For over two decades, the Trans Baviaans has presented ultra-endurance fanatics with one of the most rewarding challenges in South African mountain biking. Traversing the largest wilderness area in South Africa, the Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve and the greater conservation areas of the Kouga and Baviaans Mountain Ranges, the 24-hour race is unique for many reasons. The remoteness of the route from Willowmore to Jeffreys Bay is but one of the many attractions, though this remoteness also brings with it challenges. As a result of the devastating flooding, which wracked the region in May 2026, an alternative route will have to be used for this year’s Trans Baviaans.

“We’d like to reassure riders that the 2026 Trans Baviaans will be going ahead,” race founder Wikus van der Walt confirmed. “There will also be route changes, but the ethos of the Trans Baviaans will remain unchanged.”

“The event was founded as an adventure in 2004, and though the modern world has expanded its reach into wild places over the 22 years since, the Baviaans has remained refreshingly untamed. Though that does bring its own challenges for organising bike races,” Van der Walt acknowledged. “In recent years, extensive work on the road through the Kloof has made the race faster, with the Insect Science team shattering the course record last year on gravel bikes. This year, the floods have undone the road engineers’ work, and we will see a rugged, rough, and very memorable edition of the Trans Baviaans, but no course records will be broken.”

Mother Nature has produced many a surprise during the 21 editions of Trans Baviaans to date. Most recently, freezing rain made the 2022 race particularly memorable. “One edition which stands out for me is the Langsbaviaans of 2011,” Van der Walt recalled. “That year, flooding a week before the race, had us scrambling for an alternative route to the Nature Reserve section through the Baviaanskloof. We decided to take the route to the north east of the Baviaanskloof Mountain range and along the Grootrivier Pass. The route was dubbed the Langsbaviaans by the riders, and it looks like this year will see something similar taking place.”

“We’re still working out the exact details,” Race Director Marelize Rhodes noted. “Water levels are still dropping in the Groot and Kouga Rivers, and work on the roads is ongoing. We have a likely route plotted out, as well as an alternative, and a route we’d love to do if the work progresses faster than expected over the next six weeks.”

“We reccied the traditional route, as far as it was possible to do so, as well as the alternative routes over the weekend, and we’re certain that the 2026 edition will take place on Saturday, 8 August. Changes to the route are virtually inevitable, though, and as a result, the checkpoints will be in new locations. Riders will therefore need to be flexible in their approach to this year’s race and not mentally prepare to have checkpoint boxes at the 93-, 123-, 140-, and 172-kilometre marks. We will, however, ensure that the checkpoints are located in places where riders need them, before and after long climbs or particularly challenging sections of the route, to make it easier to fuel appropriately for those segments,” Rhodes promised.

The 2026 Trans Baviaans route will be published, and GPX navigation files will be sent to 2026 participants to load onto their bike computers at least one week before the event. This route announcement will also include the checkpoint locations and information for supporters detailing where to meet their teams at a new Checkpoint 5 style support zone. “With the road works ongoing, we’re holding off on announcing the route in detail at this point, as it may be possible to avoid some of the changes,” Rhodes stated.

The Kouga Local Municipality has partnered with the Trans Baviaans on a three-year sponsorship agreement and is equally committed to ensuring a successful 2026 edition. “The Trans Baviaans is more than a sporting event; it is a globally recognised showcase of everything that makes Kouga special—our spectacular landscapes, warm hospitality, quality accommodation, unique tourism attractions, and world-class adventure experiences,” Kouga Speaker, Lorraine Maree, said.

“Kouga’s involvement means we are working with local government, local landowners, and local businesses to stage a memorable event,” Rhodes noted. “Trans Baviaans fills Willowmore to capacity and is the small Karoo town’s biggest event of the year. The financial benefit to Willowmore cannot be overstated. Jeffreys Bay is bigger and enjoys more tourism throughout the year, but in the absence of the World Surf League contest at JBay this year, Trans Baviaans provides much-needed bed-and-breakfast as well as hotel bookings at the end of winter when the town is quiet. We are working to ensure that riders and their supporters will maintain their accommodation and restaurant bookings, or book meals and beds if they haven’t yet, because the floods have impacted tourism terribly.”

“I hope Trans Baviaans can kick start a return of visitors to the Baviaanskloof region,” Rhodes concluded.

For regular updates on the road and route conditions leading up to the 2026 Trans Baviaans, which takes place on 8 August, follow @transbaviaans on Instagram or like the Trans Baviaans 24HR MTB Race Facebook page. For more information, visit www.transbaviaans.co.za.

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Starting in Willowmore, the Trans Baviaans traverses the Baviaanskloof, the third largest wilderness area in the country, to finish at Jeffreys Bay. Most of the route takes place on gravel roads, but in the Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve, between kilometres 97 and 160, the surface is notably rougher. This has always discouraged the use of gravel bikes. Yet, after Rossouw Bekker and Matthys Beukes went close in 2024, Du Toit and Bontekoning decided to try their luck on gravel bikes in 2025.

“The big issue with mountain bikes is that you cannot fit a big enough chain ring,” Bontekoning revealed. “You end up spinning out on the gradual descents.” “We felt the difference on our mountain bikes. We had to basically do a 150 cadence at 500 watts to keep up with the Insect Science guys at times,” Tristan Nortje, who raced a mountain bike, noted.

Leaving Willowmore, a large group rolled through the early kilometres together. Then, on the first climb, Erik Heyns and Wayne van der Walt pushed the tempo. “We felt the pace was a bit slow, so we pushed on a bit,” the FuelX rider explained. Bontekoning jumped with them, but Du Toit did not follow.

“Arno [du Toit] not coming with us was a bit of a tactical mistake because he ended up pulling the group behind and working for nearly 50 kilometres,” Bontekoning explained. “I thought the pace Erik [Heyns] and Wayne [van der Walt] were pushing was a bit high. So, I was happy to take a nature break and wait for the chasing group.”

Heyns and Van der Walt pushed on through checkpoints 1 and 2 until they entered the rougher Reserve section. At the 110-kilometre mark, on a climb before Baviaansback, Heyns imploded. The FuelX team’s 3 minute and 30 second advantage quickly evaporated, and the chasing pack of Insect Science, Imbuko ChemChamp, and the mixed Insect Science and Valley Electrical TitanRacing team of Jan Withaar and Herman Fourie surged past. In the Reserve, the climbing began in earnest. With their lighter gears and more comfortable machines, Nortje and Lood Goosen attempted to make their move.

Du Toit and Bontekoning kept the Imbuko ChemChamp team in sight through checkpoint 3, over the Fangs and up the Mother of All Climbs. Nearing the summit, they seized the lead. Within a couple of kilometres, at the Bergplaas checkpoint, 140 kilometres into the race, they had a 40 second lead. This grew by 2 minutes as Nortje and Goosen took their time refilling bottles in the aid station. Popular wisdom suggested that the men on mountain bikes would descend faster, but Insect Science extended their advantage on the Big Dipper descent and on the undulating roads to the Hadleigh checkpoint.

There was a moment of stress for the pair when Du Toit’s saddle rattled loose in its mounting, but they were able to nurse his bike to the 172-kilometre mark. At Hadleigh, they were able to fix it with an Allen key set rather than a multitool. By the time Nortje and Goosen left that checkpoint, they were 7:30 behind Insect Science, with Withaar and Fourie a further 7:30 back.

The remaining 58 kilometres thus became a race against the clock to break the 7 hours and 29 minute mark. “I knew we were riding gravel bikes, but I had to find out on social media about this record-breaking attempt,” Du Toit dug at his teammate on the finish line. “I thought we were going to have a slightly more relaxed approach. It gave the others the opportunity just to sit the wheel early on and force us to make good on that statement. But, we were both really good; neither of us blew at any point, and we were able to keep the speed up over MAC and down this side. It’s a bladdy hard ride on a gravel bike! But it is fast!”

Du Toit and Bontekoning were followed across the line by Nortje and Goosen, 15 minutes and 19 seconds later. Withaar and Fourie finished third, breaking the 8 hour mark by 116 seconds. Rogan Smart and Quintus Vermeulen were fourth, with Victor Olckers and Josua Wagner fifth.

In the women’s race, Hill started as favourite, having won three consecutive editions alongside Theresa Ralph between 2017 and 2019. Utilizing Ralph’s tactic of starting fast to get a good group early, the Complete Cyclists gained valuable time on their rivals. “In hindsight, I think starting so fast wasn’t the best for me,” Brookstone confessed later. “I think I would have been faster later if we didn’t go so hard in the first hour.”

The initial chase to gain time was made harder by a puncture, which cost the leading women their spot in a particularly strong group. “I said before the race that each of us has our strengths and we tried to ride to those today,” Hill stated. “I think we all had our dark moments, but we helped each other through, and that was really the highlight of the race for me.”

The lowlight for Paul came once the sun set and the relentless corrections broke the bracket for her bike light. While trying to hold the light up to ensure it shone on the road ahead, she lost control and crashed. Fortunately, no significant harm was done, and with Brookstone slotting in behind her in the pace line, Paul’s way was better illuminated for the final 15 kilometres.

Crossing the line in 10 hours, 36 minutes, and 23 seconds, they added a fourth Trans Baviaans title to Hill’s palmarès, while Brookstone and Paul won on their debuts through the Baviaanskloof. Alma Colyn and Maureen Jordaan finished second, just under 12 minutes back after a strong ride in increasingly tough conditions. To go with the corrugations, a headwind came up as the sun set, and the final 25 kilometres pitted teams against the wind as well as their exhausted legs. Nicolle Zietsman and Tracey Campbell were third, ahead of Alexandra Reid and Kerri Anderson, and Magan Hanekom and Jana Mart van der Merwe. 

2025 Trans Baviaans Results

Men’s Teams:

1. Insect Science: Arno du Toit & Keagan Bontekoning (7:25:21)
2. Imbuko ChemChamp: Tristan Nortje & Lood Goosen (7:40:40)
3. Jan & Herman: Jan Withaar & Herman Fourie (7:58:04)
4. Knysna Toyota – Bike Shop: Rogan Smart & Quintus Vermeulen (8:14:45)
5. Mentors Country Estate: Victor Olckers & Josua Wagner (8:34:30)

Women’s Teams:

1. The Complete Cyclists: Sarah Hill, Stacey Paul, & Ricci-Lee Brookstone (10:36:23)
2. Adventure Junkies: Alma Colyn & Maureen Jordaan (10:48:18)
3. Aspire LiveFit: Nicolle Zietsman & Tracey Campbell (10:55:18)
4. Shake n Bake: Alexandra Reid & Kerri Anderson (11:14:50)
5. Jana en Magan: Magan Hanekom & Jana Mart van der Merwe (11:18:12)

Mixed Teams:

1. GU Energy SA/Electrical Pro: Rohan Kennedy, Mellusca Toovey, & Tim Toovey (9:49:52)
2. NACTOP: Francois Kemp & Chani Mare (10:06:27)
3. Milkwood Nic Racing: Willem Schoonbee & Adele Jeppe (10:38:16)
4. Team Neetkinson: Charl Neethling, Isaac Wilkinson & Jess Wilkinson (11:02:48)
5. NNo Baggage: Nicus Bothma & Ernelene Jacobs (11:49:03)

To recap on all the action from the 2025 Trans Baviaans, follow @transbaviaans on Instagram or like the Trans Baviaans 24HR MTB Race Facebook page. For more information, visit www.transbaviaans.co.za or click here to view the results.

The post Insect Science Better Their Own Trans Baviaans Field Course Record appeared first on Trans Baviaans.

Herewith some info, last minute need to knows and some tips for the Race and the Repeat weekends coming up!

WATER CRISIS
Willowmore, J-bay and the whole Kouga Region has a major water crisis, please be conscious of this when you are coming to the event. They are soon approaching day Zero and are experiencing water shedding at the moment. Keep the showers short, wash your bike at home and try to do your bit for the area please.
The finish venue at the Fountains Mall in J-Bay won’t have any showers or bike wash facilities.

Office
We are now all out of the office with logistics and won’t be answering to emails and queries. This can now only be resolved at registration on the Friday’s of the respective weekends.

Indemnity Forms
Please go to our website under the Download tab for the Indemnity forms to be downloaded, printed and filled out for easier flow at registration. (Link Below)

Administration 
All subs, changes or entry related admin has now closed and can only be done at registration on the Friday’s

Race Numbers
Your team race numbers will be sent by Wednesday in a separate email.

Road Conditions
The first section of the Baviaanskloof road from Willowmore to Vero’s (CP1) is in great condition with very little corrugations, but from Vero’s to the Eastern Cape Parks Gate will require gum guards. (Rumour has it that a big yellow machine has been transported to the Baviaanskloof?)
The wilderness area will be very much the same as previous years, but with less water. The river crossings are fairly low at the moment, but please be aware of the holes in the concrete bridges!
The M.A.C has those concrete strips and will test your balance and focus to ride up them. The Never Ender has never been in this great shape as now!
The rain predicted might add to the fun railway single track at the end.

Weather
It looks like we need to prepare for a wet Race weekend. The area desperately needs water so we cannot complain about these conditions and rather celebrate the fact that we are bringing water to this region! The wind at the moment is predicted to be West / North West which is exactly what we want for that tailwind!
(We will give an update on weather conditions for the Repeat next week)

Rider Tips

We are fortunate to have a great community of riders that take part in the Trans Baviaans every year, going through loads of effort with their planning and setting up for the race. On the link below you will find a thorough and complete guide to achieve goals of riding Sub 12, 11 or 10 hours, Trans Baviaans 24hr Marathon. Even though this might seem way too fast for some of our riders it is still a very usefull piece of info to look at for your preperation.
Credit: Jack Black from Gravel & Tour

4 KIT COMBINATIONS TO BEAT THE COLD

The Trans Baviaans is widely regarded as the toughest single stage
Mountain Bike Race in the world. Every year hundreds of brave riders
line up to prove their mettle in this one of a kind event.
Whether you’re one of the brave or just want to upgrade your cold
weather kit game, we’ve put together four looks to help you overcome the toughest conditions.

POLAR GRIT-X COMPETITION

Win a POLAR GRIT-X with Trans Baviaans this year! Your race entry will automatically give you an entry into the draw. A race finish will then give yet another entry into the lucky draw. If you follow the link below and fill out the form you will get a third entry into the draw!

T&Cs apply.

Zane Schmahl and Angus Teeton, gave an endurance ride in the Elands River and Baviaanskloof area a bash. Checkout the little video on their ride story to get you in the mood for this weekend! Zane’s comment: My ass still feels those corrugations!

The post Trans Baviaans 24hr MTB Marathon – RACE WEEK appeared first on Trans Baviaans.

Predictably there were those who took the task at hand seriously and raced for category victories, or to set the best possible time. Team of that ilk included the Coopetto Mix squad of Kevin Taljaard and the husband-and-wife combination of Yolande and Henties de Villiers. Yolande de Villiers had finished third overall, alongside Dirk Coetzee the previous weekend and was on course to repeat her mixed category victory too.

Disaster struck for the team after the Big Dipper descent, near the 160-kilometre mark. Henties de Villiers destroyed his rear wheel and was left walking towards Check Point 5, at Komdomo. His wife, meanwhile, rode ahead to collect a spare wheel from their support crew at the check point and returned to her stricken husband. In total the mechanical cost the Coopetto team nearly 90 minutes, but they nonetheless still managed to claim the mixed category title.

Ahead of them the men’s race was won by Team Sparkles. Bruere Kloppers and Dean Hopf crossed the finish line, at the Fountains Mall, in a time of 9 hours, 28 minutes and 36 seconds. Their nearest rivals were the Vital Vet team. The Roaming Goats outfit, of Tina Brenzel and Alma Colyn, were the fastest women’s squad. They reached Jefferys Bay after 11 hours, 48 minutes and 28 seconds of racing.

The real stories of the Repeat were the tales of riding for a good cause or completing the Trans Baviaans against the odds. Marc Van Staden, Wayne Keet, Brendan Keevey and Andrew     Robinson were one of the teams riding for charity. Not content with representing Knysna’s NSRI Station 12 the quartet also rode to raise funds for CHOC. The Childhood Cancer Foundation is an organisation which does exceptional work and anyone inspired by the NSRI Station 12 team’s efforts can visit www.choc.org.za to find out more about the work of the CHOC Foundation.

As with the Race the previous weekend riders were held at Check Point 5, at the 174-kilometre mark, if they failed to pass that point by 17:00. This was to ensure nobody broke the curfew. Some teams took the opportunity to plan ahead and spend the night at Komdomo. Team AB did just that.

André and Amori Blignaut had attempted the Trans Baviaans once before. “I promised André we’d finish a Trans together” Amori said. “But to be honest without the overnight stop I wouldn’t have made it. By the time we reached Check Point 5 I was finished. After a night’s rest though, I was ready to ride again and I’m really happy to have been able to keep my promise to André. I don’t know if I’ll do another Trans Baviaans, but I’m so happy to have finished one.”

“I hope all the Trans Baviaans Race and Repeat riders thoroughly enjoyed their experiences in the Baviaanskloof this year” EcoBound’s Zane Schmahl reflected post-Repeat. “It was by no means and easy year to organise the events, but we felt that for Willowmore, the Baviaanskloof and the riders who had entered for 2020 already that it was essential to do all we could to host the events. I think the camping at Komdomo added a different element to the 2021 events, as did the rolling starts in Willowmore. For the teams who slept over it was a truly memorable experience and one which will make the 2021 Trans Baviaans one for the history books.”

“The Race riders will certainly remember 2021” Schmahl smiled. “Regardless of when they started or if they had to wait out curfew at Check Point 5. The freezing temperatures and frost on the road verges certainly made for captivating photos, if not ideal riding conditions.”

“We’re looking forward now to a more ‘normal’ Trans Baviaans in 2022” Schmahl added. “Entries to next year’s Race and Repeat will open in Month. Riders can bookmark the _ of August so long though, for the Race, and the _ August for the Repeat.”

In the meantime, mountain biking fans can relive the 2021 Trans Baviaans Race and Repeat on the event’s social media handles. Like Trans Baviaans 24HR MTB Race on Facebook and follow @transbaviaans on Instagram for more photos and videos from the events. For more information visit www.transbaviaans.co.za.

The post Trans Baviaans Repeating the Race Success appeared first on Trans Baviaans.

The fastest teams across the course, through the Baviaanskloof, from Willowmore to Jeffreys Bay were the Young Guns, Coopetto/Darvin Trust and Wintergreen-Ciovita Barrier Breakers. Erick Heyns and Wayne van der Walt won the men’s race. Yolande de Villiers and Dirk Coetzee won the mixed category and were third over the finish line to boot. While Elrika Harmzen-Pretorius and Leone Verster were the winning women’s team.

While the non-competitive riders started at the time which suited them best the elite men, women and mixed teams all started together at 08h00. This ensured that there was a chance of pelotons forming and helping the fastest riders knock off the first 105-kilometres to the Baviaanskloof Reserve as quickly as possible. Things transpired a little differently however, as the large groups soon splintered into smaller ones, of just two or three teams.

Right at the front the biggest and longest surviving group was made up by Uncle Fish, the Young Guns, Coopetto/Darvin Trust and the Coppetto. Nico Bell, of Uncle Fish, relentlessly drove the pace for his teammates Gawie Combrinck and Gerrit de Vries. After 70-kilometres the group started to split under the pressure exerted by Bell, with the mixed Coopetto/Darvin Trust and the Coppetto dropping off the pace.

On the Baviaans Back, after 110-kilometres, the Young Guns started to distance Uncle Fish. Heyns and Van der Walt proved on that, the first of the race’s significant climbs, that they were the strongest climbers in the race. Through Check Point 3, at Smitskraal, over the Fangs and up the Mother of All Climbs to Bergplaas the Young Guns slowly extended their lead. The gap never ballooned out however and Bell was always able to pull his teammates back into contention whenever the roads flattened out.

The Young Guns came into Check Point 4, at Bergplaas, with a 3-minute lead. A slower turnabout in the check point handed a minute of their advantage back to the Uncle Fish team. Which Bell, Combrinck and De Vries further whittled down over the next 30-kilometres. By the time the leaders reached the base of Neverender, with 30-kilometres to race, the two teams were back together.

It was only on the Mini MAC, the last significant climb of the race, that the decisive move was made. Heynes recounted how the last 15-kilometres unfolded: “We had seen that Gerrit [de Vries] was struggling a bit more than the rest of us on the climbs. So, we got ourselves to the front of the group after Check Point 7 and went all in on Mini MAC. Once we got a gap we just had to push on as hard as we could. By the time we reached the train track singletrack, 5-kilometres from the finish, I was seeing double. I couldn’t follow Wayne [van der Walt’s] wheel and nearly crashed a couple of times. But somehow, we held it together and stayed ahead of Nico [Bell], Gawie [Combrinck] and Gerrit.”

Heyns and Van der Walt were so exhausted by their efforts that they hardly celebrated upon wining the 2021 Trans Baviaans. A could burst in the last 15 minutes of their race had drenched them to the bone, after having already endured over 8 hours of 2-to-12-degree temperatures. Their winning time was an impressive 8 hours, 21 minutes and 29 seconds. The Uncle Fish team crossed the line just 1 minute and 16 seconds behind the race winners. Coopetto/Darvin Trust rounded out the overall podium places 15 minutes and 13 seconds later.

The remarkable fact of Coopetto/Darvin Trust’s third place overall was that they were also the first mixed team over the finish line at the Fountains Mall, in Jeffreys Bay. Yolande de Villiers once again dominated the mixed race, this time with her new partner Dirk Coetzee. Their victory margin was 1 hour, 15 minutes and 6 seconds over the Cyclopro Aspire LiveFit. Giant/Liv rounded out the mixed category podium.

In the women’s race the Wintergreen-Ciovita Barrier Breakers rode solo through most of the 227-kilometre course to win the 2021 Trans Baviaans title. Harmzen-Pretorius and Verster had a lonely ride, passing lots slower teams who started earlier but unable to find anyone to work with them. “The elite start group splintered pretty early on” Harmzen-Pretorius recounted after crossing the finish line. “We initially didn’t even know where we were in the women’s field. We just had to ride our own race and work together, as the two of us. It was really hard at times! But I’m glad to have had Leone alongside me, she was incredibly strong!”

The Wintergreen-Ciovita Barrier Breakers winning time was 10 hours, 44 minutes and 55 seconds. Adventurers’s Marisa van der Linde and Jodi Zulberg were second and the Untamed Ladies, Anine Koch and Hayley Mcloughlin, were third fastest across the course; despite starting earlier. The third elite women’s team was that of Sarah van Heerden and Elaine Beytell, though their time was nearly an hour slower than Kock and Mcloughlin.

After a near-freezing Race the Trans Baviaans Repeat riders will be heartened to hear that the weather forecast is better for next weekend. Clear skies and a temperature range of 7-to-19-degrees is currently predicted. Along with a light north westerly wind, which should blow the teams from Willowmore down the Baviaanskloof towards Jeffreys Bay.

Mountain biking fans can once again follow the Trans Baviaans on the event’s social media handles. Cell phone reception is limited in the Baviaanskloof so updates will be sporadic through the mid-phases of the Repeat. Tune in by following @transbaviaans, on Instagram, liking the Trans Baviaans 24HR MTB Race Facebook page and following @EcoBoundEvents, on Twitter. Time updates from the Check Points will also be available at www.transbaviaans.co.za/live-event/.

2021 Trans Baviaans Results

Overall:

1. Young Guns: Erick Heyns & Wayne van der Walt (08:21:29)
2. Uncle Fish: Nico Bell, Gawie Combrinck & Gerrit de Vries (08:22:46)
3. Coopetto/Darvin Trust: Yolande de Villiers & Dirk Coetzee (08:36:42)

Mixed:

1. Coopetto/Darvin Trust: Yolande de Villiers & Dirk Coetzee (8:36:42)
2. Cyclopro Aspire LiveFit: Jay Carneiro, Bruce Campbell & Tracey Almirall (9:51:48)
3. Giant/Liv: Fienie & Kobus Barnard (10:13:51)

Women:

1. Wintergreen-Ciovita Barrier Breakers: Elrika Harmzen-Pretorius and Leone Verster (10:44:55)
2. Adventurers: Marisa van der Linde & Jodi Zulberg (12:24:02)
3. Untamed Ladies: Anine Koch & Hayley Mcloughlin (12:52:34)

For the full results from the 2021 Trans Baviaans please click here.

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