Day 1 - Pietermaritzburg to Allendale

The FNB Home Loans team have reached the Minerva Nature Reserve and will soon have to drop down into the valley, cross the Umkomaas river this afternoon before climbing out again to the first stop Allendale. The river is still flooded, and they will have to take a detour to the Hella Hella Bridge, extending the leisurely 100km for the first day.

Courtesy www.freedomchallenge.org.za

According to other race reports, the riders in earlier batches have already got some snow in this first section of the route, with the expectation of even colder weather up ahead.

Over the next couple of days, we expect poor cellphone reception and some radio silence from day to day, however, the guys at Netstar helps us track the riders with the Guardian Personal Tracking Service.