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Sabie Xperience (Challenge)

The Sabie Xperience MTB Stage Race

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

We present a “An Affordable Stage Race for Everyone in the 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. This year we also endeavour to include enthusiastic school kids to participate in the fun of stage racing.
From the inaugural 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 April 2015 and 2016, the Sabie Xperience fraternity has firmly settled into the new race calendar slot in April, this year coinciding with the end of the school holidays, so that the kids can join in the fun!

2018 is no exception, and not yet having the luxury of a Title Sponsor lined up, we have once again been forced to cut back on many of the fancy peripherals one would expect at a major stage race. This makes it more affordable to most riders -without having to rob the bank, or begging the boss for sponsorship just to enter!

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 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 now offer you more 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 Komatiland Forests Ecotourism landholdings surrounding Sabie. They are however very “manageable” for average mountain bikers tackling their first multi-day stage race.

Novice and Sub-Junior/Youth category riders can cut their teeth for the first time on a proper Stage Race experience by entering the Team Xtra Lite.

Intermediate and Junior riders can race each other on the Team Lite, 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.

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