Mountain bikers eye exciting G2C race

ON a clear day, you can see the Indian Ocean from the top of Mountain Drive just outside Grahamstown, almost 60km from the coast.

But the mountain bikers participating in the Pennypinchers Grahamstown-to-Sea (G2C) ride from Grahamstown to Port Alfred next month will have little time to take in the beautiful scenery they will encounter on the 58km route.

Being organised by Grahamstown-based Saints & Sinners Cycling Club, the event takes place on Sunday, July 13, the final day of the 2014 National Arts Festival.

The inaugural G2C ride last year drew in excess of 300 entries from all over the Eastern Cape, and organisers and sponsors were ecstatic at the response.

Participants were enthusiastic about the route, descending from 643m above sea level outside Grahamstown to 69m at the finish outside Port Alfred.

With the phenomenal support for last year's event by participants and supporters, as well as the slick organisation, the G2C has been advertised in the official programme of the 2014 National Arts Festival.

G2C spokesperson John van Onselen said organisers had again fixed the starting time at 8.30am to give visiting riders from East London and Port Elizabeth sufficient time to get to Grahamstown.

The starting point for G2C will be the Pennypinchers warehouse in the industrial area to the west of the city, with the finish at Rosehill Mall outside Port Alfred.

Van Onselen was quick to emphasise that because the ride starts in the mountains and finishes at the coast, it would not be downhill and plain sailing all the way.

"There are some tough, if not mean, hills to climb on the route, plus several fast downhill sections," he said.

The cut-off time is 1pm.

There will be lucky draws, and prizes on offer to the leading riders.

Entry fee for the G2C is R150 for online entries, which close at 5pm on July 4. Thereafter late entries will be accepted at R200 a rider at registration on July 12.