To Harties and back, and a bit more
Cycling is a serious sport for West Randers with the area boasting some of the best on- and off-road trails. Cyclists recently took on the Magalies Road Ride through Magaliesburg to Hartbeespoort and back.
Driving to Muldersdrift, Sterkfontein and Magaliesburg during a weekend you’ll quickly realise that you’ve in cyclist country.
Cycling is a serious sport for West Randers with the area boasting some of the best on- and off-road trails. With it comes many small and large, relaxed and serious competitions every now and again, which attracts riders of all kinds.
One of the bigger rides residents participated in recently was the Magalies Road Ride hosted by Drake Events. It started at Riverstone Lodge in Muldersdrift at 06:40 on May 29. This was the first of two similar events in the area, with this one consisting of only road sections with the second, taking place on June 12, making up the off-road segment.
The on-road portion consisted of a 185km route with a 2 000m total ascension.
From Riverstone Lodge the cyclists headed into the surrounding area of the Cradle of Humankind, continued onto the Pelindaba road towards Hartbeespoort where they rode around the dam wall. They took on the Zilkaatsnek climb and the Kommandonek section before heading west towards Magaliesburg.
After 110km the group enjoyed lunch at an Italian-styled restaurant from where they headed back toward Hekpoort, took a right towards the infamous Hekpoort climb, returned to Magaliesburg past Bekker High School, up toward Maropeng before riding back to the Cradle of Humankind.
Wesley Drake, who organised the event said, “This was not a ‘race’, so there were no official times. We promoted the ride as an experience, not a race, so as to create more cohesion in the groups to ride together and enjoy a day out with like-minded individuals. This was our fourth ride for the year. We plan outrides every month, alternating between road and mountain biking.
“Our first three rides were in Loskop (a 198km mountain bike ride), Naboomspruit (218km road outride) and the Freedom Day Mountain Bike Ride of 163km. The aim is to have riders of all levels, racing to mid-level, join and mingle on a ride instead of just racing head down.”
Drake Events races can by found by searching for the organisation on Facebook.
