It is with deep regret that due to the heavy recent rains, the committee organising the 2025 aQuellé Tour Durban MTB powered by Cycle Lab has been forced to cancel the MTB and the trail run events scheduled for Saturday 26th April 2025.
After the devastating flooding earlier this year, the course designers updated the courses, and together with landowners repaired infrastructure and damage on the new routes. However, when bridges were once again washed away this week, and there is more severe damage to the new course, it was agreed with safety consultants, race partners and landowners that in the limited time available, it is not possible to repair routes to a standard that would ensure a safe race for competitors and staff.
The committee understands this is a huge inconvenience to everyone involved, including race entrants, event partners, service providers, staff and marshals, but safety has to be a priority and with great regret the committee decided to cancel the off-road events.
The MTB race was fully subscribed and with those riders in mind we offer entrants the following options:
OPTION 1: Transfer entry to aQuellé Tour Durban Road Race
Entrants in the MTB races can choose to transfer their entry to a road race on Sunday 27th April as follows:
• 10km & 20km entrants to ride the 28km road race;
• 40km entrants to ride the 42km road race;
• There will be separate MTB start batches for each of these races, and the top three of each MTB race per distance will receive the same prizes and trophies they would have received if they were competing in the MTB event. To be eligible for prizes, riders must ride standard MTB bikes (e-Bikes not eligible for prizes);
• Riders will be eligible for all giveaways (shirts and vouchers) and lucky draw prizes due to be awarded to the MTB event.
Should MTB riders not want to take part in the road race, they can either:
OPTION 2: Collect race packs at registration
• Collect their race packs with their event shirt, Cycle Lab voucher and other items being offered to all entrants at registration; or
OPTION 3: Transfer entry to 2026
• Transfer their 2025 entry to 2026 for the equivalent distance.
The 2025 aQuellé Tour Durban road race will take place on Sunday April 27 and the aQuellé Tour Durban MTB powered by Cycle Lab will be held on Saturday 26.
For 2025, the organising team aims to ensure that all riders experience a top-quality aQuellé Tour Durban, but equally important is the focus on making the weekend a genuine value-for-money cycling event. With that in mind, entry fees for 2025 will remain the same as 2024 – with a limited number of discounts for early entrants – and entry fees are “all inclusive” with no hidden extra charges for timing chips or admin fees when entering.
All cycling entrants will also be getting a discount voucher from Cycle Lab and the first 2 000 cycling entrants will receive the official race shirt at no additional charge. Entries for the 2025 event are now open on the MyActive platform.
A 68km race has been added to Sunday’s menu but Saturday’s gravel race that was trialled in 2024 has been removed. The start / finish venue for all trail events has been moved slightly to improve access and solve some of the infrastructure issues from last year.
All events will be timed in 2025 and the Domino Foundation will once again be the designated beneficiary.
Three mountain biking events over 40km, 20km and 10km. Three trail runs including a long (about 20km), medium (about 10km) and a short race (about 5km). Road riders have the choice of four distances: 110km, 68km, 42km and 28km.
The race registration will take place at Cycle Lab in Cornubia Mall on Friday and Saturday April 25 & 26. The trail day with mountain biking and trail running will be at the SA Sugar Association, Cornubia on April 26. The road races will all take place from Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday April 27.
