I knew Gravel Burn was going to be a tough race. As a South African, I have a deep understanding of the terrain, not to mention the harsh, hostile environment and weather; yet, nothing could have prepared me for what unfolded over seven days in the Great Karoo.
At dinner before Stage 1 and even in the start chute, I overheard riders chatting about their training camps and recon rides conducted on the route – something I couldn’t do, being based in the UK. Some of you may recall reading about my Gravel Burn bike check from last month. I put a lot of thought into my bike and equipment setup, testing numerous tyre configurations with various inserts. The terrain I used for testing was far from tame – I did a lot of training on rocky trails, mountain bike trails, open and exposed gravel roads, not forgetting sand. There’s a lot of sand in the South Downs over summer.
