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CYCLISTS GEAR
UP FOR THE WORLD'S LONGEST, TOUGHEST
BICYCLE EVENT ACROSS AFRICA
Tour d'Afrique, the
world's longest and most spectacular
bicycle race and expedition has attracted
a record number of entrants for
2008. 56 full tour and 39 sectional
riders from all over the world are gearing
up to test their limits in the annual 12
000 km race and expedition down the length
of Africa (from Cairo to Cape Town).
Continued
below
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 The
Gorge: Khartoum to Addis Ababa
Start: Khartoum, Sudan - February 4
Finish: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - February
19
Distance: 16 Days- 1,572 km
Ethiopia Section of
Tour d' Afrique: The riders enter
Ethiopia from Sudan at Matema, travel
through Gonder, Bahir Dar, the Blue Nile
Gorge, Addis Ababa, Lake Lagano and
Yabello before leaving Ethiopia at the
Kenya border post of Moyale.
From the city of
Khartoum to the border of Ethiopia, you
will pass through the "bread basket" of
the Sudan. The countryside gradually
changes as you cycle towards Ethiopia and
you will also witness the transformation
from the Arabic Muslim world of northern
Africa to the more tribal and traditional
nature of the Horn of Africa.
Once in Ethiopia, the
ride of your life begins. Ethiopia
contains some of the most spectacular
landscapes in the world. This section will
challenge your body more than any other
section due to the high altitude riding.
However, there are many interesting stops
throughout Ethiopia such as Lake Tana
where you can visit ancient monasteries
and visit the Blue Nile Falls.
From a cycling
standpoint, the highlight of this section
will be the Blue Nile Gorge, an 1800-meter
precipitous descent and ascent over a
crumbling road that will test the mettle
of cyclists of any calibre. Once you have
conquered the Blue Nile Gorge, the
beautiful rolling hills of central
Ethiopia will whiz by as you cycle along a
newly paved road into the capital city of
Addis Ababa. The descent from the
surrounding hills of Addis into the
downtown core will be an experience you
will not soon forget.
Meltdown Madness:
Addis Ababa to Nairobi
Start: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - February
21
Finish: Nairobi, Kenya - March 10
Distance: 18 Days - 1,610 km
South of Addis Ababa,
the terrain changes yet again to flatter
countryside interspersed with beautiful
lakes. Lake Langano is set against the
Arsi Mountains and is an ideal stop for
the riders to camp and take a
much-deserved dip. You will also be riding
through Shashemene, the unofficial capital
of the Ethiopian Rastafarian community. In
Yabello, you can visit the wildlife
sanctuary where you might catch a glimpse
at some of Africa 's rarest birds such as
the Prince Ruspoli Turaco Crossing from
Ethiopia into Kenya begins the "Meltdown"
portion of this section/
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Continued
On 12th January 2008 with the
pyramids behind them and the African continent
stretching ahead of them, the cyclists will
collectively push the 'pause' button on their
'normal' lives for four months to begin a journey
of both body and soul as they pedal their way
through an epic adventure like no other.
"2008 is our
biggest year yet." said company founder and
environmental activist, Henry Gold, who launched
the first Tour d'Afrique 5 years ago in 2003.
"We had to cap the entries in October and still
have hopeful riders on the waiting
list."
Gold and his team are
pioneering a new cycling category,
trans-continental bicycle touring. "The
response to our 3 epic events is snowballing."
continued Gold who recently led 37 cyclists across
Asia andChina on the inaugural Silk Route Bicycle
Expedition.
"For Tour d'Afrique
2008, we have riders participating from 15
different countries, ranging in age from 22 to 67
and while the majority of them are doing it for the
sheer joy and adventure of it, a handful of racers
are going to be giving it all they've got." said
Tour Leader, Miles MacDonald. "The event
attracts riders from all walks of life, each with
their own unique stories and reasons for doing it,
but what is heartening is how many of the entrants
are riding to raise funds and awareness for good
causes or charities."
On their journey
through 10 African countries (Egypt, Sudan,
Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia,
Botswana, Namibia and South Africa) the riders
travel past ancient temples, through game reserves
teeming with wildlife, across deserts and the
foothills of legendary Mount Kilimanjaro, alongside
the rugged and biblical landscape of Ethiopia's
Simian Mountains and through Botswana and Namibia's
most magnificent wilderness areas.
Apart from
experiencing the sheer joy, exhilaration and
freedom that comes with crossing a continent by
bicycle, one of the main goals of the company is to
raise awareness of the damage being done to the
environment through society's increasing use of
motorized transportation. Dangerous levels of
CO2 in the atmosphere as a result of the use of
cars worldwide play large part in the global
warming crisis.
"It's common sense
that the world needs to restrain the growth and use
of car transportation." said Gold. "Neither
urban infrastructure nor the environment can
sustain such dangerous levels of growth. As we
travel across Africa over the next four months, we
look forward to supporting this message. By
proving that it's possible for ordinary people to
cross an entire continent by bicycle, we hope to
inspire more people to use bikes instead of cars in
their daily lives."
The journey takes
approximately 120 days of which 96 are cycling
days, averaging 125 km each day. Support
trucks transport the gear and equipment, and an
experienced crew sets up camp each night and
prepares four meals a day.
The Tour accommodates
three categories: Racers -individuals who
plan to race all the way; Expedition Riders - who
cover the daily distance at their own pace;
Sectional Riders &endash; who ride a section or
sections of the trip.
Whether participating
as a competitor or adventure cyclist, the Tour
d'Afrique challenges riders physically and mentally
like no other - with rewards of unsurpassed terrain
and diversity, and an incomparable feeling of
accomplishment that few have the opportunity to
experience in a lifetime. For the Tour
d'Afrique 2008 riders, the time for this lifetime
adventure is now, and they can hardly wait for the
journey to begin.
For more information,
visit www.tourdafrique.com and
www.youtube.com/eficlub
For further media
information and photographs contact:
Tour
d'Afrique
Theresa
Brown
Tel: +27 21 674
5398
Cell: +27 84
353 1975
Email:
info@tourdafrique.com
URL:
www.tourdafrique.com
"THE HONEYMOON IS OVER!" ON
WEEK TWO OF THE TOUR D'AFRIQUE BICYCLE
RACE/EXPEDTION
Tour
d'Afrique, the annual 12 000-kilometer bicycle
race/expedition from Cairo to Cape Town, billed as
the most grueling bicycle race on earth, has just
completed its second week of the 16 week
odyssey.
"The
honeymoon is over!" said Cape Town racer Patrick
Thomas as the riders faced the sand, dust and
corrugated desert tracks of the Nubian Desert of
Sudan under the full force of the African
sun.
"The
ride finds different parts of your body to
exacerbate." reflected Cape Town expedition rider,
Darrel Wratten.
"Nothing
can prepare the riders for this section in Sudan"
said Tour Leader, Shanny Hill. "But they're
adjusting well to the many new aspects that this
cycling epic brings."
New
sleeping patterns, different food and water, anti
malaria drugs, the daily strain of the effort
required to cover the distances each day, sun
stroke, dehydration, desert winds, dust,
fluctuations in temperature from 10 to 37 degrees
and saddle sores a plenty are challenging them all
beyond their limits.
But the
rewards are priceless.
"Where
else can you flag down a refrigerated truck and the
next minute have 40 people lined up buying cold
yoghurt in the middle of nowhere?" said Rachel
Dobson, staff reporter for the Tour
d'Afrique.
A
grueling 25 kilometer desert crossing on Sunday
ended in a ferry trip across the Nile River and
into the sands of the Sahara Desert. The highlight
of the day was riding into the bustling, friendly
town of Dongola, where the riders are enjoying a
well earned rest day.
Traveling
through 10 African countries in all, the cyclists
have already clocked up 1 400 km's in 16 days
through Egypt and Sudan.
The
largest, yet least visited country in Africa, Sudan
is home to over 37 million people made up of more
than 550 ethnic groups. In spite of their
political problems and differences, hospitality and
generosity is key amongst the Sudanese people. The
cyclists are constantly invited into the simple,
yet beautiful mud and stone homes for chai, coffee
or a meal.
While
the expedition riders soak up the culture in the
villages, take photos and time out to meet the
people along the way, the competition amongst the
racers is foreshadowing an exciting race this
year.
Dutch
racer, Adrie Frijters still holds the lead in the
men's race, with American rider, Christopher Maun 3
minutes behind him, while Janet Alexander from
America has a comfortable 13 hour lead over
South African, Alice Rawlinson, in second position
in the women's race.
From
Dongola, the Tour will follow the Nile for a day
and half, crossing into the Sahara desert before
entering the city of Khartoum on 3rd February at
the confluence of the Blue and the White Nile
rivers.
For
regular updates and more information visit
www.tourdafrique.com
Theresa
Brown
Tour
d'Afrique &endash; Cape Town, South
Africa
Tel:
+27 21 421 9342
Mobile
+27 84 353 1975
Email:
theresa@networld.co.za
Mike
Coo
Tour
d'Afrique &endash; Toronto, Canada
Tel:
+1 416 364-8255
Email:
mike@tourdafrique.com
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