Cresting Swaershoek Pass reveals one of South Africa’s most dramatic changes of scenery. The arid, ironstone-strewn plains of the Great Karoo suddenly give way to rolling, vivid high-altitude grassland. Locals say you “ride out of Scotland and drop into Ireland”, and from the saddle it is easy to see why. This high mountain basin is the heartland of South Africa’s finest Merino sheep, where generations of wool farmers have raised prized bloodlines on historic frontier farms like Willie Jordan’s Merino, where the race stays for two nights.
The Route
This transition stage marks a change in landscape and in gravel, with the widest variety of surfaces of the week, from rough farm tracks to smooth paved roads. After the rough paths out of Blaauwater, riders welcome the tarmac, but there is work to do on the major climb of Wapadsberg Pass, which tops out at 1,730 metres, the highest point of the stage. The whole field will enjoy settling into cooperative pacelines on the paved kilometres. After 80 kilometres the route returns to gravel, following the Great Fish River towards Nxuba. Then comes Swaershoek Pass, a steady, majestic climb and the defining challenge of the day. With the stage finish at the orange windmill on the summit, riders catch their breath and take in the view before descending on the untimed liaison into Merino Burn Camp.
The Racing
The prizes of the day go to riders who balance power, pack skills, tactics and risk, and anyone’s strengths and weaknesses can be exposed. The first major climb forces a decision: hang on to the fast climbers and hope to form a working group, or hold back and save everything for Swaershoek Pass. If the Karoo sun is out, the heat adds another dimension, turning every pedal stroke into a test of resolve.
“On the Cradock side is the harsh Karoo, and on the other side of the mountain, you go down into a much grassier, greener area. You physically see the geology changing. You’ve gone up this dark, dry, harsh Karoo, and it’s really tough. Then you get to the top and it just opens up into fields of green.”
The morning call of Burn Camp
“Free kilometres” on the tar
Back on gravel along the Great Fish River
The windmill finish on Swaershoek Pass
Map and profile
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Burn Camp
Race route
Padstal
Summit
PCToyota Power Climber
KMRed Bull KM
Technical descent
River crossing
Railway crossing
Finish
Paved
Gravel
Liaison
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Padstal
Summit
Technical descent
River crossing
Railway crossing
Finish