Alistair Brownlee: From Olympic Gold to Karoo Dust

Two-time Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee has always been driven by adventure. After a stellar career at the pinnacle of world sport, he has traded podiums for something wilder: the vast open spaces of South Africa’s Karoo, where the inaugural Nedbank Gravel Burn offered a new kind of challenge across 800 kilometres of unpredictable terrain, soaring temperatures and complete isolation.

“I’ve retired from professional triathlon,” says Brownlee. “Now I’m looking for adventurous things to do. And what’s more adventurous than riding 800 kilometres through the Karoo? We’ve been in some proper remote places. It’s been super adventurous and a lot of fun.”

For someone who has spent a career chasing perfection, the rough and ready rhythm of gravel riding might seem a world away. But that’s exactly what appealed. “You don’t really know what to expect, and that’s one of the beauties of off-road racing. You’ve no idea what the surface will be like or what the competition will be like. It’s been as hard, if not harder, than I expected,” he admits with a grin. “I’m definitely not as fit as I used to be.”

What’s impressed him most, though, isn’t just the racing. It’s the sense of community and scale that defines the Nedbank Gravel Burn. “The setup and the camps have been incredible. It’s really impossible to explain the remoteness of some of the Burn Camps. You’re out there surrounded by mountains, and yet there’s this incredible infrastructure: a thousand tents, amazing food, bike mechanics, washing stations, Wi-Fi, flush toilets and hot showers. It’s pretty special.”

Brownlee’s love for the cycling part of his multi-discipline sport has always been clear. But gravel has given him something new: freedom. “I love riding my bike. I love racing. I love adventure and seeing the world. Gravel encompasses all of that.”

He’s quick to point out that gravel isn’t easy. “It’s a tough discipline to master. Like any endurance sport, it starts and finishes with fitness, but it’s also about being prepared and cool under pressure. Things go wrong, tyres, chains… and you’ve got to sort it out yourself. What can go wrong on a gravel bike never fails to amaze me,” he laughs. “You learn quickly to carry just enough to survive.”

For Brownlee, Nedbank Gravel Burn isn’t for medals or glory. It’s about reconnecting with why he fell in love with sport in the first place. “I’m not in it for the win. I’m here for the enjoyment. But of course, I’m still going to go as hard as I can.”

As the race heads toward its finish at Shamwari Private Game Reserve, Brownlee is already thinking about his next adventure, the PatagonMan in Chile, a full iron-distance triathlon through one of the wildest regions on Earth.

And as for his famous brother? He smiles. “I don’t know why he didn’t come with me. He should have, shouldn’t he? Hopefully we’ll get him here next year.”