Mountain-biking enthusiasts of all ages can look forward to the second Momentum Grape MTB Ride, taking place as part of the 2016 Stellenbosch Wine Festival presented by Pick n Pay. The 17km fun ride is scheduled for Sunday, 7 February, starting and finishing at the festival venue, Coetzenburg sports grounds.
The route will wind its way through Stellenbosch and the spectacular Jonkershoek Valley, mostly on tarred roads, with smaller sections of easy dirt roads and tracks. Heading out from Coetzenburg, riders will head up Jonkershoek Road past estates including Lanzerac and Rudera, up to the turnaround point at the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve gate, before embarking on the return loop via Assegaaibos and the Jonkershoek Road cycle path.
The relatively gentle route makes the ride suitable for the whole family to enjoy together. The turnaround area is the highest point on the route, so riders can really enjoy the scenery while freewheeling most of the way back to the finish point!
Special permission has been granted by CapeNature to utilise the more secluded Assegaaibos section on the route – an area not usually accessible to cyclists – so riders are in for an extra-special ride this year.
The ride starts at 07h30, with pre-race registration starting at 06h00. Early entries are R110 and can be found online at www.dirtopia.co.za before 2 February. Last-minute entries cost R140. All participants receive free entry to the wine festival, with an additional R75 for the wine-tasting.
Visit the Festival website www.stellenboschwinefestival.co.za for a full event schedule. Follow the Stellenbosch Wine Festival on Twitter @StellWineFest, Instagram @Stellenboschwinefest or sign up for regular updates on Facebook at StellenboschWineFestival.