Firelight, Fast Laps, and Flying Dust: Getting Hunted by Tom Pidcock at Night Burn After Gravel Burn Stage 3

Josh from The Nxrth is in South Africa riding Gravel Burn, a seven-day gravel stage race across the vast Great Karoo. After Stage 3, the day wasn’t over. Riders gathered for the Night Burn, a short, high-energy race under firelight and Red Bull lights. Bonfires lined the course, music echoed across the desert, and a small group of qualifiers, including Josh, sprinted through the dust being chased by Tom Pidcock.

Words by Josh from The Nxrth

Photos by Bruce Viaene, Nedbank Gravel Burn

After wrapping up Stage 3 of Gravel Burn, the day wasn’t over. As the sun dropped behind the mountains and the desert cooled, riders gathered for Night Burn, a special evening race under the stars by the light of bonfires. It was a wild mix of competition and spectacle: bonfires lining the course, a live Red Bull DJ pounding music into the night, and a light show that turned the Karoo dust into something electric.

To qualify, riders needed the biggest spread between their General Classification rank after Stage 2 and their result in the Red Bull Kilometer, a one-mile sprint segment that also took place during Stage 2. The system favored mid-pack riders and somehow, that landed me a spot on the start list. We were handed special Night Burn jerseys and lined up for what promised to be one of the most memorable evenings of the week.

We kicked things off by watching the “Legends Race,” where a few pros, (Payson McElveen, Simon Pellaud, and others) ripped three high-speed laps around the one-kilometer loop while the crowd roared. Then it was our turn. The women started first, followed by the men. Once we hit halfway through our first lap, Tom Pidcock was unleashed, sprinting from the start line in a chase-the-fox-style pursuit.

The result was pure, glorious chaos. Music thumped and bonfires lit the tight corners as everyone sprinted to stay ahead for as long as they could. I made it two laps before Tom caught me right under the Red Bull arch, his bike lit up beautifully as he tore through the rest of the field.

It was such a fun, memorable way to end the day. Part race, part party, and something I’ll definitely remember from this trip.