Issued by: Die Burger


Last year saw over 6 000 cyclists participate in the two road races. Entries opened for this year's event on Monday 25 September and will be limited to 8 000 cyclists.

“We are very pleased to work with the Cycle Tour Trust again,” says Henry Jeffreys, editor of Die Burger. “Last year's event was an example of excellent collaboration between Die Burger as naming right sponsor and the Cycle Tour Trust as organiser.

“We are looking forward to another great event in November and hope that the weather conditions play along as they did last year to ensure an even better turnout on the day.”

The routes and a NEW mountain bike event

This year the race features two road distances - the scenic 44km and the 98 km for more serious cyclists - as well as a new 24km mountain bike route.

Die Burger Cycle Tour will also start and finish at a new venue this year - Stellenbosch High School in Jannasch Street (off Merriman Street). The cycling race will take participants through picturesque areas surrounding Stellenbosch.

The 98 km route is for more serious cyclists and those hoping to improve their starting time at the 2009 Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour.

• It will take riders through Stellenbosch and up the scenic Old Helshoogte Pass before descending through Pniel and towards Franschhoek.
• From the R45, the route then turns left and continues past Drakenstein Prison towards Paarl, hugging the vineyards alongside the mountains and joining the R301 to Wellington.
• Then it's left onto the R44, the Agter Paarl Road, back under the N1, and over the rolling hills of the R44 back to Stellenbosch, where spectators will cheer riders on as they cross the finish line.

Riders doing the 44 km route are also in for a scenic but less taxing treat:

• From Stellenbosch High, the short route immediately joins the long route over old Hellshoogte Pass and through Pniel.
• Just after the railway line at Boschendal, the two routes split when short route riders turn left onto the R45.
• The two routes join again on the R44, about 15 km before the finish in Stellenbosch.

The new family-friendly 24 km mountain bike route will take riders through the famous Jonkershoek mountain biking area:

• Even though it is a non-technical route with no single-track, cyclists will climb a total of 400m.
  
• The mountain bike event is limited to 400 cyclists.

Entries opened on Monday 25 September and close on 10 November. For more information, please visit www.dieburgercycletour.co.za or call 021 685 6551.

Visit our PRESS OFFICE: Die Burger is the biggest daily in the Western Cape. Separate editions are published for the Western and Eastern Cape. Drivers in the circulation department travel about 25 000 km a day to deliver newspapers.- more....

[9 Oct 2008 10:52]

SEND TO A FRIEND  |   PRINT