The Lions Karoo to Coast will boast Cycling South Africa sanctioning for the first time in nearly a decade when it takes place on Sunday, 22 September 2024. This has led to a surge in the number of competitive riders taking part and the reestablishment of elite racing hostilities. In the women’s race Cherise Willeit is up against Catherin Colyn on a course which suits both the gravel-focused stars. While the match-up between local favourites – Matthys and Cronje Beukes, with Tristan Nortje – should be fascinating.
More importantly – for the 1 700 non-elite mountain-, gravel-, and electric-bikers taking on the 95 kilometre route from Uniondale, in the Karoo, to Knysna, on the coast – the weather is predicted to be cool and largely clear on race day. Temperatures are expected to vary between 8 and 20 degrees throughout the day, after a cold night. A few drops of light rain are also anticipated to fall, though no more than 0.7 millimetres are currently forecast for both De Vlugt, along the route, and on the finish line of the Knysna Sports Fields.
The road conditions are also good, route guru Stuart Lightley has revealed. “The Ou Wapad is always the roughest part of the route, and that is where the gravel bikes will be at a disadvantage,” Lightley noted. “Avontuur to Kom se Pad is pretty good at the moment, which should help the likes of Matthys Beukes post a fast time. The passes have undergone some resurfacing in the last few months and that’s a big positive for the riding experience. Approaching Knysna there is a soggy section bit under the indigenous forest canopy before the Kom se Pad turn-off. Kom se Pad itself will be fine on the bike though.”
“There is loose gravel on the Ou Wapad and on the Gouna descents,” warned race director Zandile Meneses. “But generally, we always like to remind everyone to ride within their skill limits, because its easy to end up going too fast on some of the long, steep descents. Riders will also be cycling through a game farm as they leave Uniondale, which could provide stunning wildlife sightings. Again, we’d like to reiterate the need to exercise common sense and not rush towards the antelope if they are galloping across or near the road. There will be safety measures in place here, but riders participate at their own risk. Be safe and have fun!”
Even the elite racers will be having fun on Sunday, though their version of fun will involve self-inflicted pain as they contest for victory. George locals Tristan Nortje, along with Matthys and Cronje Beukes, headline the elite men’s field. The trio will likely have ultra-endurance specialist Freddie Visser for company throughout much of the course, which could lead to an exceptionally fast time. Currently the course record is of 3 hours, 3 minutes and 13 seconds, which has stood since Charles Keey’s victory in 2012. Light headwinds through the opening half of the course may stifle a record attempt, though once the riders crest Buffelsnek, at the 59 kilometre mark, the wind is predicted to swing to a tail wind as the rain-bearing localised low pressure system moves east.
Cherise Willeit and Catherin Colyn will go head-to-head in the women’s race, with Lehane Oosthuizen a formidable third opponent in the battle for race victory. The mixed start group means that positioning within the bunch will play a key role in determining the women’s race victor. Ariane Lüthi holds the women’s record, of 3 hours, 31 minutes and 33 seconds, which – like Keey’s time – will take some beating.
To see if the leading men’s and women’s contenders of 2024 can challenge the 12-year-old course records mountain biking fans can tune in to the Lions Karoo to Coast Instagram and Facebook stories on Sunday, 22 September. Regular updates from the course will be posted there, when cell phone signal allows, while further photos and highlights from the race will be available post-event on the Karoo to Coast Facebook and @karoo2coast Instagram handles. For more information visit www.karootocoast.com.
