Active Hobo

Stage 5 of the Nedbank Gravel Burn 2026: Merino to Gwanishi. 128 km, 1,050 m up, 1,800 m down. On paper it looks downhill. It isn't. We flew the whole route in 3D for you: out of Merino across the Grootvlakte, through two tech zones, up the Toyota Power Climb on Renosterkop at km 107, and down out of the Karoo into thicket country at Gwanishi.Race morning at Merino: David on the bean bags with a 3:10 lead in his category, Nadia van Wyk's Stage 4 results, and Mpho Jasone from Nedbank sponsorship on why cycling is a metaphor for life. Then a very special message: happy 11th birthday, Logan. 🎂The stage that changed the plans. "That was for me the toughest day… my toughest day racing ever." David was in the dark and wanted to quit, and then Charl rode up to him and said: "My race is over. I'm here to help you." The rivalry is over. The tripod is in action.Also in this one: 41.7 km/h for 60 km on gravel, three crashes (get well soon, Marco), Hayley Preen flying past, the gel Simon pulled out of his pocket that saved David's race, the race helicopter hunting the age groupers ("I feel like a jet on Top Gun"), Matt Beers on the day, and David's birthday jersey for Logan. David won M35–39 by ONE second (3:46:05) over Steven Bark, with Janosch Wintermantel 3rd at +2:12. He still leads his category; Charl was 4th in M19–34 and is still 2nd on GC.Burn Camp at Gwanishi, the thank-yous, and Nadia's Stage 5 verdict to close it out: "iron sharpens iron, and brothers strengthen each other.""This is now the time we unite."CHAPTERS0:00 Intro0:23 Stage 5: Merino to Gwanishi0:33 Nadia's Stage 4 results1:15 Race morning with David3:15 Nedbank's Mpho Jasone4:43 Happy birthday, Logan5:11 The route in 3D: 128 km that looks downhill5:37 The race6:34 Matt Beers on Stage 57:39 Post-race: "I'm on team Charl"8:26 The rivalry is over: the tripod10:02 41.7 km/h for 60 km10:18 Three crashes10:50 The gel that saved the day11:18 The chopper12:07 "Like a jet on Top Gun"12:49 Logan's birthday jersey13:18 "This is now the time we unite"13:35 Burn Camp: Gwanishi14:23 The thank-yous15:45 Nadia's Stage 5 verdict16:45 Tomorrow: Stage 6 into ShamwariTOMORROW: STAGE 6Gwanishi → Shamwari · 76 km · 700 m of climbing.Thanks to @gravel_burn for the race-day stories and the official Stage 5 photos (Daryan Rowe, Sam Clark, Fahwaaz Cornelius); to @charl_kemp for his stories and the "unite" post; to @mattbeers55 for his race-day videos; to @nadiavanwyk.athlete for the nightly results; to Mpho Jasone and Nedbank; and to the whole Gravel Burn crew. Route data: Nedbank Gravel Burn. 3D imagery: Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics; terrain: AWS Terrain Tiles.Huge thanks to Nedbank, Toyota South Africa, Specialized, Herotel and Ciovita.#GravelBurn #NedbankGravelBurn #GravelCycling #StageRace #ActiveHobo #Karoo #Gwanishi #BurnCamp #Toyota #Specialized# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================https://linktr.ee/theactivehobo# === PARTNER LINKS ===================================Specialized South Africawww.specialized.comDoolhof Wine Estatehttps://doolhof.com 🔗 Code: ActiveHobo (20% off wines)RH 77🔗 https://rh77.co.za226ERS 🔗 https://226ers.co.za/Code: ActiveHobo (10% off)SCICON🔗 https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount (URL and 10% Discount code link)Gear Change Bicycle Store🔗 https://gearchange.co.za/# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkins# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/vSnCZ6pTguQ?si=4hvAobdbQznnyw10Full podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/mgogDtiB_vg?si=RBaUt8VItbQisdTd# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com

Stage 4 of the Nedbank Gravel Burn 2026: the Merino loop. 61 km, 550 m of climbing, 100% gravel, the shortest stage of the week, and full gas from the gun. We flew the whole route in 3D for you: down past Shepherd's Dog and Grootdam into the Klein-Visrivier valley, up the Toyota Power Climb, through the tech zone and the Red Bull KM, and back to Merino Burn Camp.Race morning at Merino: 5 am coffee at the Vida truck, Manon Lloyd's morning report, Team Toyota's custom jerseys (illustrated by Heather Jenkins, made by Ciovita), and Hayley Preen calling a bunch sprint.Then the plan. Charl and Simon had one, and it worked: Charl went up the road, and when the bunch caught him 5 km from the finish he looked around and... David wasn't there. At the line: GC banter with David's category rival Stephen, Manon Lloyd on her mechanical ("I'm not very good at fixing my own punctures"), David's right of reply ("the entire peloton, pitying this man, letting him go up the road"), and a five-man crash David only just missed. [RESULT: official margin]Behind the Burn: Richard, Operations Director of the Nedbank Gravel Burn, took us on the camp tour for the Burn Pod: the remote finishes, the F1-style paddock, the Specialized service team (Josh: 80 bikes a night, and the rear rotor Charl burnt out on a downhill), the year Merino had to be evacuated (with the bagpipes leading the way), massage, a borehole pumping 20,000 litres an hour, laundry day (#339 packed five sets of kit), and accessible ablutions so riders like Bryce can race the Burn on a handcycle. "The race must add to the terrain, not take from it. Stories matter."Burn Camp after dark: the first (and probably only) donkey longtong fire-starting competition: Charl, the 78 kg speed dealer, Simon, his most loyal client, and David, the Soutie."The banter between us is absolute, but the love is deep. Iron sharpens iron."CHAPTERS0:00 Intro0:42 Race morning at Merino2:32 The route: the Merino loop in 3D2:54 Stage 4: full gas from the gun3:54 The plan6:47 "Pause the race!"7:21 Behind the Burn: the camp tour8:34 A new bike every morning (Specialized)9:41 The year Merino was evacuated10:51 Laundry day11:17 Bryce, and a race for everyone12:41 Burn Camp: the fire-starting competition13:13 Iron sharpens iron13:43 Tomorrow: Stage 5 to GwanishiTOMORROW: STAGE 5Merino → Gwanishi · 128 km · 1,050 m of climbing.Thanks to @gravel_burn for the race-day stories, Manon Lloyd's reports and the official Stage 4 photos (Paul Ganse, Sam Clark, James Cameron Heron, Fahwaaz Cornelius); to @charl_kemp for the finish-line taunt, the plan and the Specialized service tour; to @rickottema, @laurapetri and @amacxsportsnutrition for their race footage; and to Richard and the whole Gravel Burn crew for the access. Route data: Nedbank Gravel Burn. 3D imagery: Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics; terrain: AWS Terrain Tiles.Huge thanks to Nedbank, Toyota South Africa, Specialized, Herotel and Ciovita.Was it a plan, or did David just let him go? 👇#GravelBurn #NedbankGravelBurn #GravelCycling #StageRace #ActiveHobo #Karoo #BurnCamp #KindredByGravel #Toyota #Specialized# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================https://linktr.ee/theactivehobo# === PARTNER LINKS ===================================Specialized South Africawww.specialized.comDoolhof Wine Estatehttps://doolhof.com 🔗 Code: ActiveHobo (20% off wines)RH 77🔗 https://rh77.co.za226ERS 🔗 https://226ers.co.za/Code: ActiveHobo (10% off)SCICON🔗 https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount (URL and 10% Discount code link)Gear Change Bicycle Store🔗 https://gearchange.co.za/# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkins# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/vSnCZ6pTguQ?si=4hvAobdbQznnyw10Full podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/mgogDtiB_vg?si=RBaUt8VItbQisdTd# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com

Stage 3 of the Nedbank Gravel Burn 2026: Blaauwater to Merino, the longest stage of the week. 137 km and 1,550 m of climbing, from a 6 am start with the bagpipes, over the pass behind the clouds, across a long stretch of tar in the crosswinds, and up the Swaershoek to the most remote summit finish in gravel.Race morning at Burn Camp: oats at 5 am, a very specific good morning to Barbara in Australia, a fire-side chat with a rider who'll do the Sedgefield 500 in December, and the race plan over breakfast (get over that last climb, and don't get caught in a crosswind split). Then we got permission to nerd out: chainrings, tyre widths and tyre pressures, with Charl and half of Burn Camp.Up front, Eddy Le Huitouze (The Grip) won from the break on the Swaershoek, Nele Laing took the women's stage and the Ember jersey, Tristan Nortje took his first-ever climber's jersey, and Matt Beers keeps the overall lead. Behind them, David finished 63rd in 4:35:41, beating Charl by 3:55 (Charl says it was "one minute"), and was back on the category podium. Simon came in 137th. Charl's verdict: "David now has 12 minutes on me… but the bro must just know: we don't quit. We're coming."On the Burn Pod: Tebogo Galagala, the Soweto-born cyclist behind Banditz Bicycle Club. From a back room in his mom's yard to a shop that became a place where people come to talk, and a DM that saved a life. "People just need friends. The bicycle comes as an extra." A week before Gravel Burn they had to close their shop at 44 Stanley, but as David says: that location doesn't define you, what you do does.CHAPTERS0:00 Intro0:24 Race morning at Burn Camp2:20 The setup: permission to nerd out3:24 Stage 3: crosswinds to the Swaershoek5:33 The rivalry (and the official result)6:23 The Burn Pod: David × Charl7:25 The helicopter came for the age groupers8:44 Dedicated to the 40–55 cats9:38 Burn Camp at Merino10:49 Charl's nightly message11:10 Tomorrow: Stage 4, the short oneSTAGE 3 OFFICIAL RESULT (race app)Pro men: 1 Eddy Le Huitouze (The Grip) 3:45:00 · 2 Simon Pellaud (Cervélo Assos) +0:46 · 3 Jordy Bouts (The Grip) +1:47 · 4 Rick Ottema +1:50. Overall: Matt Beers leads, Filippo Colombo +0:30, Tristan Nortje +0:50 (per Matt Beers)Pro women: stage won by Nele Laing (Ember jersey)Toyota Power Climber jersey: Tristan NortjeOur riders: David Jenkins 63rd, 4:35:41 (M35–39) · Charl Kemp 73rd, 4:39:36 (+3:55, M19–34) · Simon Stofberg 137th, 5:09:46 (M19–34). David is now about 12 minutes up on Charl overall and back on the category podium.TOMORROW: STAGE 4Merino loop · 61 km · 550 m of climbing.Thanks to @gravel_burn for their race-day stories, the summit-finish footage and the official Stage 3 photos (Sam Clark, James Cameron Heron, Paul Ganse, Fahwaaz Cornelius, Paul Galatis); to @nedbank for the bike-setup feature; to @charl_kemp for the finish-line and nightly updates; to @mattbeers55 for his recap; to @avancinimtb for the chopper ride and the post-race chat; to @rickottema and @bikenotopo for the race footage; to @manonlloyd5 for the 6 am report; and to @banditzbicycleclub and Tebogo Galagala for sharing your story.Huge thanks to Toyota South Africa, Specialized, Herotel and Nedbank Gravel Burn.Can Charl close 12 minutes in four days? #GravelBurn #NedbankGravelBurn #GravelCycling #StageRace #ActiveHobo #Karoo #Swaershoek #KindredByGravel #BanditzBicycleClub #Toyota #Specialized# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================https://linktr.ee/theactivehobo# === PARTNER LINKS ===================================Specialized South Africawww.specialized.comDoolhof Wine Estatehttps://doolhof.com 🔗 Code: ActiveHobo (20% off wines)RH 77🔗 https://rh77.co.za226ERS 🔗 https://226ers.co.za/Code: ActiveHobo (10% off)SCICON🔗 https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount (URL and 10% Discount code link)Gear Change Bicycle Store🔗 https://gearchange.co.za/# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkins# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/vSnCZ6pTguQ?si=4hvAobdbQznnyw10Full podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/mgogDtiB_vg?si=RBaUt8VItbQisdTd# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com

Stage 2 of the Nedbank Gravel Burn 2026: the Blaauwater loop, 105 km and 1,450 m of climbing around the Kompassberg (2,502 m, the Karoo's Matterhorn), past Nieu-Bethesda and back to Burn Camp.Yesterday I won my category by four minutes. Today I felt the pressure of the jersey. I tried to go with the front group, blew up, and spent the day on the wheel of a Japanese Olympian… until Charl came flying past at 60 km and towed the whole group for 20 km. He cramped on the last climb, I got away, and I took another four minutes on him (8 minutes in total now). But the guy second in my age category clawed back more than four minutes on me: my lead in the M35–39 jersey is down from 4:20 to just 10 seconds.Up front, Matt Beers and Filippo Colombo went away on the first climb and stayed away for 100 km; Colombo won the sprint and Beers is in the leader's jersey. Hayley Preen finally got her Gravel Burn stage win with an attack on the Tafelkop climb.At Burn Camp: bike washes, a Burn Pod, a 10-year-old called Logan who phoned from Canada (happy birthday for Thursday, Logan!), and the guys from Herotel who keep "150 up, 150 down" running in the middle of the Karoo.CHAPTERS0:00 Intro0:30 Race morning at Burn Camp2:14 Stage 2: around the Kompassberg4:44 The pros: Beers, Colombo & Preen5:51 The rivalry: four more minutes6:56 Burn Camp & the Burn Pod7:31 Logan Shout out 🇨🇦8:44 Herotel: internet in the middle of nowhere9:51 "It ain't over until the fat lady sings"10:52 Tomorrow: the Queen StageAFTER STAGE 2 (provisional GC)David Jenkins: 62nd overall, 1st M35–39 (by 10 seconds)Charl Kemp: 71st overall, 2nd M19–34Simon Stofberg: 150th overall, 12th in his age categoryPro men: stage won by Filippo Colombo from Matt Beers (100 km two-man break)Pro women: stage won by Hayley PreenTOMORROW: STAGE 3, THE QUEEN STAGEBlaauwater → Merino · 137 km · 1,550 m of climbing.Thanks to @gravel_burn for their race-day stories, the pro finish footage and the official Stage 2 photos (James Cameron Heron, Sam Clark, Daryan Rowe, Paul Ganse, Fahwaaz Cornelius, Alec Gates); to @charl_kemp for the finish-line update; to @mattbeers55 for his stage recap; to @timovandervyver for the shout-out; to @nadiavanwyk.athlete for the best stage summary on the internet (again); and to Herotel for keeping Burn Camp connected.Huge thanks to Toyota South Africa, Specialized, Herotel and Nedbank Gravel Burn.Who's taking the Queen Stage: David or Charl? 👇#GravelBurn #NedbankGravelBurn #GravelCycling #StageRace #ActiveHobo #Karoo #Kompassberg #NieuBethesda #Herotel #Toyota #Specialized# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================https://linktr.ee/theactivehobo# === PARTNER LINKS ===================================Specialized South Africawww.specialized.comDoolhof Wine Estatehttps://doolhof.com 🔗 Code: ActiveHobo (20% off wines)RH 77🔗 https://rh77.co.za226ERS 🔗 https://226ers.co.za/Code: ActiveHobo (10% off)SCICON🔗 https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount (URL and 10% Discount code link)Gear Change Bicycle Store🔗 https://gearchange.co.za/# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkins# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/vSnCZ6pTguQ?si=4hvAobdbQznnyw10Full podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/mgogDtiB_vg?si=RBaUt8VItbQisdTd# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com

Stage 1 of the Nedbank Gravel Burn 2026: 90 km and 1,450 m of climbing from Graaff-Reinet to Blaauwater, and the day the rivalry finally went from banter to race.Charl and I lined up together, Cammy joined us for day one, and the banter finally became a race. Four months of all-in training, 14 kg lost, 3.6 → 4.2 W/kg… and on day one it paid off: 1st in Men 35–39 in 3:08:07, 66th overall and 4:09 clear of second. Charl crossed the line 3:53 later; Simon 23:03 back (but still smiling). Fun fact: 3:08:07 is exactly the winning time of the women's pro race.Up front it was a road-vs-gravel showdown: Mattia De Marchi (The Grip) won the men's race in 2:36:49, just 13 seconds ahead of Marco Joubert and Travis Stedman (Toyota Specialized Imbuko). Nele Laing (Canyon DT Swiss) won the women's race by 3 seconds from Alexis Skarda (SCOTT-SRAM), with Hayley Preen (ChemChamp) third.CHAPTERS0:00 Intro0:21 Race morning in Graaff-Reinet2:58 Stage 1: 90 km of Karoo gravel6:05 The rivalry: David vs Charl vs Simon9:26 Burn Camp at Blaauwater10:49 Tomorrow: Stage 2 & Kom PassSTAGE 1 RESULTSMen 35–39 · 1st David Jenkins 3:08:07 (66th overall)Charl Kemp 3:12:00 (80th) · Simon Stofberg 3:31:10 (128th)Pro Men · 1 Mattia De Marchi 2:36:49 · 2 Marco Joubert +0:13 · 3 Travis Stedman +0:13Pro Women · 1 Nele Laing 3:08:07 · 2 Alexis Skarda +0:03 · 3 Hayley Preen +1:18TOMORROW — STAGE 2Blaauwater loop · 105 km · 1,450 m of climbing · over Kom Pass (1,894 m, the highest point of the race) to a hilltop finish.Thanks to @gravel_burn for the rivalry interview with Manon Lloyd, their race-day stories and the official Stage 1 photos (James Cameron Heron, Fahwaaz Cornelius, Sam Clark); to @charl_kemp for his race-day stories and the Burn pod recap; to @simonstofberg for his on-bike footage; to Cammy for riding day one with us; and to @nadiavanwyk.athlete for the best stage summary on the internet.Huge thanks to Toyota South Africa, Specialized and Nedbank Gravel Burn.Who takes Stage 2: David, Charl or Simon? Drop your call in the comments 👇#GravelBurn #NedbankGravelBurn #GravelCycling #StageRace #ActiveHobo #Karoo #GraaffReinet #Toyota #Specialized# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================https://linktr.ee/theactivehobo# === PARTNER LINKS ===================================Specialized South Africawww.specialized.comDoolhof Wine Estatehttps://doolhof.com 🔗 Code: ActiveHobo (20% off wines)RH 77🔗 https://rh77.co.za226ERS 🔗 https://226ers.co.za/Code: ActiveHobo (10% off)SCICON🔗 https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount (URL and 10% Discount code link)Gear Change Bicycle Store🔗 https://gearchange.co.za/# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkins# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/vSnCZ6pTguQ?si=4hvAobdbQznnyw10Full podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/mgogDtiB_vg?si=RBaUt8VItbQisdTd# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com

Day 0 of the Nedbank Gravel Burn 2026 — registration day in Graaff-Reinet.Tomorrow it starts: 7 stages, 691 km of racing through the Great Karoo. Today is the calm before the burn — the activation ride on the first kilometres of the course, picking up race number 339, carb-loading at the Drostdy, the most incredible bike park we've ever seen, and the race briefing the night before Stage 1."I don't even think it's this good overseas." Canyon brought a full all-terrain team, the owner of Factor is here, Pinarello, GCN… and yet cycling remains the great equaliser.CHAPTERS0:00 Intro0:51 The activation ride3:46 Registration6:58 Bikes of Gravel Burn9:56 Race briefing10:26 Tomorrow: Stage 1STAGE 1 — TOMORROWGraaff-Reinet → Blaauwater · 90 km · 1,450 m of climbing · 95% gravelTHE WEEK AHEADStage 1 · Sun 25 Oct · Graaff-Reinet → Blaauwater · 90 kmStage 2 · Mon 26 Oct · Blaauwater loop · 105 kmStage 3 · Tue 27 Oct · Blaauwater → Merino · 137 kmStage 4 · Wed 28 Oct · Merino loop · 61 kmStage 5 · Thu 29 Oct · Merino → Gwanishi · 128 kmStage 6 · Fri 30 Oct · Gwanishi → Shamwari · 76 kmStage 7 · Sat 31 Oct · Shamwari loop · 94 kmSpotted your bike in the bike park? Drop a comment with your name, your rig and why you chose that setup — we'd love to hear it.Huge thanks to Toyota South Africa, Specialized, Nedbank Gravel Burn and VIP Bicycle Logistics for getting every bike here.New video every day of race week. See you at the burn.#GravelBurn #NedbankGravelBurn #GravelCycling #StageRace #ActiveHobo #Karoo #GraaffReinet #Toyota #Specialized# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================https://linktr.ee/theactivehobo# === PARTNER LINKS ===================================Specialized South Africawww.specialized.comDoolhof Wine Estatehttps://doolhof.com 🔗 Code: ActiveHobo (20% off wines)RH 77🔗 https://rh77.co.za226ERS 🔗 https://226ers.co.za/Code: ActiveHobo (10% off)SCICON🔗 https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount (URL and 10% Discount code link)Gear Change Bicycle Store🔗 https://gearchange.co.za/# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkins# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/vSnCZ6pTguQ?si=4hvAobdbQznnyw10Full podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/mgogDtiB_vg?si=RBaUt8VItbQisdTd# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com

Three years ago, a handful of Joburg women who had ridden every road race and stage race on their own got a phone call: why not get a few of us together and go and have fun at the Double Century? Joanita Simpson of Femmes tells us what happened next.Femmes arrived at their first Old Mutual Wealth Double Century with ten riders and no sponsors, and crossed the line in Swellendam with eight. Today they're a squad of 14, plus a bench: mothers, wives, business owners and self-confessed corporate animals who fit 202km of team time trialling in around everything else in their lives. Turquoise for life.Joanita takes us inside the team. She talks about the captain's whistle that tells everyone when to eat, what it takes to hold 220 watts on the front, and why women's teams police drafting so fiercely. She explains what proudly South African lubricants brand Herschell gets back from backing a women's team, and how women in leadership could put far more women on bikes. Then there's the plan for their fourth DC, and a time challenge she's promised to take back to the team.0:00 Stirring the Pot0:43 Meet Joanita1:15 How Femmes Began2:38 Mothers First7:45 Why the DC Matters9:31 Three Years of Results13:18 The Team Whistle13:50 Tactics and Drafting16:22 Holding 220 Watts18:40 What Sponsors Get25:22 More Women on Bikes34:07 Rivals and Respect40:56 The 2026 Plan43:13 Kit and Nutrition51:53 Growing the Peloton# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================https://linktr.ee/theactivehobo# === PARTNER LINKS ===================================Doolhof Wine Estatehttps://doolhof.com 🔗 Code: ActiveHobo (20% off wines)RH 77🔗 https://rh77.co.za226ERS 🔗 https://226ers.co.za/Code: ActiveHobo (10% off)SCICON🔗 https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount (URL and 10% Discount code link)East City Cycles🔗 https://eastcitycycles.com/Gear Change Bicycle Store🔗 https://gearchange.co.za/# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkins# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/vSnCZ6pTguQ?si=4hvAobdbQznnyw10Full podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/mgogDtiB_vg?si=RBaUt8VItbQisdTd# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com#StoriesThatMatter #TheActiveHobo #MountainBiking

Episode 38 of The Breakaway Show is a quick one. No guest, because it’s the last week before Nedbank Gravel Burn and the whole team is flat out. We start with the Prince George 100 Miler, a gravel race that finishes at the top of the Swartberg Pass. Then Derby Dash in the wet, a Namibian race scene with a surprising prize purse, and Hayley Preen taking third at Big Sugar Gravel in Arkansas. We also look at how a South African junior ended up 10th at the Enduro World Championships in Italy. After that: what a week of using protein water and beetroot powder actually felt like, and why we want to cover local racing seven days a week.Chapters:0:00 Final week before Gravel Burn2:45 Prince George 100 Miler6:31 Derby Dash in the rain9:44 Namibia's N$770,000 race purse11:14 Hayley Preen at Big Sugar16:49 Enduro World Championships20:00 Weekend MTB roundup23:45 Covering local racing daily25:36 Protein water and beetroot31:11 Women's DC teams33:59 Gravel Burn week# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================https://linktr.ee/theactivehobo# === PARTNER LINKS ===================================Specialized South Africawww.specialized.comDoolhof Wine Estatehttps://doolhof.com 🔗 Code: ActiveHobo (20% off wines)RH 77🔗 https://rh77.co.za226ERS 🔗 https://226ers.co.za/Code: ActiveHobo (10% off)SCICON🔗 https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount (URL and 10% Discount code link)East City Cycles🔗 https://eastcitycycles.com/Gear Change Bicycle Store🔗 https://gearchange.co.za/# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkins# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/vSnCZ6pTguQ?si=4hvAobdbQznnyw10Full podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/mgogDtiB_vg?si=RBaUt8VItbQisdTd# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com#TheBreakawayPodcast #TheActiveHobo #StoriesThatMatter

The final pack. Nutrition, gear, the bag, sleep, the bike and the kit: everything I'm taking to the Nedbank Gravel Burn, a 7-day, 750 km gravel stage race through the Great Karoo (25–31 October 2026).0:00 Intro0:42 Nutrition8:29 Gear10:30 The Bag13:05 Sleep14:21 The Bike19:29 The Kit# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================https://linktr.ee/theactivehobo# === PARTNER LINKS ===================================Specialized South Africawww.specialized.comDoolhof Wine Estatehttps://doolhof.com 🔗 Code: ActiveHobo (20% off wines)RH 77🔗 https://rh77.co.za226ERS 🔗 https://226ers.co.za/Code: ActiveHobo (10% off)SCICON🔗 https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount (URL and 10% Discount code link)Gear Change Bicycle Store🔗 https://gearchange.co.za/# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkins# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/vSnCZ6pTguQ?si=4hvAobdbQznnyw10Full podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/mgogDtiB_vg?si=RBaUt8VItbQisdTd# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com#RoadToGravelBurn #TheActiveHobo #StoriesMatter #stagerace #GravelCycling #gravelburn#specializedcrux5

Four months of training, testing, and hard work come down to one final check-in on the road to Gravel Burn. With the help of coach Reece McDonald and strength coach Paige Goldie, we look at the progress made on and off the bike, and what it really takes to become a stronger athlete. But this journey has become about much more than watts, weight, and performance. It’s about consistency, rebuilding confidence, and changing the way you see yourself. As race day approaches, the biggest gains might not be the ones you can measure. This is the final chapter before Gravel Burn, and the results are about to put everything into perspective.00:00 – The Final Test01:00 – Four Months in the Making03:00 – Back to the Lab05:00 – Measuring the Progress07:00 – What the Numbers Really Mean09:00 – The Work Behind the Scenes11:00 – Building Strength From the Ground Up13:00 – Training Beyond the Bike15:00 – The Importance of Consistency17:00 – Pushing Past Old Limitations19:00 – More Than Just Performance21:00 – A Different Perspective23:00 – The Moment It All Comes Together26:00 – The Real Meaning of Progress29:00 – Ready for What Comes Next# === LISTEN ON THE GO ===========================Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5GselFmeym7YgYXtcyPUXUApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/active-hobo/id1846864699# === FOLLOW ACTIVE HOBO =========================https://linktr.ee/theactivehobo# === PARTNER LINKS ===================================Specialized South Africawww.specialized.comDoolhof Wine Estatehttps://doolhof.com 🔗 Code: ActiveHobo (20% off wines)RH 77🔗 https://rh77.co.za226ERS 🔗 https://226ers.co.za/Code: ActiveHobo (10% off)SCICON🔗 https://theactivehobo.short.gy/sciconsports-discount (URL and 10% Discount code link)Gear Change Bicycle Store🔗 https://gearchange.co.za/# === THE CREW ===================================Dave @davlewjenkins# === MORE FROM ACTIVE HOBO ======================Latest episode: https://youtu.be/vSnCZ6pTguQ?si=4hvAobdbQznnyw10Full podcast playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc2XIoaiAXafwoZykJM-jg6HnrLkWlJXHRelated episode: https://youtu.be/mgogDtiB_vg?si=RBaUt8VItbQisdTd# === WORK WITH US ===============================Sponsorships & collabs: david@activehobo.comSend a question for the show: noah@activehobo.com#RoadToGravelBurn #TheActiveHobo #StoriesMatter #stagerace #GravelCycling #gravelburn#specializedcrux5