New date for scenic PE Plett bike event

THE fifth staging of the adventurous PE Plett four-day bike race is set to get cracking on March 2 in Port Elizabeth.

The event has been moved from its previous September date.

“September is typically a very wet month in the region, leaving cyclists battling mud and rain, making the event exceptionally challenging,” organiser Mike Glover said.

This year’s event will also cater for a larger group of elite riders who have been preparing themselves throughout the summer season and will be race-ready for the competition.

The race will have two categories. The Tough One for elite riders is a challenging 320km, while The Lite One is a less-daunting 240km for the weekend mountain bike riders.

This year’s competition will be used to showcase the scenic beauty of the Nature’s Valley route. The route has been soft- ened to accommodate amateur riders looking to participate in the PE Plett.

“We want to soften things up this year so our participants can rub shoulders with the pros,” Glover said.

“It’s all about the journey to us, making it as easy as possible for our participants to take part in the Lite category.”

The competition will look to attract a huge number of riders from Johannesburg and Pretoria due to the area’s appeal.

“Sixty percent of our riders are pulled in by the beauty of our coastlines and scenery from the majestic mountains,” Glover said.

Riders will depart from Woodridge outside Port Elizabeth, going via the Gamtoos Valley to Zuurbron Village and then from farm to farm in the beautiful Suuranys mountains.

Then it is on to Storms River and the Nature’s Valley finish.

The event will host 250 cyclists riding solo or in teams of two.

Sixty percent of our riders are pulled in by the beauty of our coastlines