The small community of Piket-Bo-Berg has become many a mountain biker’s dream after the unveiling of some of the very best trails the country has to offer. The U stage race went down in October and BRENDAN BELL completed the challenge.

Photo: Chris Hitchcock
Hands up those who’ve been to Piket-Bo-Berg before? Very few I bet. It all happens about two hour’s drive up the N7 and on the other side of Picketberg’s Versfeld Pass… this is where you’ll find a small, but established, farming community. The valley is littered with orchards of lemons, peaches and pears as well as majestic proteas and the popular buchu bushes. I’d heard a few tales of how brilliant and technical the previous year’s event had been and this year it promised to be even better with numbers having doubled. The organisers’ idea behind The U MTB Stage Race is to create a once a year event that is exceptional in all aspects – the race village nestled amongst the old oak and willow trees, the food, the vibe and of course the trails. What started as a Residents Association Fundraiser for the local school has spawned into something quite magical. Eric and Michele Starke, owners of Mouton Valley Farm, along with their farm manager, Rickus Jooste (trail builder) and his wife Delanie ensure that everything rolls along smoothly. So let’s talk about the actual race, we arrived late afternoon on the Friday, claimed our tents and geared up for The Prologue. 7.3km with 198m elevation – not compulsory but helps to seed riders. After a solid warm up of 100m we bolted off like wild horses through a zig-zag of pine tree switchbacks. It’s short and mean, but gives you a glimpse of what’s to come over the next 2 days. This was followed by quick, punchy climbs over rocky strata, more ups and downs, a few berms and a bridge that I confess almost got the better of me. After a quick, embarrassed glance around to see if anyone witnessed my close call I was back in the saddle to tackle the steep rocky climb ahead and the edgy descent finished off with a sprint across the finish line. Holy vlok that was kiff!