The 2026 edition of the KAP sani2c kicks off tomorrow with a deep field of experienced and up-and-coming riders. With a large contingent of established stage race specialists, some new pairings may disrupt the expected race dynamic. At this point in the season, a key question is freshness versus race sharpness – many riders have competed across a host of disciplines and have solid racing experience, but some questions remain about residual fatigue.
Men’s Race: Powerful Partnerships, New Pairings
In the men’s race, the Toyota Specialized Imbuko teams of Tristan Nortje and Marco Joubert, and Travis Stedman and Jaedon Terlouw, will be looking to dominate. The confidence of last year’s sani2c champions Nortje and Joubert is clear: they are ‘racing for the win’. Nortje, who won the ABSA Cape Epic with Matt Beers in March, says: “Our team’s structure has always been good and with the best support, mechanics and physios, so it just makes racing our bikes way easier.”
Joubert feels his recent Garden Route Giro performance has reignited his racing edge: “After Epic I took some chill time, and then Garden Route Giro was the first opener for the body again. We are ready for sani2c. It is one of the main goals of the year, so our planning has been good. I think myself and Tristan are both in better shape than last year, so we are in for a good one.”
The second Toyota Specialized Imbuko team of Stedman/Terlouw, while supporting their team, will be strong contenders themselves. Terlouw has been on the top step at sani2c (with Michael Foster in 2024), and Stedman knows the sani2c trails well after he and Warren Moolman broke the record at the KAP sani2c nonstop last year.
South African Marathon Champion Marc Pritzen lines up alongside Felix Stehli for Team Honeycomb 226ers as one of the most credible threats to the Imbuko dominance. Pritzen arrives in form after winning the Ford Trailseeker MTB Series event at Cradle Moon last weekend, while the pairing has already proven its pedigree with an Epic stage victory and overall success at Wines2Whales. With both riders comfortable in high-intensity racing and stage race formats, they are likely to apply sustained pressure rather than allow a controlled race to unfold.
The traditionally competitive FORD Prime Bunch is fielding Phil Buys and Pieter du Toit, while Michael Foster will be supporting his team from the sidelines, after his recent participation at the UCI MTB World Cup in Korea. Last year, Phil Buys and Michael Foster won the prologue and placed 3rd on the GC, but Buys says that health issues and injury means the team is arriving at sani2c not confident of a top performance.
Says Buys: “Pieter was off for the whole of last year and only got back to training this year. I was on a good wicket before Epic but ended up with five weeks of knee issues. After just four weeks back at full training, I don’t think we are in the shape to challenge for the podium.”
The long-time pairing of Insect Science’s Arno du Toit and Keagan Bontekoning is getting a shake-up, with Wessel Botha riding with Du Toit for Insect Science, and Bontekoning teaming up with Johan van Zyl (Insect Science Safari Essence). Says Bontekoning: “We decided to mix things up a bit. Arno and I have done sani2c together a number of times, but we’ve got a nice, diverse team with strong riders so we decided to swap the pairings. I think all four of us are in really good form and we can work together really well as a team to get the best result. Johan and I have never raced together, but we’ve spent many years racing against each other, since junior days. I think we have similar strengths and can be quite good together.
“There is a nice, packed field, it’s always awesome to have a deep field with strong teams. The racing is going to be fast, and having teams like Imbuko there will play an important role in how things pan out.”
Botha has podiumed at sani2c many times, and won the race with Marco Joubert in 2022. He says: “We have four strong riders at the moment and not much between us. The thinking was to pair the two bigger riders (Arno and myself). sani is a fast race and having power is pretty beneficial on this course. I haven’t raced with Arno before but I know his riding style well and I think we will be a strong team. We both have a lot of experience racing sani as well. Both of our teams are strong and we will be racing for a result.”
The full line-up of 16 teams includes Victor Olckers and Tayne Rudling (Absolute Motion), and Adriaan Myburgh and Liam Hoffmann (Demacon Sterk Span).
Women’s Race: A Clear Favourite, But Not a Foregone Conclusion
Defending champion Samantha Sanders, who returns with new partner, African Marathon Champion Vera Looser (Efficient Infiniti Insure), will be bringing her measured approach to racing: composed, and consistently competitive. Her track record at sani2c is unmatched in recent years, and her ability to adapt across different partnerships adds an additional layer of stability.
Looser beat Sanders by 36 seconds at last week’s Trailseeker event, after a long battle, showing the strength and form of these two riders. As a team, can they be beaten?
There are some challengers bringing credible threats. Cherise Willett and Ila Stow (Fortress Toyota), combine speed and technical skills. Stow says: “Last year was such a highlight for me, and I am excited to be back again. I find it a difficult time of year fitness-wise. After the build-up to races in the beginning of the year, and the change of seasons in the Cape, training has been a bit slower with less volume. But I am excited to be back racing with Cherise; we have such a great understanding, and we really know how to use our strengths to race to the best of our abilities. Last year was my first sani2c so it helps knowing what’s to come and where to push.”
Danielle du Toit says that she and Roxanne Kemp (Safari Essence Titan Racing) plan to “race to their strengths” and build on prior experience of the event – a factor that often proves decisive at sani2c, where course knowledge and pacing discipline matter. Du Toit says of their partnership: “We’ve had a few races together this year – Tankwa Trek and then PE to Plett, and then Epic, with its ups and downs. I’ve had a very full racing calendar this year, so I cannot say how fresh I will be going into sani. I do think though that racing experience gives you some sort of advantage, maybe that little bit of sharpening, that extra ‘vasbyt’ that I’m hoping will pull me through, because even though sani is beautiful and the trails are pristine, it’s still proper days on the bicycle, especially when you’re dicing it out in front.”
Frances Swanepoel (Janse van Rensburg) is excited to be back at sani2c after taking a break from racing to have a baby in 2025: “I only have good memories from racing at sani, coming 3rd in 2020 with Kim Le Court-Pienaar and then 2nd in 2024 with Bianca Haw. This year I will be racing with Rachel Seaman as team Cyclenation. We raced Cape Pioneer together last year, so this will be our second stage race together. We make a good team and have similar strengths.”
Erin Shillaw, who represented South Africa at last year’s Gravel World Champs, and Lianke Fourie, one of the rising riders in the South African women’s field, will take on sani2c as the Old Mutual Women’s Team. Kylie Hanekom teams up with Hayley Smith as team Bike Hub.
Teamwork can be the race decider
The nature of sani2c lends itself to strong teamwork: it’s fast, technical, and unforgiving to teams that are out of sync. The teams that minimise internal friction have an advantage, as mismatches in pacing or technical ability compound over the tough three days of riding.
The Prologue takes place at Glencairn Farm today Wednesday 6 May, and racing starts tomorrow morning. The athletes will ride 265 kms over the three days, arriving at Scottburgh Golf Club on Saturday after midday.
Watch live updates on the KAP sani2c “OG” racing on Instagram: _sani2c
For more information visit www.sani2c.co.za
