Travel and bike racing combine to give you some of the best, long-lasting memories. The combination can also create considerable stress when it comes to getting everything organised. If you have found the perfect stage race to do, the logistics of getting yourself there with your bike and your team mate can seem a bit daunting.
People like Adventure Racing Tours, in Perth, aim to make the whole experience a lot more enjoyable – which is the aim after-all.
“Our purpose is to arrange everything from transport, accommodation pre and post race, 3 meals a day as well as the race itself,” explains Ellen Allardice. Their next major tour is based on the well-regarded joberg2c stage race in South Africa.
“We will also arrange bike mechanics pre and post race to aid in the assembling and disassembling of bikes. Participants need only get themselves and their bikes to Johannesburg airport and then enjoy the ride!”
If you haven’t heard of joberg2c, it’s a race you should look into. Regarded by many as the most enjoyable mountain bike stage race in South Africa, and with the best trails, the race covers 9 days and tackles 913km of trails. Allardice says the race traverses “some of the most spectacular rural lands that South Africa has to offer – four provinces over nine scenically different days; From the dry grasslands and maizelands of the Free State to the spectacular descent down the Drakensberg mountains into Kwa-Zulu Natal, back up into the mist belt of Nottingham Rd which finally navigates through the notorious Umkomaas valley to the sea.” Truly it’s both a travel and mountain bike racing experience.
While the race looks after excellent tented accommodation, there’s the option to extend the trip with a luxury package from Adventure Racing Tours.
“There is also an option to extend the trip and include a luxury, big 5 safari which includes 2 game drives a day and all meals,” says Allardice. Best of all, it’s not too hard on the pocket. “The tour, and all the above inclusions, works out at approx $300pp per day twin share.”
We have always stated that a mountain bike stage race is the best package holiday around – and options like this just reinforce that.