The new 947 Cycle Challenge route

The race will commence on 19 November.

This year the route has been moved from Waterfall Equestrian Estate to the Riversands Commercial Park. While the majority of the route remains the same, the loss of the beast of the N14 freeway will make the course a beautiful one. It has been the highway to hell for some, according to Tanya Harford of Harford Sports Promotions. “We believe that many of the cyclists who said they would never do the race again because of the N14 have come back to the Cycle Challenge,” said Harford. By not using the N14, it also opens up access for traffic to come from the west and north, using the Diepsloot exit, added Hatford.

The route will go through Steyn City, a brand new development in the north of the city, using the two-lane dual carriageway called Steyn City Boulevard. After Steyn City, riders will ride under the R511 before turning left into Riversands Boulevard to the finish. The uphill part of the last few kilometres will remind riders of why this was once called Joburg’s Toughest Race. The race will start on Riversands Boulevard. From there, riders take a sharp right onto the Mnandi Road, followed by a 3km ride uphill to Summit road, and then they will be back on last year’s Cycle Challenge route. The Waterfall Country Estate and then the former start on Woodmead Drive, on to the M1 South, which is one of the favourite parts of the ride for so many. Riders will take the City loop through downtown Joburg, then head down Jan Smuts past the Zoo, Hyde Park and through Randburg, and left onto Witkoppen. “The race will avoid the Witkoppen Road and Malibongwe intersection, which has become a somewhat contentious intersection because of traffic,” said Harford. Cyclists will now go down Malibongwe and past Cosmo City.

The route takes rides up Malibongwe to the Lion Park, right on to the R114, then right again on to Cedar. After Steyn City, the last few kilometres on Riversands Boulevard will take riders home, climbing all the way to the finish line.