King Price Race to the Sea 100 Miler to Start at Theewater Sports Club and Feature Even More Gravel
The King Price Race to the Sea has a new start line. The 100-mile route will now set off from Theewater Sports Club, near Villiersdorp, rather than Franschhoek Monument, though the date holds firm: riders still roll out on 5 September 2026.
The move was forced by the indefinite closure of the Franschhoek Pass, which was severely damaged in storms earlier this year. Significant bridge damage and a number of landslides have left it shut to all traffic: cars, heavy vehicles, motorcycles and pedestrians alike. With the pass no longer ridable, the start had to find a new home, and Theewater Sports Club is the perfect venue.
That turn of events produced an upside. Starting on the banks of the Theewaterskloof Dam allows room for more gravel and fresh sections of route, giving experienced King Price Race to the Sea riders something new to sink their teeth into. The highlight of the updated course is undoubtedly the infamous Rusty Gate Pass. The second half of the course, which frequent participants know and love, including the Caledon Windfarm segment and the Benguela Cove finish line stays put.
The new start
The new start at Theewater Sports Club, sits on a peninsula reaching into the Theewaterskloof Dam, just outside Villiersdorp, roughly 90 minutes from Cape Town and a short hop from Elgin. The new venue makes for an easy start with simple access, plenty of parking, and breathtaking views across the dam and of the surrounding mountains. The route is slightly shorter, at 153km’s, with the elevation remaining similar at 2485m. The start eases participants in with a relatively flat first 10km before the climbing begins. The finish is still at the spectacular Benguela Cove, and the 50 miler start at Wolwekraal, near Caledon, means that the shorter route does not change at all.
Logistics carry over too. Shuttles will run on the morning of the event from Benguela Cove to Theewater Sports Club, allowing riders to leave their cars at the finish and shuttle across. For those wanting to make a weekend of it, the Elgin region has ample accommodation close to the new start, with Elgin River Lodge and Trailsend among the most sought-after options. Should participants choose to stay in Elgin they can either make use of the car transfer service to the finish in the morning, so that it is waiting when they cross the line or catch a shuttle back to the start after the race.
Options for existing 100 miler entrants
Everyone already entered in the 100 miler will hear from the King Price Race to the Sea team shortly. The event is going ahead as planned, and the organisers are offering a simple choice: keep the entry and ride from the new start or take a full refund. All 100 miler entrants will be informed how to action their refund via email.
Looking ahead
The King Price Race to the Sea is a celebration of the journey gravel bikes enable as they empower cyclists to immerse themselves in a landscape The new start venue adds to the 2026 event, with the Franschhoek, Assvoel, and Sonderend Mountain ranges rising around riders as they gather at the start as well as the challenge and reward of the Rusty Gate within the opening 20 kilometres. From that new summit sweeping, unparalleled vistas of the Overberg await, before familiar gravel roads return to pass below the wind turbines, into the ripening canola and wheat fields, and on towards the finish at the gorgeous Benguela Cove on the Whale Coast. The full updated route will be published in the coming weeks.
“We cannot wait to see riders gathering at Theewater this September,” JP Nortje, of Faces, smiled. “The Franschhoek Pass is iconic, but Rusty Gate is one of off-road cycling in South Africa’s most celebrated climbs and one we’ve long wanted to include in one of our events. I hope it will reward riders with incredible views on race day, as well as inspire exciting racing in the elite men’s and women’s categories.”
Entries are open now and close on Monday, 31 August at midnight. Visit www.racetothesea.co.za to secure a spot in the special 2026 edition.
