Diverge

In episode 2 of 2026, we look back at a mild and fast edition of the Attakwas Extreme, speculate on how the change to time parity with the men’s race will affect the women’s category at the Cape Epic, and discuss the announcement of the Burn Camps for the second edition of the Gravel Burn. To read the new articles about those events, and more, visit www.diverge.info. To click through here:

• Hatherly and Preen Open their 2026 Seasons with Hell of the South Victories

• Time Parity: Unlocking a Faster and More Competitive Cape Epic Women’s Race
• A Route to Inspire Fierce Women’s Racing at the 2026 Cape Epic
• Start Town, Burn Camps, and Route Format for 2026 Gravel Burn Confirmed

 And remember to follow Diverge on social media… @diverge.info on Instagram, Diverge on Facebook, @Diverge_info on X, and Diverge on YouTube. And subscribe on Spotify.

In the first episode of the new year, we look ahead at what’s to come on the bike in 2026. From the Attakwas Extreme, which kicks off the South African racing season through the Tankwa Trek, Cape Epic, Garden Route Giro, and on into the World Series calendar, which gets underway in South Korea in May. Then it’s home again for the off-road SA Champs, be it XCM, Gravel, or XCO, before stage racing gets back underway and the Trailseeker battle for R100 000, or maybe even 1 Million Rand, hots up. Tune in to hear when our favourite eventsare happening and where.  

To view Diverge’s South African Cycling Calendar and the 2026 UCI MTB World Series Calendar, visit www.diverge.info. And remember to follow Diverge on social media… diverge.info on Instagram, Diverge on Facebook, @Diverge_info on X, and Diverge on YouTube. And subscribe on Spotify.

In a special episode from Ride Joburg, the Diverge Podcast recaps on a thrilling and at times chaotic 28th edition of the world’s second-largest timed bicycle race. While thousands of fun riders enjoyed a beautiful day out on the roads of Johannesburg, the elite men and women raced for R200 000 winners' cheques. Kim le Court returned from European racing to dominate the women’s battle, beating her nearest rival, Lucy Young, by 79 seconds. Magda Nieuwoudt was third, after animating the women’s racing in the second half of the 97km long course. Jaedon Terlouw won the men’s race after coming to the line with two former winners, Ryan Gibbons and Marc Pritzen. The PYGA Euro Steel man dove down the inside in a self-described “dodgy” move to seize the advantage going into the final straight, and with all the momentum, could sit up and enjoy the moment as he secured the biggest win of his young career.

To read full stories of how the men’s and women’s races were won, plus more from the world of South African endurance sport, visit Diverge.info:

• Terlouw Puts MTB Skills to Use to Win 2025 Ride Joburg
• Le Court Underlines Stellar 2025 Season with the Ride Joburg Title

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In a busy week for endurance sport, the Diverge Podcast dives into the build-up to the inaugural Nedbank Gravel Burn and reflects on the cancellation of the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon. In happier, positive news, the first edition of what has been marketed as the world’s premier gravel stage race gets underway on Sunday, 26 October. The elite line-ups have been announced, and the route will certainly challenge both the elite and amateur riders alike. Sadly, the Cape Town Marathon had to be called off in the early hours of Sunday morning, when gale-force winds destroyed the Greenpoint race village, making the start/finish precinct unsafe. Sanlam has stepped in to guarantee the entries of the 2025 entrants for the 2026 or 2027 race, but the status of the event’s application for Abbott World Marathon Major status remains uncertain. 

To read about the full men’s and women’s elite line-ups for the Nedbank Gravel Burn and all the Cape Town Marathon communiques, visit Diverge.info:

• Meet the Men Contesting the Inaugural Nedbank Gravel Burn
• Women to Watch at the 2025 Nedbank Gravel Burn
• Record Runs and Emotional Scenes at Cape Town Trail Marathon Races
• Impressive Repeat Wins for Hendricks and Kavanagh in 10km Peace Run
• 2025 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon Cancelled Due to Adverse Wind Conditions
• Cancellation Timeline of the 2025 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon
• Sanlam to Sponsor 2026 or 2027 Entries for Cancelled 2025 Marathon Entrants

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This week, on the Diverge Podcast, we look at the 2026Absa Cape Epic route, which was launched on the 9th of October, and the 2025 Prince George Monumental 100-Miler. The 692-kilometre-long course is the longest since 2015, when the route last topped the 700-kilometre mark. 15 900metres of climbing across that distance equates to 22.98 metres of climbing per kilometre, which is the least since 2018. It also features the first visit to Montagu, in the Klein Karoo, since 2007. In short, the stages are as follows:

PROLOGUE

• Sunday, 15 March 2026
• Meerendal Wine Estate
• 20km with 650m of climbing

STAGE 1

• Monday, 16 March 2026
• Montagu
• 90km with 2 150m of climbing

STAGE 2

• Tuesday, 17 March 2026
• Montagu
• 102km with 2 250m of climbing

STAGE 3

• Wednesday, 18 March 2026
• Montagu to Greyton
• 134km with 1 750m of climbing

STAGE 4

• Thursday, 19 March 2026
• Greyton
• 84km with 1 950m of climbing

STAGE 5

• Friday, 20 March 2026
• Greyton to Stellenbosch
• 128km with 2 700m of climbing

STAGE 6

• Saturday, 21 March 2026
• Stellenbosch
• 76km with 2 450m of climbing

STAGE 7

• Sunday, 22 March 2026
• Stellenbosch
• 58km with 2 000m of climbing

See where you can pre-ride on the Cape Epic routes byvisiting www.montagutrails.co.za, www.greytonmtb.co.za, and www.stellenboschtrailfund.co.za. To read the full and official route descriptions, as well as more news from thebroader South African endurance sport industry, visit Diverge.info:

• 2026 Cape Epic Route – A return to the Roots

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Last week, the Diverge Podcast was at the Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer, presented by Biogen. We tried to do daily podcasts, but fell off the wagon after Stage 2. So here are the final 3 days all in one long pod. The headline, of course, is that Tristan Nortje and Travis Stedman won the men’s race overall, after winning atop Swartberg Pass on Friday’s Queen Stage. Vera Looser and Samantha Sanders dominated the women’s race, winning all 5 stages and the overall by 42 minutes.

 Stage 3 was a transition stage from Louvain to Oudtshoorn. Traditionally, it had been a longer but less intense stage, thanks to long gravel road sections in the route. In 2025, that was not the case! Dryland took the riders across the Klein Karoo on a course consisting of 85% rocky dual track, with just a few short gravel sections. Arno du Toit punctured and spent the day chasing with Keagan Bontekoning to defend Insect Science’s third position on the general classification. There was further drama in the UCI Women’s race when Steph Wohlters crashed, which later caused her and Sarah Hill to lose time in their battle for second in the overall standings.

Stage 4 was the Swartberg Showdown, the Queen Stage of the Cape Pioneer. Victories for Toyota Imbuko Specialized ChemChamp, and Efficient Infiniti Insure all but guaranteed that they would take home the titles. But there was still action aplenty on the trails, too.

The final stage offered another opportunity for Jaedon Terlouw and Michael Foster to race to stage-winning redemption after their puncture problems on Stages 1 and 4. Behind the leaders on the day, Nortje and Stedman countered the moves of Marc Pritzen and Wessel Botha to take home the 2025 title. While in the UCI Women’s race, Looser and Sanders put the hammer down and stretched their legs, securing a fifth stage win and the overall crown in style.

To read more news from the Race with Soul and beyond in the broader South Africa’s endurance sport industry, visit Diverge.info:

• Honeycomb 226ers Sprint to Stage 3 Victory at the Cape Pioneer
• Victories in Yellow and Pink atop the Swartberg at the Cape Pioneer
• Champions Crowned at the Cape Pioneer Grand Finale

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This week, the Diverge Podcast is at the Momentum MedicalScheme Cape Pioneer, presented by Biogen. Tune in for daily reports and interviews from the race. After losing time with a catastrophic rear wheel puncture on Stage 1, the PYGA Euro Steel Team of Jaedon Terlouw and Michael Foster earned a redemption of sorts by winning Stage 2. In the general classification battle, the Honeycomb 226ers, Marc Pritzen and Wessel Botha, gained back 30 seconds to reduce Toyota Imbuko Specialized ChemChamp’s advantage to 3 minutes and 36 seconds overall. Tristan Nortje and Travis Stedman will wear the yellow First Ascent leaders’ jerseys on Stage 3.

In the UCI Women’s race, Vera Looser and Samantha Sandersnotched up their second stage victory, while Safari Essence Titan Racing and Efficient Infiniti Insure battled it out for second. Bianca Haw and Danielle du Toit gained back 69 seconds on the day, but remain 1 minute and 57 seconds behind Sarah Hill and Steph Wohlters.

To read more news from the Race with Soul and beyond inthe broader South Africa’s endurance sport industry, visit Diverge.info:

• Redemption for PYGA Euro Steel and Efficient Infiniti Double Up at the Cape Pioneer

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This week, the Diverge Podcast is at the Momentum MedicalScheme Cape Pioneer, presented by Biogen. Tune in for daily reports and interviews from the race. In the opening show, we recap a thrilling and challenging Stage 1, which was won by Toyota Imbuko Specialized ChemChamp and Efficient Infiniti Insure. Tristan Nortje and Travis Stedman were thrown together by circumstance, but with three wins and two more podium places between them in September, they were the form pairing coming into the race. Vera Looser and Samantha Sanders started less sure of their fitness, as Sanders had been off the bike for nearly three months with a serious injury. Nonetheless, the African and South African champion pairing was able to dominate the opening day.

 To read more news from the Race with Soul and beyond inthe broader South Africa’s endurance sport industry, visit Diverge.info:

• Nortje and Stedman Draw First Blood in Race with Soul Showdown

Follow Diverge on social media: @diverge.info on Instagram, Diverge on Facebook, @Diverge_info on X, and Diverge on YouTube. And subscribe on Spotify.

In Episode 14 of Season 2, the Diverge Podcast recaps a thrilling fifth edition of the King Price Race to the Sea, discusses the reasons to ride the Glacier Storms River Traverse in 2026, and looks at the Pedal Project’s 2025 Dream Bike raffle prize.

At the Race to the Sea, the men’s race was a closely contested affair with Tavis Stedman launching his sprint 200 metres from the line to outbox Tristan Nortje, having whittled down the final selection from four to three and then just the Toyota Specialized and Imbuko ChemChamp pair. Hayley Preen, meanwhile, had used her superior technical skills to out-descend Catherine Colyn 20 kilometres from the Benguela Cove finish line before soloing to her second Race to the Sea title.

Looking ahead, the Storms River Traverse is always one of our favourite events. It is not particularly racy, but that adds to its charm. If three days of fun in the Tsitsikamma Forests, with a bit of mountain biking thrown in, sounds like your idea of a good time – check it out.

And finally, it’s that time of year again when the Pedal Project stages its Dream Bike raffle. With all the proceeds going to the charity’s Trail Therapy programme for historically disadvantaged young people from Khayelitsha and Nomzamo. For every two R150 raffle tickets sold, the charity can present a child with an hour of trail therapy. The bike in question is a custom-painted painted, by Hasie and the Robots, Titan Racing Cypher DC Carbon Version 2 with FOX suspension, Shimano XTR drivetrain, South Industries carbon wheels, and Lyne Components cockpit and dropper seatpost.

To read more news from South Africa’s endurance sport industry, visit Diverge.info:

• Stedman and Preen Crowned King Price Race to the Sea Champions
• Book Your Spot for Forest Fun at the 2026 Glacier Storms River Traverse
• Enter the Pedal Project Dream Bike Raffle

Follow Diverge on social media: @diverge.info on Instagram, Diverge on Facebook, @Diverge_info on X, and Diverge on YouTube. And subscribe on Spotify.

In Episode 13 of Season 2, the Diverge Podcast reflects on a busy news week. The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon announced the athletes who will be headlining the 2025 edition in October, Imbuko ChemChamp launched a junior team, while Squirt Cycling Products and Titan Racing launched new products, entries to the 2026 36ONE MTB Challenge opened, and we look ahead to the King Price Race to the Sea this Saturday.

Last week, the Cape Town Marathon kick-started the build-up to race day with a press conference focusing on the event’s drive towards becoming Africa’s first Abbott World Marathon Major. Alongside the golden girl of South African distance running, Gerda Steyn, there are several speedy East Africans on the start list, including Ronald Korit, whose personal best is 2 hours, 4 minutes, and 22 seconds. New South African marathon record holder, Elroy Geland, is also set to race in Cape Town on 19 October.  

This week, Squirt Cycling Products released its Squirt Performance Hot Wax, Titan Racing introduced its first full suspension E-MTB, the Volt, and Imbuko ChemChamp launched a junior team. Of the three launches, the Imbuko Junior Racing squad garnered the most interest, understandably, as there appears to be a real issue with progression from school racing to the under-23 category. Hopefully, the mentorship of the senior squad and the support of a team set-up will help the young men and women in the Imbuko Junior team make that step up when the time comes.

The 36ONE MTB Challenge opened entries for its 2026 edition this week, too, with the promise of R36 100 for breaking the course records back on the line. In 2025, Dan Loubser shattered the men’s record by nearly 40 minutes, while Yolande de Villiers took 11 off her record but was unaware that she was close to breaking the 15-hour mark. It will require perfect conditions to challenge Loubser’s mark of 12 hours, 34 minutes, and 57 seconds. Beating De Villiers’ time of 15 hours and 23 seconds will surely see the first woman to go under 15 hours on the 361-kilometre-long circumnavigation of the Klein Karoo basin.

The show concludes, looking ahead to the Race to the Sea, which takes place on Saturday, 6 September. In the absence of Matt Beers, the race is wide open with Tristan Nortje, Marc Pritzen, Arno du Toit, and Dan Loubser arguably the favourites from a stacked men’s field. The women’s race sees 2022 winner and current SA and African gravel champion Hayley Preen up against the defending Race to the Sea title holder, Danielle du Toit, Sarah Hill, and Catherine Colyn.  

To read more about the news covered in this episode, visit Diverge.info:

• The Sanlam Cape Town Marathon Celebrates 50 Days to Race Day with Elite Athlete Announcements
• Introducing Performance Chain Lubrication with Squirt Performance Hot Wax
• Titan Racing Announces the Volt, A Dual-Suspension Alloy E-MTB
• Imbuko Pro Cycling Launches Junior Team to Develop Next Generation of MTB Talent
• Challenge Yourself and The 36ONE Course Records in 2026
• Will Team Tactics or Individual Brilliance Win Out at the King Price Race to the Sea?

Follow Diverge on social media: @diverge.info on Instagram, Diverge on Facebook, @Diverge_info on X, and Diverge on YouTube. And subscribe on Spotify.