Magoeba Trek is around the corner and if you haven’t already started thinking about what to bring, now is the time to check your kit, stock up on those spares, and get your nutrition sorted.
Whether you’re the type of person who throws everything into a bag at the last minute, or who writes a list and then packs accordingly into individually wrapped packages, there are a few things you really don’t want to leave behind.
What the riders say …
When we asked a few of the people who know the area and have signed up for the race, what they would suggest, these were some of the things that were top of mind:
Bring:
– An appetite
– A sense of humour
– Plenty of bum cream(and if you don’t have a soft tail, double up)
– Big girl panties or a cup of cement for Day 2
– Ear plugs for the tented village and snoring neighbours
– Eye covers for bright lights outside the race tents
– Climbing legs
– Spare socks for Day 2
– An adventurous spirit. Remember, a bad day in the mountains is better than a good in the office!
What we say …
Of course, right at the top of the “compulsory check-list” are your helmet – in good order – and water bottles or a camelback. But when it comes to the Magoebaskloof mountains, you can never predict what you’re in for, so packing for all possibilities means there are a few other items that you really should have too. We’re assuming you will remember the obvious, but here are some extras we’d recommend…
Cycling kit:
– Compulsory: helmet and water bottles/ camelback
– Cycling shorts, shoes and jerseys (and washing powder if you plan to re-wear any of them)
– Long gloves in case of cold weather
– Rain jacket / wind breaker
– Arm warmers and buff
– Base layer
– Spares – include a tube, bombs plus adapter and puncture plugs, rear hangar and chain link (if you’re the neurotic type, add spare cleat bolts, brake pads, a tyre, a spare tubeless valve and some electrical tape)
– Basic tools – include a multi-tool with chain breaker
– Bring chain lube – it could be dusty or muddy, or (most likely) both
– Cable ties
– Bike lock
– Pump
– GPS and heart rate strap/ monitor
– Nutrition and sports drinks – pre, during and post race if you need them
– Bum cream
– Mini first aid kit (one per team is fine) and painkillers. If you’re not sure what to put in it, consider small bandages, plasters, tape, gauze, whistle and a space blanket. Something for pain relief, sunscreen and electrolyte/ rehydrate powder.
Non-cycling kit
If you’re staying in the tented race village:
– Toiletries, including soap, shampoo, towels, deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrush
– Sleeping bag and pillow
– An extra blanket
– Beanie
– Head torch and spare batteries
– Casual clothes for warm/ cool days and cold nights
– Plastic bags for your dirty kit
– Needle and thread (for mending and thorn removal, among other uses)
– Newspapers to stuff into wet shoes at night
– Cash for specialty coffee, bar and pancakes
At the end of the day, pack what you need to make sure your race experience is awesome, you’re fully fuelled and all fired up! We have mechanics on site who can do the hard stuff for you after you cross the finish line; but you don’t want to have to push 20km to get there.
See you in a few days!
There’s nothing quite like a MTB stage race in one of the most beautiful parts of the country to get the adrenaline going, the muscles pumping and the endorphins flowing. Then again, there’s something intensely frustrating about having a mechanical when you’re miles from anywhere and stuck with a mechanical you don’t know how to fix – but should.
If there are a couple of things you wish you knew how to do, one option is to beg your local bike mechanical to give you a quick “bike mechanics 101” course. Fixing a puncture is the basic starting point, but you may want to notch it up a bit and learn how to mend a broken chain, fix a skipping derailleur (watch this Bicycling video) or adjust your brakes. (Of course, being equipped with the right knowledge only helps if you also have the right spares with you when you need them.)
Once you get back to the race village after day 1 and day 2, the simplest thing to do is to book your bike in for a service with the race mechanics from Tzaneen Bicycle Café (email: tznccle@gmail.com) or Bicycle Company Polokwane (email: manager.plk@tbcbike.com). And while your bike’s being attended to, drop in to the massage tent and get yourself sorted for the next day too! (contact limpopo-treasurer@saphysio.co.za).
Enjoy your last couple of weeks of hard training – then the real fun begins!
A three-day MTB stage race requires a lot of things – amongst them, enough training, a great partner, a well-serviced bike and of course the right nutrition strategy.
When you’re heading out for a quick 90-minute cycle, having full glycogen stores before you start – and keeping them topped up – isn’t usually critical. But when you’re working towards a tough three days in that saddle that will give your muscles a solid workout, planning what you eat and drink becomes a much bigger focus.
The amount, type, and timing of nutrition you take in plays a bigger role than you may realise on both your physical and mental health – not just on the day of the race, but during training and recovery too.
There’s lots of debate about whether carbo-loading is the best strategy, and everyone has their own views – but if you’re part of the clan that still believes carbs are a necessity when it comes to real training, have a read of Bicycling’s article about eating carbs in a balanced way that gives your body all the nutrients it needs to perform.
Magoeba Trek is also delighted to have Enduren sports nutrition on board as one of our sponsors this year. Enduren is a high performance, completely natural endurance nutrition range that aims to provide superior high performance healthy sports nutrition alternatives.
Another of our sponsors is Miami Canners, which will be helping our team to deliver healthy, nutritious meals to you throughout the race. Our chefs are fully on board with the need to deliver delicious, nutrient-dense meals that keep you going for the full three days!
Can’t wait to see you all on the start line in 5 weeks time!
With only a few days left to go until entries for the 2019 edition of Magoeba Trek close, there are loads of great reasons to make sure you don’t miss out. The best reason of course is that the trails, the scenery and the sheer riding pleasure are out of this world.
If it’s budget you’re worried about, our ‘no accommodation’ entry option means that you benefit from a cheaper entry fee and can either bunk with friends or choose a local accommodation option that suits your needs. As an added bonus, your entry fee includes an awesome Ciovita race jersey, sponsored by Insect Science.
If training is your greatest concern, there is still just enough time to get in the saddle time you need – it’s amazing what you can do in 8 weeks! Of course if you’re aiming for the longer Race option, you’ll want to be climbing quite a few hills in the next few weeks as part of your race preparation.
Finally, if you don’t yet have a race partner, that’s no excuse either – simply enter the solo option and make new friends along the route. One thing we’re great at in Limpopo is camaraderie and cheer, so you won’t be short of like-minded people to connect with on the route and in the race village.
The rewards of completing Magoeba Trek are plenty. Granted, you do have to do a fair amount of climbing along the way – but then conquering the ups is what makes the downhills so much more exhilarating.
Enter now and we’ll see you there!
Ever have that feeling when you come to the end of a mountain bike race that although you’re chuffed to know you’ve achieved your goal, you just wish it didn’t have to stop here? That feeling isn’t a mistake. It’s the result of many long hours behind the scenes from a top notch team of people building and perfecting trails; communicating with riders; doing endless paperwork; and of course taking the time to prepare an all-round race experience that won’t be forgotten – all of it made possible by a group of incredible sponsors.
It’s the feeling you’ll get as you near the end of the Magoeba Trek.
Whatever it is that makes a race memorable for you, you can be almost certain that it wouldn’t happen without the incredible support that comes from the sponsors who put their weight behind an event to ensure that the delivery is slick and professional; the food is nutritious and delicious; the routes are exhilarating; and the overall race (and race village) experience exceeds your expectations and leaves you with a warm feel-good feeling.
At Magoeba Trek, we have an incredible range of sponsors who will do all of the above and more. From Insect Science, which knows all about innovative thinking, problem solving and professionalism, to Miami Canners and their fantastic healthy range of food products, your experience will also include a bike wash from Talisman, Enduren natural endurance nutrition products, and a range of other awesome experiences and prizes that come courtesy of BF Petroleum Group, ZZ2 and Trophy Toyota
We pay tribute to our awesome sponsors and, if you make it quick, you too can still get an entry in for this year’s Magoeba Trek Race or Trail
Entries close on 7 July and you’ll be disappointed if you don’t get a space!
Magoeba Trek is the premiere MTB stage race in Limpopo province and it’s a race that should be on every mountain biker’s wish list. Whether you’re wanting to discover incredible new trails in a beautiful setting (in which case we recommend you go for the roughly 40km per day Trail option); or you want a serious challenge that will test your fitness while still rewarding you with an incredible cycling experience (this means you need to go for the 70km per day Race option) – this is the race to do next.
Make no mistake – Magoeba Trek isn’t for sissies. It’s called the Magoebaskloof Mountain for a good reason – there are a lot of climbs! So be sure to train hills; and then ride a few more. Of course, the higher you go, the better the view and the more rewarding the downhill is afterwards – and there is no shortage of awesome downhill bliss, fast flowing single track and a few flat pieces thrown in for good measure.
With entries closing at the end of June, don’t delay – find yourself a partner and sign up for the adventure of a lifetime (or simply enter the solo category and come meet some new friends!).
If you’re not too sure your legs can handle the challenge, try out these “Six tricks to climb better on your bike” from Bicycling Magazine – they’re sure to help and make this not only a totally achievable goal, but one you’ll be back for again and again!
To enter Magoeba Trek, click here…
Three days of intense racing in the Magoebaskloof mountains saw the final stage of The Magoeba mountain bike stage race climaxing in an extremely exciting finishing stage. From Friday 24 to Sunday 26 August, cyclists tackled tough climbs, freshly made single track and exhilarating descents through a wide range of terrain offering incredible views of the area.
The field of riders, who competed in either the 40km/day Trail or the 70km/day Race, was made up of many local riders, a large contingent of cyclists from elsewhere in South Africa, as well as participants from Botswana and Namibia. Several pro teams completed the field, taking the level of racing to new heights.
In the men’s category, the Pyga Eurosteel combination of Pieter du Toi and Phillip Buys proved unbeatable, while Amy Beth McDougall and Sam Sanders of Dormakaba took the win for the ladies and local BF Petroleum team from Polokwane, Janine Muller and Heinro Malan team category.
“The first two days were super challenging and there was a mix of everything. It’s a brilliant way to challenge yourself and loads of fun, the vibe has been amazing and the food was spectacular,” said McDougall. ‘It was a proper race. Day three was super fun and a beautiful way to finish. Super well done to the organisers.”
The Pyga Eurosteel team, riding in the area for the first time, thoroughly enjoyed the challenge. “It’s our first time racing this area in Limpopo. The scenery was great and the race venue makes for a fun event. The guys putting up this event for the first time really did a great job,” said Phillip Buys.
The event was organized by Magoebaskloof Adventures and Rotary, and couldn’t have been done without the immense input of key sponsors, Insect Science, BF Petroleum, Talisman, Spar and Miami.
The Magoeba aims to grow from strength to strength and will certainly be one to watch on the 2019 mountain biking calendar.
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For additional information or images, contact Jen None: 066 231 6094
Why did we want to host a mountain bike stage race in Haenertsburg, you may ask? While the local mountain bikers may roll their eyes at such an ignorant question, I am happy to elaborate a little.
Magoebaskloof has some of the best, yet unexplored mountain biking terrain in the country – it is extraordinarily beautiful, it is diverse, it is challenging and last but not least, it is only four hours away from Johannesburg, Gauteng. This makes it perfect for you to leave the hustle and bustle of the city and participate in a stage race without having to board an airplane and deal with the drama of transporting your bicycle down to the Cape.
It is actually quite strange that it has taken so long for a stage race to be organised in Limpopo. With so much to offer, one may consider it a no-brainer and for years we did actually hear rumours of a stage race that was in the throes of being organized. So-and-so was always said to be doing it, and then…nothing. One day after years of this rumour amounting to nothing, all the passionate mountain bikers decided to team up and… viola…the project got off the ground!
This combined team-effort has turned out to be a very good thing too. You see, mountain bikers are very discerning about the standard of race that they expect and as race organisers we take this very seriously. Our goal is to showcase the very best that our beautiful province has to offer and to deliver a world-class mountain bike stage race which is no small feat. It literally takes a village!
We certainly can’t wait for August and we do hope to see you at Cheerio Gardens where our race village will be stationed. It is going to and exciting ride! Get your entry in today!
Regards, Jen
The Magoeba 3-day MTB stage race is set to become Limpopo’s premier mountain bike stage race this August. As one of the latest mountain bike stage races on the South African racing calendar, this big new challenge offers a completely different adventure for cyclists who have previously had little opportunity to explore the majestic Magoebaskloof mountains on two wheels.
Having a new race in the vast Limpopo province also offers sponsors an excellent opportunity to connect with a niche audience, improve brand recognition and engage existing clients in the region.
Mountain bikers are a gutsy, loyal, service-oriented group of people looking for great quality products with excellent service. They’re fun, adventurous, passionate and community oriented.
If you have a great brand that fits this profile and are looking for the perfect target audience in Limpopo, get in touch with us and we’ll make the right connection between our incredible race experience and your brand!
With mountain biking now considered to be ‘the new golf’ there’s no better way to build your brand connect, network and have fun with a diverse audience of likeminded people.
2024 sees a single day event with 4 MTB distances available along with 3 trail running options.
