29/3-1/4: Camdeboo GravelGrinder 29th March 2022 where E-bikes are welcome and very popular on tour
  • TBA: Tour de Boland Road and Gravel tours from TDBcycling during the week prior or after the CTCT

April 2022

Break! Some rest and holidays to recharge before the remainder of the year. joberg2c remains on my bucket list as the ultimate cycling race / holiday / adventure / MTB tour yet to be completed. Any takers?

  • 7-10: Karoo GravelGrinder 7th April 2022 welcomes e-bikes and social riders in Prince Albert
  • 8-10: The Munga GRIT Tankwa Reserve in the Karoo 500km in 50hrs should definitely not be taken lightly
  • 8-10: Cradle Traverse MTB Challenge by Sanlam Glacier is JHB’s version of the Storms River Traverse?
  • 9th: Ultra X & Ultra X Lite FS multi-stage challenge in the Drakensberg Mountains
  • 19-22: Camdeboo GravelGrinder 19th April 2022 in Graaff-Reinet net soos die Voortrekkers
  • 22-30: joberg2c Ride the beloved country for 11 years and counting across 4 SA provinces
  • 24-30: Freedom Circuit is a semi-supported 400 or 700km bikepacking race in South Africa
  • 29/4-1/5: Trek 2 Teebus presented by SEESA 3 day Karoo MTB adventure around Suurberg
  • 29/4-1/5: The Investec Great Kei Trek hosts an Original end of April and a Tour from 6-8 May
  • TBA: Beast of the East is replaced by the Pursuit Challenge #7 Legends MX due to Covid-19

May 2022

Magic! Not too warm, not too cold and with no wind it is pure bliss for cycling. May is my favourite month for cycling, not just because it is my birthday month, but also for the reasons above. Go figure. Or go to the Sani2c and up the Sani pass before.

  • 5-8: Karoo GravelGrinder 5th May 2022 in Prince Albert, below the gravel Swartberg pass from Thomas Bain
  • 6-8: The Investec Great Kei Trek hosts an Original end of April and a Tour from 6-8 May
  • 7-8: The Houw Hoek Tour is a non-competitive 2 day MTB stage event with two roughly 50km stages
  • 7th: Race to the Sun is a 160 km gravel and mountain bike journey from Hartbeespoort Dam to Sun City #noexcuses
  • 8th: Sun City Ultra Triathlon is your annual opportunity to say ‘ek was al in Sun City’
  • 11-14: The KAP sani2c three-day, 265km MTB Adventure 11-13 and Race 12-14 (Nonstop is 3-4 June not May)
  • 12-15: Camdeboo GravelGrinder 12th May 2022 in Graaff-Reinet, from where the Groot Trek started
  • 13-15: 36ONE MTB Challenge 361km in 36.1hrs around Oudtshoorn, but there is also a Half
  • 26-29: Karoo GravelGrinder May 26th 2022 in Prince Albert, SA’s ‘most attractive’ town
  • 27-29: PwC Great Zuurberg Trek 3 day stage race for a boutique-style mountain biking experience

June 2022

Winter! After the winter solstice on the 21st, our days are getting longer again. The Durban Half-Ironman is a great event this time of year, with a warm swim, flat cycle and energetic crowd on the run to finish at the beach front. Should we send your bike?

  • 11-14: The KAP sani2c Nonstop version all-in-one-go (vs the Adventure and Race in May)
  • 3-5: FQM 1Zambia MTB is one wild African 250km in 3 days stage race and Zambia’s ultimate MTB challenge
  • 5th: IRONMAN 70.3 Durban Kwa Zulu Natal is our favourite, with warm waters and flat roads
  • 11-12: Greyt Middelplaas Escape 2 day MTB Stage Race in Elandskloof, outside Greyton
  • 14-22: Winter RASA Freedom Challenge Race Across South Africa 2150km from PMB to Wellington
  • 14-26: Berg & Bush by Grindrod Bank has the Tour 14-16 | 2-Day 18-19 | Descent 24-26
  • 16-18: Trans Augrabies MTB 3-Day Stage Race Through the Heart of the Green Kalahari
  • 16-21: Winter RTR Race to Rhodes 480km from PMB to Rhodes as first part of the Freedom Challenge
  • 29-30: Winter RTP  Race to Paarl is 608km from Willowmore to Diemersfontein

July 2022

Cold! Time to layer up and for our coldest and wettest month in the Cape. Did you know that Audax SA (long distance cycling in South Africa) aims to host at least 1 monthly ride in both GP and WC, when possible? Check it out.

August 2022

Snow! See you Swaarmoed in Ceres, for the last snow(man) before the winter ends. This is also the month of one of my favourite MTB races in the country, the Transbaviaans. Need one more to make it a 1-2-3-4-5…

September 2022

Flowers! Spring is here and our spirits are lifted with the warmer weather. Is the Karoo to Coast the largest timed 1day MTB race in SA? Either way, I can highly recommend taking the Cross Cape Cycle Route there, or back.

  • 1-4: Camdeboo GravelGrinder 1st Sept 2022 in Graaff-Reinet, SA town with the most national monuments
  • 2-4: Namaqua Quest is a 3 Day Mountain Bike Stage Race from Okiep to Springbok
  • 4-10: Momentum Cape Pioneer Trek presented by Biogen is the original the #racewithsoul
  • 8-11: Karoo GravelGrinder 8th September 2022  at the foot of the iconic gravel Swartberg Pass
  • 22-24: Dr Evil Classic 3 day MTB stage race by CCPP Group in the Garden Route on Heritage Day weekend
  • 22-25: Camdeboo GravelGrinder 22nd September 2022 in Graaff-Reinet with 3 nights in the luxury Drostdy Hotel
  • 23-25: Ride the Karoo 3 day stage race takes place in the heart of the Karoo on Dwarsvlei farm
  • 25th: Lions Karoo-to-Coast 100km MTB Challenge be CCPP Group from Uniondale to Knysna
  • 29/9-2/10: Karoo GravelGrinder 29th Sept 2022 & part of the MTBA Gravel Grinders, Gravenduros & Gran Fondos
  • 30th: The Munga GRIT Cradle of Humankind to the North-West 500km in 50hrs

October 2022

Afrikaans! Want ons almal weet Oktober is die mooiste mooiste maand. En nie net vir fietsry in en om Knysna nie, maar waarskynlik regoor Suid-Afrika. Stuur jou fiets en gaan verken ons pragtige land.

November 2022

Ping! Blink and we are at the end of another year. Time flies when you’re having fun. From here one we’ll be reviewing previous calendar entries to hopefully keep your cycling cup full for another year and more.

  • 3-6: Camdeboo GravelGrinder 3rd November 2022 for 3 days of fine wining & dining & cycling around Graaf-Reinet

TBA/B/C/D

TBA, TBC, TBD. To be announced, to be continued and to be disclosed. Here we have another 30-odd events that were also moved or covid or changed or don’t have new dates at the time of writing yet — and we will get to each one of them and confirm the new dates so you can have the most up to date calendar yet 🙂

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