Cape Epic founder announces a new gravel race to be held in the Eastern Cape

The seven-day, 850-kilometre gravel race will unfold through the picturesque Eastern Cape province, providing a distinctive opportunity for both professional and amateur off-road cyclists.

The race will start in the coastal forests near Knysna in the Western Cape, before travelling through the stunning semi-desert landscapes of the Great Karoo.

Gravel Burn will finish at Shamwari Private Game Reserve, where participants will be greeted by Africa’s Big 5. Riders will stay overnight in remote ‘Burn Camps’ set up under the stars, designed to enhance the adventure and camaraderie of the event.

Gravel is the new fad

Gravel Burn is the brainchild of Kevin Vermaak, the founder of the internationally-renowned Cape Epic mountain bike stage race.

After launching the Cape Epic in 2004 and watching it become the most successful event of its kind, Vermaak sold the race to the US-based Ironman group in 2017 (where he stayed on as a consultant before taking a sabbatical).

His return to the cycling world comes with a new focus on gravel biking, a discipline that has been rapidly growing in popularity.

“I believe gravel biking in South Africa is now at about the place where mountain biking was 20 years ago,” Vermaak said at Thursday’s launch.

“It is growing exponentially in Europe and the United States, both among professional and amateur riders, and we think the timing is perfect for a major, long-distance, full-service pro-am gravel race.”

“And where better to stage it than South Africa?’

Custom tented camps at Gravel Burn

Gravel Burn’s team includes Richard McMartin – who led logistics for the early Cape Epic races – and route designer Steve Thomas.

Together, they have crafted a course that highlights the best gravel roads in the Great Karoo and Eastern Cape. Riders will rest after the various stages in bespoke tented camps at Avontuur, Graaff Reinet, Blaauwater Farm, Merino Farm, Middleton and Amanzi Camp at Shamwari Private Game Reserve.

The race will feature point-to-point stages, with just one clover leaf stage circling the striking Compassberg. It is a solo competition, with age-group categories starting from 35 years old, allowing riders to compete for leader jerseys in both men’s and women’s divisions.

“We want riders to fully experience the spirit of gravel,” Vermaak explained. “To me that means adventure, distances, a journey and exploring new routes.”

While organisers emphasised that Gravel Burn will not replicate the Cape Epic, they hope to bring the same level of organisational excellence.

More importantly, they want Gravel Burn to focus on community, which will be achieved in part by the intimate nature of the Burn Camps.

“I guess we are re-inventing the model and in doing so we want to commit to a communal life in the Burn Camps during the Gravel Burn,” Vermaak added.

Registration for the event opens in December 2024.