OUR MISSION
TransCape has pioneered the premium, small field, stage race concept in South Africa and it is our mission to ensure that the event continues to deliver one of the very best multi-stage, endurance mountain biking experience in the world.
Our mission
To offer a world-class, boutique mountain biking event.
It’s all about getting out in nature, breath, clear your headspace, gather around tables with the best cuisine, local wine and craft beer our country has to offer.
Explore, laugh, meeting new friends, enjoying the finer things in life, creating memories, live. We welcome E-bikes as it’s a major focus to include a wide spectrum of keen mountain bikers who would like to join on this incredible journey.
In addition to an unforgettable customer experience, TransCape also has a mission to ensure we make a real difference to the people through whose land we travel. We support various charities, unprivileged schools and conservation initiatives along our route.
History
One of the things we incontrovertibly believe in is that each of us creates our own history. This will certainly hold true for the TransCape team as we build an event that we will be proud of in the years to come. Right now, the cornerstone we’re anchoring this dream on is a ride that will unite each and every rider who joins the TransCape family. And once you have joined us, you will help us write that history.
MEET THE TEAM
LENORE, RACE DIRECTOR
It all started in December 2011, around a campfire in the Klein Karoo – and yes, there was some red wine involved…
Lenore dreamed of creating a mountain biking event that would take participants all the way from the lush, green forests in the Garden Route, through the Klein Karoo, Overberg region and then finish the journey in South Africa’s picturesque winelands.
Something special, something different. Without realizing it at the time, the idea was to create something that would suit her ideal circumstances when on holiday.
Comfort, good food, good wine, adventure, gathering with “lekker” like-minded people, campfires, exploring quaint little towns, be out in nature, spectacular mountain bike trails, and last, but not least – an event that will still challenges oneself.
All of us creates our own stories, history and memories. It’s her mission to create a platform for any enthusiastic mountain biker, looking for adventure and a good time to build those long-lasting memories on.
WAYNE, RACE PLANNER
Strengthening this frame is Lenore’s husband Wayne, a very keen mountain biker and endurance sport enthusiast who grew up in the Eastern Cape where he learnt to ride his first bike on the many single tracks (called ‘sheep paths’ in those days) on their family farm. It’s his mission and passion to find the best, most spectacular routes between George and Botrivier for our participants.
IRMARIE, RIDER EXPERIERIENCE
At the helm of creating a memorable off-the-bike experience for participants is the energetic Irmarie. With a real passion for cooking, attention to detail and love for gathering with friends and family around campfires, makes her the perfect fit to look after all catering and accommodation needs for all our riders.
You’ve heard the cliché ‘It is about the journey, not the destination’, right?
Well, the thing is that you cannot have a proper journey without a Point A and a Point B. This is what first got us started on the TransCape concept…
We’ve done dozens of South African MTB Stage Races and rides, and the ones we’ve enjoyed most have been those events that took us on a linear journey through this wonderful country we call home. You start somewhere real and you finish somewhere real.
Progression along a multi-day journey such as this goes hand in hand with your personal transformation, passing through the landscape experiencing the scenery from forest to fynbos to grassland to desert – and then all the way back again – your soul and your spirit will soar in tandem with the geographic ebb and flow.
We’ve said all along that for us, ‘it is about the ride, not about the race’. We want all our TransCape riders to have the time to immerse themselves within every nuance their route will offer on the day.
Don’t get us wrong. We know the needs of the mountain biking fraternity, and that there will always be people out there keen to put the hammer down and race for the line. But we also want those Regular Joe’s, Weekend Warriors and Middle-Packers to be an integral part of this amazing TransCape journey.
Our dream is that our route organisers will make you fall in love with the countryside the route will traverse. Small towns you’ve barely heard of will pop up on your radar and, instead of creating the archetypal race village, we’d like our riders to disperse into these “dorpies”, eating “koeksisters” and downing mugs of “boeretroos”, while soaking up the special spirit of the “Platteland”.
To end off – TransCape will be slick, but it will always have heart and support the communities along the way.
We will engage with everyone, including those non-bike people we pass on the way – to share our special brand of passion.
