WHERE WE’ RE GOING
STAGE 3
GRAAFF REINET TO BLAAUWATER
Distance: 9Okm
Elevation: ± 1 45Om Elevation drop: ± 7OOm Highest point: 1 622m Surface: 95 % unpaved /
5 % paved
RIDERS START DAY 3 IN THE historic town of Graaff Reinet. The route ahead leads to Blaauwater Farms, a remote Karoo area where land, livestock and landscape exist in rugged harmony. It’ s a 90km test, almost all on gravel, with more climbing than descending.
The day begins with a short section of paved road, rolling out of town before the route takes a right off the tar and across a cattle grid onto
STAGE 3
R63
Unpaved Paved Padstal Summit
N9
BLAAUWATER
N9
GRAAFF REINET
gravel. This marks the beginning of the day’ s action. From here, the road kicks up – not sharply, but persistently – all the way to the highest point of the stage, shortly after 40km. The gradient is steady, but the false summits and long drag makes for a highly attritious first half where the strongest riders will look for any opportunity to turn the screws and whittle down the group. Padstal 1 arrives at 36km, offering
1622m Conical Peak
N9
R61 a well-timed stop before the final push to the top. The surface isn’ t the roughest of the week, but it’ s enough to signal that the race is now deep in the Karoo. Navigation is simple, with few turns – only one long gravel road ahead and open sky above.
After cresting the high point – focus becomes critical. The drop is technical in places, including rutted sections that look tame at training pace but become exponentially riskier at race pace. This plays into the hands of the stronger riders pushing hard on the previous climb. They know that opening even a small gap on rivals leaves them with a sense of urgency – unforced errors here could mean punctures, mechanicals, or worse. Fortunately the second Padstal sits just beyond the descent, providing relief and repairs.
From there the road flattens out but the racing will not ease up. Riders face a long, straight stretch along remote farmlands after a river crossing which is exposed to the prevailing winds. Tactics continue to play a role, throughout the field. Alliances matter out here. Small groups will form and disintegrate, as the knots increase throughout the afternoon.
Riders reach the N10 and duck under it, marking the last section of the course. The final 10km belie the flat profile, with rough surfaces and short, nasty kickers.
38 NEDBANK GRAVEL BURN