There is a special kind of satisfaction that only comes from a proper long day in the saddle. The start feels like a distant memory, your legs have stopped negotiating, and the finish line arrives as equal parts relief and triumph. On 23 January 2027, a bold new marathon mountain bike event sets out to deliver exactly that feeling, just 60 minutes from Cape Town.
Paid partnership with Eleveight Experiences and Events
The Odyssey is a one-day marathon MTB race based at Paul Clüver Family Wines in Elgin, with routes that cut through South Africa’s 1st UNESCO biosphere, the Kogelberg Biosphere. Expect relentless climbing, technical descents, flowing singletrack and trails with ominous names like The Sphinx, Cyclops, Scylla, The Sirens, alongside a crack at the iconic Groenlandberg, off limits to the public and only rideable every few years when the Epic rolls through Elgin.
CHOOSE YOUR CHALLENGE
Three distinct races mean that whether you are chasing a big personal milestone, cranking an e-bike to its limits or simply after a spectacular morning on exclusive trails, there is a start line waiting for you.
The Odyssey: 120 km | 2 700m of climbing
The flagship event is where one-day legends are made. Ride it solo or as a team of two, with a 6:30am start. No e-bikes allowed. Rough terrain, smooth singletrack and off-piste climbs make this a genuine test of endurance and skill.
E Odyssey: 70 km | 1 800m of climbing
Something new for the South African calendar: the country’s first dedicated e-bike marathon MTB race. Solo riders set off at 7:00am to tackle most of the main route on a single battery. Managing your power will matter as much as managing your legs.
Lite Odyssey: 40 km | 700m of climbing
Open to all mountain bikes, e-bikes included, the Lite is the rider-friendly way to experience The Odyssey. It starts at 7:30am, delivering exhilarating trails, sweeping views and plenty of time to soak up the finish line atmosphere.
RUGGED, RAW & RARELY RACED
What truly sets The Odyssey apart is where it goes. The route links famed Kogelberg trails, including sections that have never hosted a race, with fresh additions designed to thrill. Think weather-beaten tracks, old mountain passes and sublime singletracks, with Groenlandberg among the highlights. It is a rare chance to ride where few have been before and where few may ever ride again.
This is wild country, and it deserves respect. Birds of prey circle overhead, the local baboons are not known for their manners, and snakes call these slopes home. Add the January heat and the looming challenges named after perils in the book and grit becomes an essential.
A PROPER TEST
The Odyssey lands in late January, ahead of the Western Cape’s stage racing season, making it an ideal opportunity to put yourself or your team through one massive day of racing.
Use it to gauge your fitness, fine-tune your equipment and nutrition, sharpen your skills and see how you and your partner handle hours of hard riding together. Better to discover a flawed hydration plan in January than halfway through a multi-day race.
It is also refreshingly easy to fit into a busy life. With the venue within an hour of Cape Town, there is no need to give up a whole weekend. Drive in, race to your limit and drive home again. For time, training and money, it is hard to find better value.
RIDE THROUGH A LIVING CONSERVATION LANDSCAPE
The Clüver family has cared for De Rust Estate in Elgin since 1896, and today the farm is known for cool-climate wines, apple orchards and a serious commitment to conservation. More than half of the estate is set aside for nature, with vineyards and orchards woven among fynbos, forest and wildlife habitat.
Riders will travel along vineyard roads, orchard tracks, mountain slopes and forest trails before finishing at the iconic Paul Clüver Amphitheatre, where good food, local wines and warm Elgin hospitality await.
The wider Kogelberg Biosphere covers roughly 100 000 hectares, from the mountains above Gordon’s Bay to Hermanus and inland towards Botrivier and Grabouw. Known as the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom, it is home to more than 1 880 plant species, 77 of which grow nowhere else on earth.
The Odyssey supports two causes that protect this playground. The Cape Leopard Trust works to conserve leopards and their habitats while promoting coexistence between people and wildlife, and the Kogelberg Biosphere wildlife rescue centre rehabilitates injured animals, from tortoises and owls to porcupines and Blue Cranes, before releasing them back into the wild.
ARE YOU TOUGH ENOUGH?
The Odyssey is not for the faint-hearted. It calls on riders willing to dig deep and test themselves to new limits. Finishing is not about joining a club. It is about proving you are tough enough to be a Legend..
If 120km feels like a step too far this summer, the E Odyssey and Lite Odyssey still let you ride remarkable trails and share in the celebration at the finish.
Watch the promo video.
SECURE YOUR PLACE
The Odyssey is sanctioned by Cycling South Africa, and entries are open now via EntryNinja.
Early bird pricing is currently available:
- The Odyssey (120km): R1 500 solo, or R2 700 for a team of two
- E Odyssey (70km): R1 000
- Lite Odyssey (40km): R350
USE THIS CODE TO GET A 15% DISCOUNT: TREAD15
Entries close on 14 January 2027 or when the event sells out, so enter early to secure your spot at the best price.
Your challenge awaits. Visit theodysseymtb.co.za for full event details, or head straight to EntryNinja to enter.
Paid partnership with Eleveight Experiences and Events
