DVNC: More than a dozen cycling events wiped from the calendar

Bicycle couriers is a happy website; doing happy business; with happy customers.

We bring joy to the world. But when we see cycling events disappearing off the calendar it makes us sad. BIKEHUB showcases this frustration under the forum de-villiers-national-cycling/. And I don’t know Wynand de Villiers so I haven’t paid much attention to this. I’m not here to judge or speculate. But when bicycle couriers’ customers want to book bicycle transport for events that are no longer going to happen, I must inform them that:

De Villiers National Cycling has been liquidated

Says Wynand de Villiers on his website (which is still live at the time of writing, along with many of the individual event’s pages): Our 12 annual cycling events (we found 18 listed on their site) currently play host to more than 20 000 cyclists. Our events not only provide delightful experiences for our riders, but also nationwide traction for sponsors on race day.

THE CITIZEN recently posted the following articles, in summary:

• Huge shock for the country’s cyclists
• When the wolf slips into the sport stadium
• Where did the thousands of rands in entry fees go?

Which cycling events are no more?

Boland 100 Miler – CLOSED

The Named Sport Boland 100 Miler website at namedboland100miler2023 as from My Active still shows details from 2023 and nothing after that. It was a one-day 150km race with 1800 vertical meters of climbing and tickets sold for R670 each back then. with Cyclelab and Midvest McCarthy still listed alongside title sponsor Names Sport. But no more.

Boland Gravel Monster – CLOSED

The Boland Gravel Monster was listed on Entryninja at boland-gravel-monster as a 100 or 150km gravel race around Wellington | Hermon | Riebeeck Kasteel | Riebeeck West | Gouda | Tulbagh | Bainskloof Pass. With the 150km Start and finish: Welbedacht Schalk Burger and Sons Estate, Wellington. And the 100km Start: Allesverloren Wine Estate, Riebeeck West. Entries were R800 for the short route and R1150 for the long route. The domain bolandgravelmonster.co.za/ has been suspended.

Boland Race of Truth – CLOSED

The Boland Race of Truth was sold on Entryninja at race-of-truth but the event has been closed. It was a one-day 190km with 2100 meters of climbing team event. It sold for R9700 per team and start and finish was at Boland Landbouskool | Paarl as the route went through Wellington | Bains Kloof Pass| Tulbagh | Hermon | Riebeeck Kasteel | Bothaskloof Pass | Malmesbury | Paarl. And the short URL is also down at shorturl.at/tyFQW

Die Groot Trap – CLOSED

Last info for Die Everest Wealth Groot Trap 2024 as listed on the My Active custom domain diegroottrap2024.myactive.co.za states the following. Die Everest Wealth GROOT TRAP constituted Pretoria’s biggest cycling race already in its first year of presentation shortly after Covid with more than 2000 riders taking part. There was a 17 & 65 & 105km route and entries were R280, R410 and R570 respectively. And that was that.

Emperors Palace Classic – CLOSED

The last Emperors Palace Road Classic 2024 info was listed on the My Active domain emperorspalaceroadclassic.myactive.co.za and shows the racing batch starts for the sprint race. The shorter 48km half a race sold for R410 and the longer full distance of 98km sold for R570 per rider. The start and finish was at the Emperors Palace, but no more. On to the next one, or not, depends on how you look at it.

Montecasino Classico – CLOSED

Last info for the Montecasino Classico 2024 as on My Active entry portal site montecasinoclassico.myactive.co.za shows details for this race from FEB 2024. The venue for the event is (was) the impressive Montecasino Outdoor Events Arena and the route offers(ed) distances over 90km and 50km. the short route sold for R410 and the long route for R570, in line with other similar events listed here.

Paarl Boxing Day Track Challenge – UNAVAILABLE

The DVNC site links the Paarl Boxing Day Track Challenge to a FB page at facebook.com/paarlboxingday that is unavailable. Such a pity I have never experienced the vibe on boxed day in a scorching Paarl on the track before. Hoping someone swoops in and makes the most out of it for the future, so we can all still enjoy something special.

Paarl Cycle Tour – REFUNDED

This one is different. The portal paarlcycletour2023.myactive.co.za shows ‘we announce that this year’s Netwerk 24 Paarl Cycle Tour is cancelled.’ That was for the 2023 tour. They said there were 110 entries and ‘We have … presented the Boland Gravel Monster, Boland 100 Miler and Val de Vie MTB Expedition, and none of these events have managed to meet their budget demands.’ All entries will be refunded (for the Paarl Cycle Tour).

Shesha Fuels Val de Vie MTB Expedition – CLOSED

I did the first version of this MTB expedition, and it was quite fun. Registration and start and finish was in VDV estate and close to home for some. But this premium domain mtbexpedition.co.za is now for sale and nothing is listed online anymore. Cest la vie. From Val de Vie. The Shesha Fuels Val de Vie MTB Expedition is no more. Entries for the 3 day stage race was R7800 per rider with accommodation and R2800 pp without, as on TREAD for the-classy-new-stage-race/

Tour du Cap – CLOSED

Sounds like entries were reduced from R3000 to R1900 as listed on tourducap.co.za/. Astute readers pointed to ethics and/or cash flow. Controversial Toptickets shows ‘The 2026 Tour takes place on 2-6 March 2026 in the lead-up the Cape Town Cycle Tour’. But THE CITIZEN reported that De Villiers sent an email to the Boland 100 Miler and Tour du Cap participants on Thursday. To let them know that the races are no longer taking place.

But wait, there may be more

I’ve elaborated on 10 cancelled cycling events already. The ones listed above come from entry links on the DVNC website, today. The list goes on. Below are some more that may or may not be cancelled. I don’t have the time to contact them all individually to find out now and you don’t want an unnecessarily long article to read through. Just be careful out there!

• Berge en Dale Classic
• Jock Tour
• Sanlam MTB Invitational
• Satellite Classic
• Sondela MTB Classic
• TransCape
• Walkerville MTB Classic
• Winelands MTB Encounter

*Phew. So much positive energy gone (referring to the bicycle races). For those that do still exist (and may there be many more to come) – where can we send your bicycle today?