If you fancy taking part in an seven day mountain bike stage race taking in classic trails in some of the most stunning areas of the UK, then get a move on as time is running out to enter the Gore Bike Wear TransWales 2011 powered Mercedes-Benz Vito Sport.
Taking place from the 13th to the 20th of August, there will be a mix of long distance linking stages with timed special stages where riders will compete against each other and the clock.
With a total distance of 534km and a substantial 15,255m of climbing and descending, it’s a serious challenge – you can check out Nathan’s blogs from last year’s event for some idea of the scale.
Organiser Mike says entries have been flooding in with almost 200 competitors from all over the world so far, with everyone from weekend warriors to semi professionals on the start line.
If you fancy a last minute entry then the Mini TransWales as well as the full TransWales are still open for further entries and you can head to the website here…
www.mtbtransuk.co.uk
If you’d like a feel for the event then check out the video below:
Here’s some other info straight from the organisers:
“We are looking in particular for more ladies teams to take part in the BUFF Open Female pairs category. It would be great to get some more teams into that one so that the category is more competitive. So maybe try to talk your female riding buddies into giving it a go. There is an over all prize fund of more than £ 10,000 in Gore Bike Wear, Exposure Lights products and cash to be won in the TransWales – so don’t miss out on this great opportunity.
The 2011 event can be ridden as solo riders or pairs. Once again we have a strong field of supporters backing the event and the various categories available. Here are the categories and their associated supporters. Buff Headwear – open female pairs category, Merida Bikes – open male pairs category, Alpina Helmets – vets pairs category, Birzman Tools – mixed pairs category sponsor, Schwalbe Tyres – open solo category, Saris – vets solo category, High5 and our night stage sponsor Exposure Lights.
To get an idea of what you can expect in the GORE BIKE WEAR® TransWales 2011 you can once again see the course and stage details up on the stage pages on our site. This will give you a certain idea when and where the special stages will be so that you can plan your ‘tactics’ in advance. At this year’s event there will be six special stages. These will include night riding, a predominantly climbing stage and also a vertically assisted timed run (mainly downhill!). Every rider will receive a route book at signing on which will demonstrate the stages and acts as a backup to the completely marked course.
The other big news for 2011 – introducing the GORE BIKE WEAR® Prologue Marathon powered by Mercedes-Benz Vito Sport. Taking place on 13th August at 11am, riders can enjoy an approx. 40km marathon ride with an optional special stage at the end where riders will get the chance to test their ‘racing skills’. It is open to all TransWales riders (but not compulsory) who want to limber up and get their legs in shape for the big challenge ahead. It is also open to non-TransWales riders who would like a taster of a typical unique day’s riding in the TransWales. See more details on the Prologue marathon on the ‘Prologue Event details’ page. The prologue marathon is FOC for all TransWales 2011 riders and £ 25 (all in) for non TransWales riders.
The GORE BIKE WEAR® team will once again be treating all competitors with a chance to try out their award winning products. What better place to ‘test ride’ a jacket than in the harshest conditions Wales has to offer? Each contestant will be able to test ride an item of clothing for one day, at the end of that day’s ride they simply hand back the dirty, smelly items of clothing to the GORE BIKE WEAR® boys and carry on with their normal post ride activities. Riders will be able to take them up on this offer on certain days / stages evenings – exact dates to be announced at the event. During the whole event, even on stages, the guys from GORE will be out there. So feel free to ask them any technical questions or just ask them for advice.