Ride Joburg: route, climbing and how to prepare
- Distance
- 96.1 km
- Climbing
- 885 m
- Highest point
- 1,754 m
- Categorised climbs
- 7 · up to 11 %
- Shape
- Loop
Measured on the course you ride in Cycloscape. The organiser's own figures are below.
Elevation profile
1,420–1,754 m · 7 categorised climbsThe 6 biggest of 7 categorised climbs, in the order you ride them.
Ride Joburg is Johannesburg's big city ride: 97 km on closed roads and highways, with a 35 km short ride on the same day. The 2026 edition is on Sunday 22 November 2026. The city sits high on the Highveld, and its ridges give the route constant short climbs and fast descents.
947 Ride Joburg at a glance
- Where
- Johannesburg, South Africa
- Official website
- ridejoburg.co.za ↗
- Next edition
- 22 November 2026
- Routes
- Road race: 97 km · Short ride: 35 km
- Terrain
- Rolling to flat
- Facts checked
- 4 November 2026, against the sources below
Full preparation and course training require Event Coach Pro.
Ride the real course on your trainer. The route of 947 Ride Joburg, 96 km, as a 3D world, with your trainer following its gradients — any day, and as part of your Event Coach plan. Part of Cycloscape Pro.
The routes
Ride Joburg offers 2 routes.
| Route | Distance | Climbing |
|---|---|---|
| Road race | 97 km | — |
| Short ride | 35 km | — |
What the course asks of you
The route runs on roads that are normally full of traffic — the M1 highway and the Nelson Mandela Bridge among them — and rarely stays flat: the climbing comes in many short rises rather than one big hill. Fast groups form early and ride hard.
At altitude, efforts feel harder and recovery is slower than at sea level, which matters if you travel to ride it. Pace the rises evenly and stay in a group on the highway sections.
How to prepare
The general shape of a good preparation, which Event Coach turns into a plan for your fitness, time and date:
- Train steady power: efforts of 10 to 20 minutes just below your threshold teach you the pace you can hold over the rolling roads of Ride Joburg.
- Build the long ride towards 97 km, at a pace you could keep all day.
- Ride part of your training in a group: on rolling roads, staying in a wheel saves more energy than any other choice.
Pacing mistakes to avoid
The mistakes that cost riders the most on a day like this:
- Pushing every rise of Ride Joburg: on rolling roads, keep the effort steady and let the speed vary.
- Following the fastest wheels in the first kilometres, when everything feels easy.
- Drinking only when thirsty: a long rolling day dehydrates you before you notice.
Prepare Ride Joburg with Cycloscape
Tell Event Coach you are doing Ride Joburg, your route and what you want from the day, and it builds your preparation towards 22 November 2026: structured workouts held by your trainer in ERG, Race Pacing for how to spend your effort, and Performance Lab to see whether the work is landing. Full preparation and course training require Event Coach Pro.
Frequently asked
When is Ride Joburg 2026?
On Sunday, 22 November 2026, according to the organiser.
How long are the routes of Ride Joburg?
Road race: 97 km; Short ride: 35 km. The 2026 distances as the organiser lists them. Entries for 2026 have closed.
Can I ride the course of Ride Joburg in Cycloscape?
Yes, inside Event Coach with Cycloscape Pro: once you start your preparation, the course is ridden on your trainer as part of the plan.