Solitaire- Walvis Bay (Odyssey of the Oryx Stage 3)

The small settlement of Solitaire, famously featuring the only gasoline station and general store in the wide area, is the backdrop for the start of the third stage of the Odyssey of the Oryx. Like the first two stages, the road is almost completely unpaved, which will present a challenge for riders unaccustomed to dirt and dust.

The stage takes the riders in a northwestern direction towards the coast, where the cocktails will await in Walvis Bay. Before that, however, they will have to deal with some small climbs on the Plateau. The Rostockberg has its peak at 69.5 from the start line. The Kuiseb Pass, a good forty kilometers further up the road, is the final climb of the day. From here, it will still be 128 kilometers towards the coast and this entire stretch through Namib-Naukluft National Park, the biggest National Park in Africa, will be downhill. Most of this will be a gentle descent, but the unpaved roads and the sheer length might make this the most difficult part of the stage after all. After a staggering 236 kilometers the peloton finally rolls into Walvis Bay, where the waves of the Atlantic Ocean will be a welcome sight for sore eyes.

Profile: CL: 3 DH: 7 HL: 6 FR: 4 SP: 5 CB: 6 TQ: 4 TT: 0