Wines2whales Gantouws Pass epic Ox Wagon trail

Are you training for the epic Ox wagon trail of the Gantouws pass on day 1 Wines2whales

The Wines2Whales offers a unique feature, access to an old path, traversing a mountain range, the local Khoi herders used to call the track that stretched over the Hottentots-Hollands mountain the T’Kana Quwe. The track was used to move cattle as seasons dictated. The T’Kana Quwe was later translated as Eland’s Path or Elandpad and is generally known as Gantouws Pass. The Gantouws Pass is a suffer point for all Wines2whales races, it is the point at which you have to get OFF your bike and trek up the T’Kana Quwe! Wines2Whales Gantouws PassWines2whales

This path that has seen Khoi moving cattle and trekkers moving ox wagons up and over it, has an undeniable character, it has been touched by the sweat and suffering of its travelers, the rutted grooves tattooed into the rocks are long lasting evidence. (wagon wheels)

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Every year around October the T’Kana Quwe hosts a different kind of suffering, over three days the path is scattered with fit nibble mountain bikers walking, running, dragging their bikes up the path.wines2whales  Dismounting after 40 odd km is always an adjustment and will require different muscles to engage the climbing and carrying of your bike.

Every rider pro to beginner has to walk this section, only the pace and comfort level vary, everyone #Suffers!

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Wines2Whales

So here is the thing, you need to train for this climb, it is steep, the boulders are large and you have to lug your bike up the pass in cycling shoes, with riders behind you and in front of you. Some of the sections are single trail and then it widens to offer more areas to pass riders. There are large boulders which act as steps as you reach the mid and end section of the trail. wineswhales

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Are you training for the epic Ox wagon trail of the Gantouws pass on day 1?

What training should you be doing to enjoy this unique aspect of the Wines2Whales Stage Race? Always ensure that your training adheres to the laws of specificity.

Here are a few things you could train.

  1. Get off your bike, move up hill, and not on the sculptured streets of suburbia, head out into the erratic terrain of nature. Walk up hills.
  2. Do it in your cycling kit, including your mountain biking shoes.
  3. Do functional whole body strength training, you will have to push or carry your bike in sections and you will be climbing up large steps pushing or carrying your bike.
  4. Do some hill repeats pushing and carrying your bike. (yeah laugh, but we have all climbed off our bikes and pushed in those tougher moments)

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Wines2Whales offers a funky aspect to day 1 of this very popular stage races, you climbing, pushing and carrying yourself and your bike up the Gantouw Pass, Hottentots Holland mountains.

Follow Wines2Whales for limited entries.

Three stage races:

Chardonnay 26 -28 Oct 2018

Pinotage 29 – 31 Oct 2018

Shiraz 2 – 4 Nov 2018

References for images:

http://helderbergbasin.blogspot.com/2009/09/gantouw-pass-sir-lowrys-pass.html
https://wines2whales.com/race-info/routes-stage-1/
GRADE 4 EDUCATIONAL OUTING GANTOUW PASS
Wines to Whales – more mountain biking
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