Sabie Experience – "An Affordable Stage Race for the Whole Family"

The 2019 Land Rover Sabie Xperience MTB Stage Race

Date: Friday 29 March – Sunday 31 March 2019

Race Venue: Floreat Riverside Lodge, Sabie, Mpumalanga, South Africa

We present a “An Affordable Stage Race for the Whole Family”

The Sabie Xperience has always endeavoured to present a mountain bike stage race which is within financial reach and ability of most passionate participants in the sport, whether they be pro riders, amateur racers wanting to win categories and showcase their skills, or just recreational riders who want to gain experience riding proper trails in the stunning forests and diverse terrain around the quaint town of Sabie. In 2019 year we again endeavour to include enthusiastic school kids (Youth and Junior categories) to participate in the fun of stage racing.

From the inaugural Sabie Xperience event in 2004, our main goal was always to offer an enjoyable, but challenging MTB Stage Race over a few days, together with the Sabie Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, benefitting local hospitality and accommodation establishments, retail businesses, charities and communities while attracting many visitors to the town in the intention that they will return sometime in the future.

After experiencing more stable weather and trail conditions in March/April, the Sabie Xperience fraternity has firmly settled into the new race calendar slot, coinciding with the end of the school holidays, so that the kids can also join in the fun!

We are excited and proud to confirm that once again we going to enjoy

Title Sponsorship in the form of Nelspruit Land Rover for 2019.

Headed up by Dealer Principal Christo Leeuwner, and very ably supported by Zantelle Bruwer, they bring a new dimension to the event, with a promise to make it even more inclusive for those supporters and kiddies waiting for family members to finish at Floreat Riverside Lodge each day. So be on the lookout for frequent news releases tell you all what exciting goodies and freebies we will be offering at the race, including a much-improved prize purse for the Solo Riders and Pros competing for top honours in the Challenge event.

It is also your prerogative either to go big, and enjoy hotel accommodation, food, massages and the luxuries, bring the family down to a B&B, self-catering establishment, or if you are really into the outdoors, camp at one of your favourite resorts along the river. You will be rewarded with their appreciation, support, and special TLC and hot water pools for cyclists to relax in after a hard day out on the trails!

The Race Options

We offer you the following race options to choose from:
The three stages are, as usual, intended to challenge riders’ fitness, strength, and technical ability on the legendary mountain trails on the very scenic Safcol Ecotourism and York Timber's landholdings surrounding Sabie. They are however very “manageable” for average mountain bikers tackling their first multi-day stage race.

Team Lite

Intermediate Open, Youth, and Junior riders can race each other in the Team Lite option, which is never a “ride in the park”. The climbs are steep, longer and technicality more advanced single tracks are offered to challenge each other.

Solo Challenge

The advanced amateurs and Pro riders can once again pit themselves against the very steep climbs and technicalities of the much tougher and longer, legendary Solo Challenge routes up to altitudes of 2100m.

18km Fun Ride

In keeping with our mission to keep race entrants’ family members, local recreational riders and the Sabie community involved, there will be an 18km Fun Ride for beginners and intermediate riders to join in the MTB fun on Saturday 30 March 2019.The route will form part of stage two of the Team Lite stage race, using the first 5 km of tar road, and the final 12km of the stage, incorporating many sections of single and jeep tracks used by visiting tourists on a regular basis.

The Fun Ride will start 10 minutes after the Team Lite Race, and riders will be back at the finish to watch the Stage Race winners cross the line.

There will be optional “chicken run” sections to avoid any technical sections which they may want to avoid.

The Fun Ride will be open to all riders 10 years and older, as at 31 December 2019.

We recommend that children between 10 and 12 years, not yet proficient with riding single tracks and over bridges, must be accompanied by an adult.

Registration for the Fun Ride will take place on Thursday from 14h00 – 20h00, Friday from 14h00 – 18h30, and Saturday morning from 05h30 – 07h00 at the Floreat Riverside Lodge Conference Centre.

All riders (or parents of children under 18 years) must sign an indemnity, conforming to the rules, and wear a recognised hard shell helmet.

It is not a race but riders will be timed.

Entries cost R100 per rider. No temporary racing licence fee is required.

The Fun Ride will be open to all riders 10 years and older, as at 31 December 2018.

We recommend that children between 10 and 12 years, not yet proficient with riding single tracks and over bridges, be accompanied by an adult.

All proceeds from this event will go directly to a local charity for orphans or homeless children.

Local, previously disadvantaged riders may enter for free, as long as they wear a helmet and have a roadworthy bike.