{"id":74842,"date":"2026-02-03T12:35:40","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T10:35:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/?p=74842"},"modified":"2026-02-08T14:26:03","modified_gmt":"2026-02-08T12:26:03","slug":"southern-africans-set-to-shine-at-2026-tankwa-trek","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/southern-africans-set-to-shine-at-2026-tankwa-trek\/","title":{"rendered":"Southern Africans set to Shine at 2026 Tankwa Trek"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The 2026 Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen, is South Africa\u2019s flagship four-day UCI stage race. It boasts S1 Union Cycliste Internationale status and a deep field of fiercely competitive age-category racers, alongside one of the most formidable elite start lists on the local cycling calendar. Such is the strength of South and Southern African mountain bikers at present, that even the attendance of the reigning European Marathon Champion does not knock the locals from the top of the favourites list. Toyota Specialized Imbuko will start with the number one bike boards on their machines, and the weight of expectations on their shoulders, when the race gets underway on Thursday, 5 February.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Marco Joubert (leading) and Tristan Nortje have been the form team of the race and fully deserve the 8 minute and 43 second advantage they take into the final stage, on Sunday. Photo by Oakpics.com.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Hosted by Kaleo Guest Farm, north of Ceres, in the Western Cape\u2019s Koue Bokkeveld, the race is famous for the rugged and rocky terrain it covers, as well as the inclusion of the biggest climb in South African mountain biking \u2013 the Merino Monster. Measuring 20 kilometres long, from the Ceres Valley floor to the summit of the mountain, the Monster challenges with 1 000 metres of elevation gain. The final 8 kilometres average 8.8% and have often proved decisive in the battle for the overall titles. Beyond the massive climb, the trails of the Witzenberg Valley on Stage 2 are not to be underestimated, while Kaleo\u2019s ever-expanding network of singletracks provides many of the technical tests for Stages 1 and 4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tristan Nortje says that the performances of his teammates and the parity between the team members give him confidence heading into the first stage race of the season. Photo by Oakpics.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In 2025, Marco Joubert and Tristan Nortje best conquered the combined challenges of the Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen. In 2026, they return as defending champions, racing for Toyota Specialized Imbuko A. Despite the team\u2019s best result thus far this year being the fifth-place finish Nortje achieved at the Momentum Medical Scheme Attakwas Extreme, presented by Biogen, on the 17th<\/sup> of January, they have shown more consistency in the early weeks of the year than their rivals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m relatively happy with how the first two races have gone, personally, but I think the big positive for the team is how closely matched all our pairings have been thus far,\u201d Nortje revealed. \u201cI think that is a good sign for the team racing we\u2019ll be doing in February and March. With the first two races having gone pretty well and barring injuries or illness, we\u2019ll stick to the teams as we had them down at the start of the year. I\u2019ll be racing with Marco, while Jaedon [Terlouw] and Travis [Stedman] will be teaming up.\u201d Ignatius du Preez and Lood Goosen complete the Toyota Specialized Imbuko line-up for the battle in the Bokveld.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Punctures in the Attakwaskloof put an end to Jakob Hartmann, of Singer KTM\u2019s, day, but did not prevent his teammate, Andreas Seewald, from racing to fourth. Photo by Oakpics.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Their fiercest rivals are two Singer KTM Racing teams, and the Insect Science squad of Johan van Zyl and Wessel Botha. Andreas Seewald has started the season strongly, notching up two top ten places in the first races of the season, while Jakob Hartmann endured a race-ending mechanical in the Attakwaskloof after returning to racing, after a pulmonary embolism, cut short his 2025 season in June. Hartmann has been training well, alongside Seewald, in South Africa since early January and is looking to get back to his best. His teammates, Simon Stiebjahn and Martin Frey, are experienced campaigners, and Stiebjahn is a former champion too, having won alongside Urs Huber in 2020. Their experience in the rugged terrain will undoubtedly help them when the racing heats up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Van Zyl and Botha are another well-matched pairing, though they could use the technical sections of Stage 2 as a launchpad rather than a segment of the route to navigate safely. Both men are chasing their first victory in the event, and 2026 could thus be a big year for them. Having only switched to Insect Science in the off-season, Van Zyl and Botha greatly strengthen the stage racing depth of the outfit. Their campaign could benefit from the experience and support, on the trials, of Arno du Toit and Jan Withaar, who line up as Insect Science Safari Essence. The team dynamics of the top favourites could well come into play. In this Toyota Specialized Imbuko holds a numerical advantage of three teams to Singer KTM and Insect Science\u2019s two.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Singer KTM Racing\u2019s Martin Frey and Simon Stiebjahn finished the stage in second, but remain in third overall. Photo by Oakpics.com.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Computer Mania PRO MTB\u2019s Daniel van der Walt and Sascha Webber, as well as Filip Rydval and Hermann Pernsteiner, of D2mont Merida, are also contenders for a general classification podium position. Further down the start list, Herman Fourie and Keegan Tullis race together for the first time, in the CVNR colours. While the Pump for Peace Blazers and Pump for Peace Abashovi squads of Tumelo Makae and Damon Terblanche, as well as Unathi Nxumalo and Thabiso Zindela, will catch the eye in their new pink jerseys. Jordan Boshoff and Travis Rademan-Ludeke, of Project Dream SA, will be contenders for a top ten place, but only if they can hold off the Realty Dynamix, Enduroplanet Racing, ASAP Cycling, and Neo Energy USN Racing teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A potentially fascinating battle is also brewing between a group of rising stars. Youngsters, Stephen Aldum and Wium du Toit, race Beon van Staden and Ruan Portwig, Tayne Rudling and Victor Olckers, as well as Andr\u00e9 van Rooyen and Alec Colesk\u00e9, in an unofficial race-within-a-race. The two Demacon Racing outfits are up against the proven talent development skills of Absolute Motion and the Kings of Neon academy combinations. The team that fares best from this quartet may well be future champions of the race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Samantha Sanders (leading) is the reigning South African Marathon Champion and will race alongside Vera Looser, the current African Continental Marathon Champion. Photo by Oakpics.com<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Namibia\u2019s Vera Looser and South African Champion Samantha Sanders headline the UCI Women\u2019s race. The pair are the defending Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer, presented by Biogen, champions and have both finished upon the final podium at Kaleo Guest Farm before. The Efficient Infiniti Insure outfit has often sent two teams to the event, but with Sarah Mar\u00e9 racing in the mixed category in the early-season stage races, Looser and Sanders will be without team support. Though their class and experience make them the favourites ahead of the cross-country power of the Decathlon Ford | Unno combination.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Greta Seiwald (leading) endured a puncture-disrupted 2025 race, but still managed to finish second overall. She and Sara Cortinovis will be hoping for a smoother 2026 race. Photo by Max Sullivan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Italians, Greta Seiwald and Sara Cortinovis, raced the 2025 edition with Martina Berta and Tyler Jacobs, respectively, finishing second and third overall. Cortinovis started her 2026 campaign with a 6th-place finish in a South African national series marathon race, while Seiwald has yet to ratchet down her BOAs in anger this year. Alongside the Efficient Infiniti Insure and Decathlon Ford | Unno teams at the top of the start list are Danielle du Toit and Roxanne Kemp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A new pairing for 2026, the Safari Essence Titan Racing will look to grow as a team through the four days of racing and bank a solid result, too. They will, however, have to ensure that they best Lilian Baber and Malena Seer, of 1Of1 x Summerplace Racing, as well as Graaf Fruit | Degrendel\u2019s Stephanie Wohlters and Chloe Bishop, to finish on the final general classification podium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Danielle du Toit made her season debut last weekend and is looking forward to stage racing alongside Roxanne Kemp for the first time. Photo by Raymond Cox.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Julia Marx and Capucine Wiroth, of MW Racing, step into the deeper waters of UCI stage racing for the first time and can look to Cherise Willeit and Ila Stow, of Fortress Toyota, as well as the Index Property Solutions team of Sanchia Malan and Claudia Krenn, as a gauge of their debut performance. All three squads can challenge for a top-five place, particularly Willeit and Stow, who will get stronger as the race unfolds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Breathalisers.co.za and ChemChamp Specialized Geraardsbergen teams round out the UCI Women\u2019s field. How well each pair will combine is the biggest question going into the race. Rebecca van Huyssteen is perhaps in the best form of her career, while Nicola Freitas has found juggling work, medical specialisation studies, and training difficult in recent months. Similarly, Emma van der Stockt has been racing across cycling disciplines as disparate as gravel and Enduro, while Juanita Mackenzie has stepped back from frequent competition. The first stage, on Thursday afternoon, will reveal much, though certainly not all\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cherise Willeit (leading) and Ila Stow are experienced campaigners and will almost certainly get stronger as the four-day event progresses. Photo by Max Sullivan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Stage 1 is a 32-kilometre-long test to get the racing underway. Starting at 15:00, the racing\u2019s ferocity is expected to be matched by the mercury\u2019s rise towards 30 degrees Celsius<\/a>. With the scene set, Friday\u2019s Stage 2 will see slightly hotter temperatures, even, but a light breeze should take the edge off the heat on the ridgelines high above the Witzenberg Valley. During the Queen Stage, conditions are predicted to be hot and humid, with the chance of a few drops of rain in the late afternoon. Sunday\u2019s final stage will play out under clear skies once more, and early expectations are that it could be the hottest day of the race, with a high of 32 degrees forecast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To follow the action as it unfolds, mountain biking fans can like the Tankwa Trek<\/a> Facebook page and follow @tankwatrek<\/a> on Instagram. Daily highlights will be uploaded to the Dryland Event Management<\/a> YouTube channel. For more information, visit www.tankwatrek.co.za<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UCI Men\u2019s Start List | 2026 Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Team Name<\/em><\/td>Rider 1<\/em><\/td>Rider 2<\/em><\/td><\/tr>
Toyota Specialized Imbuko A<\/td>Marco Joubert (RSA)<\/td>Tristan Nortje (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
Singer KTM Racing 1<\/td>Andreas Seewald (GER)<\/td>Jakob Hartmann (GER)<\/td><\/tr>
Insect Science<\/td>Johan van Zyl (RSA)<\/td>Wessel Botha (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
Toyota Specialized Imbuko B<\/td>Tavis Stedman (RSA)<\/td>Jaedon Terlouw (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
Singer KTM Racing 2<\/td>Simon Stiebjahn (GER)<\/td>Martin Frey (GER)<\/td><\/tr>
Insect Science Safari Essence<\/td>Arno du Toit (RSA)<\/td>Jan Withaar (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
Computer Mania PRO MTB<\/td>Daniel van der Walt (RSA)<\/td>Sascha Webber (GER)<\/td><\/tr>
D2mont Merida<\/td>Filip Rydval (CZE)<\/td>Hermann Pernsteiner (AUT)<\/td><\/tr>
Toyota Specialized Imbuko Juniors<\/td>Ignatius du Preez (RSA)<\/td>Lood Goosen (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
CVNR<\/td>Keegan Tullis (RSA)<\/td>Herman Fourie (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
Pump for Peace Blazers<\/td>Tumelo Makae (LES)<\/td>Damon Terblanche (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
Project Dream SA<\/td>Jordan Boshoff (RSA)<\/td>Travis Rademan-Ludeke (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
Pump for Peace Abashovi<\/td>Unathi Nxumalo (RSA)<\/td>Thabiso Zindela (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
Realty Dynamix<\/td>Francis Visser (RSA)<\/td>Raymond van Niekerk (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
Enduroplanet Racing<\/td>Gerrit Moelich (RSA)<\/td>Johan Botha (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
ASAP Cycling<\/td>Jean-Pierre du Plessis (RSA)<\/td>Louis Terblanche (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
Demacon Racing A<\/td>Stephen Aldum (RSA)<\/td>Wium du Toit (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
Demacon Racing B<\/td>Beon van Staden (RSA)<\/td>Ruan Portwig (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
Absolute Motion<\/td>Tayne Rudling (RSA)<\/td>Victor Olckers (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
Kings of Neon<\/td>Andr\u00e9 van Rooyen (RSA)<\/td>Alec Colesk\u00e9 (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
Neo Energies USN Racing<\/td>Alexander Lawrence (RSA)<\/td>Christopher Graham (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
Acepak<\/td>Julian Jessop (RSA)<\/td>Matthew Grobler (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
Scratch & Patch<\/td>Dean Hopf (RSA)<\/td>Luc Desvaux de Marigny (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
Potlood & Yskas<\/td>Jason Boulle (RSA)<\/td>Raye Moolman (RSA)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
UCI Women\u2019s Start List | 2026 Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Team Name<\/em><\/td>Rider 1<\/em><\/td>Rider 2<\/em><\/td><\/tr>
Efficient Infiniti Insure<\/td>Vera Looser (NAM)<\/td>Samantha Sanders (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
Decathlon Ford | Unno<\/td>Greta Seiwald (ITA)<\/td>Sara Cortinovis (ITA)<\/td><\/tr>
Safari Essence Titan Racing<\/td>Danielle du Toit (RSA)<\/td>Roxanne Kemp (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
1Of1 x Summerplace Racing<\/td>Lilian Baber (RSA)<\/td>Malena Seer (AUT)<\/td><\/tr>
Graaf Fruit | Degrendel<\/td>Stephanie Wohlters (RSA)<\/td>Chloe Bishop (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
Fortress Toyota<\/td>Cherise Willeit (RSA)<\/td>Ila Stow (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
MW Racing<\/td>Julia Marx (RSA)<\/td>Capucine Wiroth (FRA)<\/td><\/tr>
Index Property Solutions<\/td>Sanchia Malan (RSA)<\/td>Claudia Krenn (AUT)<\/td><\/tr>
Breathalisers.co.za<\/td>Nicola Freitas (RSA)<\/td>Rebecca van Huyssteen (RSA)<\/td><\/tr>
ChemChamp Specialized Geraardsbergen<\/td>Emma van der Stockt (BEL)<\/td>Juanita Mackenzie (RSA)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The 2026 Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen, is South Africa\u2019s flagship four-day UCI stage race. It boasts S1 Union Cycliste Internationale status and a deep field of fiercely competitive age-category racers, alongside one of the most formidable elite start lists on the local cycling calendar. Such is the strength of South and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":74843,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[918,94],"featured_location":[],"class_list":["post-74842","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events","tag-dryland-events","tag-tankwa-trek"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74842","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74842"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74842\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":74857,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74842\/revisions\/74857"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/74843"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74842"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74842"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74842"},{"taxonomy":"featured_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/featured_location?post=74842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}