Riders who do this one also do
FNB Wines2Whales
A three-day mountain bike stage race for teams of two, linking the Lourensford and Oak Valley wine estates with Benguela Cove on the coast. It runs as three separate editions (Chardonnay, Pinotage and Shiraz) on the same route over roughly ten days, mixing gravel roads with flowing singletrack.
Iceman Cometh Challenge
Point-to-point 30-mile mountain bike race from Kalkaska to Timber Ridge Resort in Traverse City, held in early November when snow or cold is common. Amateurs start in waves in the morning, with the pro race later in the day; a shorter Slush Cup is also offered.
Ride Ballarat
A fully supported charity ride, not a race, from Mars Stadium in Ballarat through rolling farmland towards Daylesford, raising money for cancer research at the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute. The Long Mac (103 km, 1,333 m) and Short Mac (55 km) both include short sections of unsealed road, under a tenth of each course. It is the new form of the Ballarat Cycle Classic, and the weekend opens with a cocktail party on the Saturday night.