Fierce winds tested every ounce of grit during the recent Race2TheKaroo event, but cyclists proved what endurance is all about.

Taking place on Saturday 29 August from Klipkraal outside Hopetown, cyclists competed in the Unbound (138 km), Quest (72 km) or Dash (38 km) categories.

The Unbound men’s podium finishers are Stegmann van Zyl (5:27:18), Hennie Burger (6:48:20) and Mauritz Jurack (6:53:06), while the women’s podium finishers are Elise Steynberg (7:56:43) and Surinda Fourie (8:11:27).

Flip Viviers (2:51:32) and Yonè Kruger (3:36:43) are the winners in the Quest challenge, while the Dash winners are Albert Miguel Eillert (1:40:10) and Anè Joubert (1:50:57).

With the completion of Race2TheKaroo, the race for the ultimate crown is heating up. With points tightening across the board, everything comes down to The Battle of the Bikes in Jacobsdal on 3 October.

The stage is set for this showdown. Choose your distance: 138 km Unbound, 72 km Quest, or 38 km Dash.

The event starts at 07:00 and offers an experience for professional cyclists and enthusiastic hobbyists alike. Ride through history amidst the scenic battlefields between Jacobsdal, Kimberley and Bloemfontein.

Full standings and series details are live on the web, and entries for the grand final are open at www.oryxendurance.co.za – also visit Facebook.