This mountain bike challenge is not so delicate at all

Barberton is a small historical town bordering Swaziland, yet only a 4 hour drive from Johannesburg to this tranquil destination.

But, don’t let the beauty of Barberton fool you! The Barberton XCM Mountain Bike Challenge is not as delicate as a daisy!

The 19th annual Barberton XCM MTB Challenge will take place on 31 January 2015 and boosts with 5 different race categories;
• The “very delicate” 20km Fun ride
• The “delicate” 30km Half marathon
• The “not so delicate” 48km Half marathon
• The “not so delicate” 77km Full marathon and
• The “not so delicate” 110km Ultra marathon

The Barberton XCM route is one not for the faint hearted. As they say; “blood, sweat and gears”, can be expected during this race. There are two categories which would be a bit more lenient towards those who did not spend as much time on the saddle as they would have liked to, the “very delicate” 20km and the “delicate” 30km. The 20km fun ride cyclists will cycle at the foot of the Makhonjwa Mountains and will peak at just under 700m above sea-level. The 110km Ultra marathon is the perfect training and test for those who plan to cycle races such as the Cape Epic and is known to be one of the toughest in the country. The Ultra Marathon cyclists will peak their 110km route at just under 1,800m above sea-level overlooking the majestic Makhonjwa Mountains and De Kaap Valley. This route will take the cyclists through two Nature reserves, plantations and a number of river crossings.

All races will start and end at the Barberton High School sports fields. With a festival-like atmosphere, there is much for the fans and supporters to do whilst waiting for the cyclists to return from their thrilling adventure ride.

According to Nic Eksteen, President of the Barberton Rotary Club, this race is the perfect motivation to stay fit this Festive season, all of this whilst contributing much needed funds to The Barberton Rotary Club, and its nominated charities. Eksteen further expressed his excitement regarding the routes single tracks, which guaranteed to make the race more exciting and challenging.

Pre-entries are open and you can enter at www.cycleevents.co.za

For more information regarding the routes and profiles, the Rotary, stalls, sponsorships, accommodation in town and tourist attractions, please visit www.barbertonxcm.co.za. To stay updated with the latest news and updates follow us on Twitter @BarbertonXCM and Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BarbertonXCM