At the end of the first Nedbank Gravel Burn, after the final awards were handed out and the last “thank-yous” had been said, I finally exhaled – relieved that we’d pulled off the first race, by all accounts, quite successfully. As I sat down after delivering the closing speech, I immediately realised I had forgotten to call out three of the biggest heroes of the week. I know that if I had, they would have received a standing ovation from every rider present.
By writing about them in this post, I hope to make up, in some way, for that omission – one I still regret.
Bryce Carter
Bryce is the 22-year-old son of one of my oldest friends, Matthew Carter. Matthew and I go back more than 50 years (and I’m only 53). We learned to ride bikes together. He’s one of the ‘Hyenas’ at the Cape Epic, and the idea for Nedbank Gravel Burn was first thrown around over dinner with him and our longtime mate and fellow Hyena, Richard McMartin, on the eve of the final stage of the 2024 Cape Epic.
Two years ago, Bryce suffered a terrible bike crash and broke his back – a single moment on the trails that changed everything. The devastating reality of paraplegia is a diagnosis that would have ended a cycling career for most. Yet, what followed was a sheer force of will – after embarking on his intense rehabilitation he made the decision to set his sights on Nedbank Gravel Burn as a goal.
It truly was a Big Hairy Audacious Goal – he didn’t even own a suitable bike and his rehabilitation program was still in the initial phases. Bryce’s journey started with funding a Bowhead adaptive bike and ended with crossing the finish line at Shamwari after seven days of Karoo gravel. The part in between is where the real story is and what deserves the most credit.
Riding a gravel stage race is one thing; living in camps as a paraplegic is another entirely. Our awesome sponsor, ChemChamp, stepped in and built a wheelchair-friendly toilet and shower at our Burn Camps – a small detail to most, but a massive deal for Bryce. We kept his endeavour low key going into the race; even some on our own team had doubts about how he would cope.
Well, he didn’t just cope – he smashed it. He came to our Nedbank Training Camp event and completed the stages convincingly, often outpacing his dad. Then he completed Nedbank Gravel Burn – and now he’s entered again!
Bryce, you are a legend – and I’m sorry I didn’t give you the shout-out you deserved on that final night.
Reuben van Niekerk
I’ve known Reuben for 15 years. I remember him first entering the Cape Epic after volunteering at one of our water points just to secure a guaranteed entry (in those days, you could only guarantee an entry by volunteering the year before).
His first Epic was tough. On Stage 5 in 2010, soft sand chafed his skin raw where his prosthetic leg met his body, and he couldn’t continue. I still remember driving him to spectator points the next day and encouraging him: “Come back and finish it next year.” And he did.
Since then, Reuben has finished no fewer than five editions of the Cape Epic, even though the race has become more challenging each year. So it was no surprise when he said he was keen to take on Nedbank Gravel Burn, in fact I was delighted! And even more so when he became a finisher of our inaugural event.
Reuben – what a hero. And thank you to Toyota for sponsoring his participation last year.
Jaco van Gass
And then there’s Jaco.
Born in South Africa and now a British para-cyclist, Jaco van Gass’s story is nothing short of remarkable. After losing his lower left arm in Afghanistan while serving with the British Parachute Regiment, he has been adapting to his new life and excelled at it. He is a multiple Paralympic gold medallist, world record holder and one of the most inspiring athletes in the para-sport world.
It was therefore a huge honour when Jaco reached out to me to participate in our first edition. Needless to say, he also smashed it – finishing 222nd out of 500 riders last year. Respect.