When it comes to marathon mountain biking in South Africa, there are few (if any) courses that compare to that of the Imbuko Big 5 MTB Challenge.
In the 80km that the route covers riders will climb 3000m on rugged jeep tracks and trails that lace the towering Hawequa Mountains. The descents are marvellous but physical. The climbs are gruelling but rewarding, for the views and those descents! There are 6 water points along the route fuelled by NutriTech to keep you going. Race day is on 17 of Feb and it is set to be a big one this year!
Climb 1 – Hawequa
Terrain: The first climb of the day is entirely made up of farm and forest roads once you leave the brief 2km tar road liaison at the start. This means there is a lot of room to contest for positions on the climb but ruts and rocks do abound. The road is in better condition than previous years but you’ll still have some rocky sections to fight your way through and earn your descent. The climb tops out just underneath the Du Toits Kloof Pass. Soak in the views along the top contour before you plunge down to the Hawequa Scout’s Hall.
The Hawequa Trail is a fast single track descent with some technical corners that get especially loose towards the bottom (due to loose gravel over hard ground). You’ll lose elevation quickly on this one all the way down to the Brooklyn Bridge crossing over the Dasbos Rivier. A short climb out the other side of the valley and you’ll coast along a bench-cut single track to the first water point at the Scout’s Hall.
Vertical: 700m up / 400m down
Distance: 15km up (from race start) / 4km down (to Brooklyn Bridge)
Climb 2 – Seven Peaks
Within a kilometre of leaving the scouts hall, you turn right onto the Seven Peaks Climb. This a steep and occasionally loose single track climb with little to no room for overtaking (unless someone steps out of the way for you). You’ll be greeted by a couple of rocky sections near the top before a gradual contour becomes a hair-raising descent down the Cool Running’s trail.
Cool Runnings is fairly steep and certainly loose. Proactive braking is a smart move here! Towards the bottom of the descent you’ll cross a small stream before a little kicker climb that puts you onto the last part of the Cool Runnings descent trail. The trail spits you out into some vineyards where a right hand turn takes you up over a steep hill, along Bainskloof Pass before dropping you down onto the 2nd water point of the day at Canetsfontein, 3.5km from the bottom of the trail.
Vertical: 360m up / 450m down
Distance: 4km up (from Scouts Hall) / 4km down (top to vineyards)
Climb 3 – Obiekwa
This is the centrepiece of the race. A monster effort taking in 900m of elevation gain across a mix of rough forest roads and single track ascents. There is a steep pinch from Canetsfontein up to Bainskoof pass. Crossing the pass, the gradient lets up but only just. The Aap d’Huez trail winds its way up through the forest before a brief pause in climbing as you descend the Full Monty 3 trail. More single track and forest roads eventually deposit you at the Cliffhanger trail’s base with 3km and 250m vertical left to the summit. There is a water point here (the 3rd of the day) before you begin the final push of climb no.3.
Feel free to stop and take in the scenes at the top of this mountain under the peak of Geelbekskop (to your right if looking down the descent), not many get to witness them!
When you’re ready, creep down the upper switchbacks of the Cliffhanger; braking early, entering wide, looking for the exit, and putting your weight on your outside foot (unclip your inside foot if you need to). You can find our how-to guide here for acing those tight corners. The rest of the trail is much more gradual and takes you all the way back down to the Bainskloof Pass where you’ll drop a little more to the Canetsfontein Waterpoint again.
Vertical: 900m up / 850m down
Distance: 12km up from Canetsfontein / 10km down to Canetsfontein
Climb 4 – Groenberg
Groenberg is short and sharp. You’ll roll down a kilometre after the water point to the base of the climb up the lone standing ‘green mountain’. Your climb here is mostly single track broken up by a couple of farm road segments and a brief contour one 3rd of the way up. It finished with some really steep segments of trail before you drop right into the Golden Mile descent off the top.
The Golden Mile is a bit like a mini version of Cool Runnings, though the turns are a little tighter most of the way down. Arriving in the vineyards at the bottom it is a flat cruise to the Val du Charron waterpoint and Tech Zone. 4 down, 3 to go!
Vertical: 240m up / 260m down
Distance: 6km up from Canetsfontein / 3km down to Val du Charron
Climb 5 – Patatskloof
Welcome to the sting in the tail. The final segment of the route can be broken up into 2 parts. The long gravel road climb that takes in about 300m of elevation gain and then the remaining bumps in the elevation profile that take you home.
It takes 6 km to cross the valley floor and then grind your way up the exposed gravel road to where you turn right onto a rocky traverse. 2.5km of traversing + a steep gravel road descent gets you to the bottom of a steady drag up and across to the 6th and final waterpoint back at the Scout Hall.
It is 11km from the bottom of that steep gravel road descent to the finish with close to 300m of elevation gain. You’ll backtrack on the route from the Scout Hall until out of the little Dasbos Rivier valley over Brooklyn Bridge again then turn right and descend all the way back to the finish on farm roads (with a little pedal stroke here and there).
Congrats! You have earned a finish in South Africa’s toughest one day MTB marathon. Enjoy the Soul Barrel Brews, Imbuko Wines, and delicious food from Lounah Cafe on the lush grass while taking it all in!
Vertical: 500m up (Val du Charron to Dasbos Rivier exit) / 340m down
Distance: 12km (Val du Charron to Dasbos Rivier exit) / 6km to finish
If you’re looking to spectate the event, this is where you can find all the info.
If you are riding, we wish you all the best. Soak in every moment and we’ll see you there on race day!
Find out more about the Imbuko Big 5 in partnership with Canetsfontein: imbukobigfivemtbchallenge.co.za
