Seven days, over 800 kilometres and a total climb of 15 495 metres, the highly anticipated Mpumalanga Cycle Tour is back and once again promises to be a cycling spectacular.

As per usual, the tour will attract top guns in the cycling world. Last time, spectators were kept on tenterhooks until the last seconds in this series, and this year will be no different.

After being absent from last year’s event due to his move to world-tour level with Katusha Alpecin, Willie Smit will be joining the tour after being given the go-ahead to compete. Willie won the series convincingly in its first and second year.

Looking to give him a dressing down is last year’s winner, Matt Beers of team NAD Pro, joined by local favourites and teammates Nico Bell and Gawie Combrink, along with newcomer Wessel Botha, who joined the team this year. Matt took the spoils in 2018 in a time of 19:59:19, a mere 39 seconds in front of the runner-up, Jayde Julius from ProTouch – who will be seeking revenge this year. Gawie and Nico finished in third and fourth place last year, when they crossed the final finish line at Loskopdam in 20:01:15 and 20:02:38 respectively.

Much to the excitement of cyclists and organiser Hendrik Wagener, this year will boast a Tour-de-France style 42-kilometre time trial. With little elevation, it will give sprinters a chance to make up some time in the country’s longest first-of-its-kind time trial, taking place tomorrow. Tuesday will also see a new stage to the race, starting and ending in White River, which will take participants through the picturesque Krokodilpoort Nature Reserve.

“The Mpumalanga Cycle Tour continues to grow in stature and importance on the cycling calendar. The tour serves as an opener of the road cycling season in the country,” said culture, sport and recreation spokesman, Sibongile Nkosi, whose department is the main sponsor of the race, which finishes on January 17 at Loskopdam, A Forever Resort.

Here is the schedule for the event:

• Stage 1 – January 11: Blyde Canyon to Swadini
• Stage 2 – January 12: Individual time trial at Swadini
• Stage 3 – January 13: Swadini to Blyde Canyon
• Stage 4 – January 14: Blyde Canyon to Mbombela
• Stage 5 – January 15: White River to White River
• Stage 6 – January 16: Mbombela Stadium to eManzana
• Stage 7 – January 17:  eManzana to Loskopdam.

Here is a complete guide to the tour: