Mark your calendar for Saturday, 7 March 2026, because a new gravel race is about to make its mark on South Africa’s endurance riding scene. The Vredefort Gravel Race is set to roll out from one of the most evocative locations in the country – Edge of the Crater, perched on the banks of the Vaal River – and it promises a day of fast gravel, big horizons and honest effort.
Paid partnership with Trail Hunter Events
This inaugural event isn’t about ticking boxes or chasing trends. It’s about riding good roads in a remarkable place, with just enough bite in the profile to remind you that gravel is never quite as tame as it looks.
From the start line at Edge of the Crater, riders head straight into the roads through the Vredefort Dome, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the world’s largest and oldest visible meteorite impact structure. It’s a landscape shaped by ancient violence and softened by time – rolling hills, open farmland and long gravel roads that undulate just enough to keep your legs awake.
The routes stitch together classic Highveld gravel: hardpack straights where rhythm matters, gentle drags that test pacing, and punchy rises that reward restraint. It’s the kind of terrain where you can settle in, look up, and still feel like you’re working.
THREE DISTANCES
The Vredefort Gravel Race has been designed to welcome a broad range of riders without diluting the challenge.
- 91km | 915m ascent
The long course is the ultimate test of stamina, with a strict five-hour cut-off that keeps things sharp. This is a race for riders who know how to manage effort, nutrition and focus over distance. - 67km | 603m ascent
A perfectly balanced challenge for committed riders who want a meaningful day out without going all-in on ultra-distance demands. - 35km | 320m ascent
Fast, accessible and unintimidating, this route is ideal for newcomers to gravel racing or anyone keen on a shorter, high-quality ride.
While it’s a gravel race at heart, mountain bikes are welcome, and eBikes are accommodated, reinforcing the event’s inclusive, rider-first approach.
Backing the event is USN, a leading international sports supplement brand that was born in South Africa and continues to invest heavily in local endurance sport. Their long-standing support of events like the Absa Cape Epic and KAP sani2c has earned them credibility in the mountain biking and gravel community – and the Vredefort Gravel Race is a natural extension of that commitment.
Expect professional event delivery, well-considered nutrition support, and a race environment that understands what endurance athletes actually need on the day.
The race is brought to life by Trail Hunter Events, an established mountain bike and gravel race organiser with a reputation for meticulous planning and a firm focus on participant satisfaction. From route design to water points and post-race flow, their events are built around the rider experience rather than inflated spectacle.
The Vredefort Gravel Race isn’t trying to be the biggest event on the calendar. It’s aiming to be one of the most enjoyable. A purposeful route, a meaningful location, and an organiser–sponsor partnership that understands endurance riding make this a race worth committing to.
For more details and to secure your entry online, click here.
