Absa’s award-winning #SheUntamed movement continues to redefine what progress looks like for women in mountain biking. What began as an initiative to open doors has evolved into a powerful platform focused on progression, belonging and sustained support – one that ensures that women are not only entering the sport but also continuing to grow and thrive within it.
Paid partnership with Absa
At its heart, Absa #SheUntamed is about more than participation. It’s about shifting the landscape of the sport itself. Through more than two decades of partnership with the Cape Epic, Absa has helped transform one of the world’s toughest mountain-bike races into a platform for progress, where women are both welcomed and empowered to compete, lead and inspire.
This bold commitment to opening doors has grown into a movement that nurtures talent, builds confidence and creates lasting pathways for women in cycling. Because when one rider crosses the finishing line, she carries with her the power to inspire many more to begin the journey.
Backed by more than two decades of partnership between Absa and the Epic Series, and amplified by the global reach of the IRONMAN® Group, the #SheUntamed movement is building on a strong legacy to drive meaningful and lasting change. Because for Absa, true transformation doesn’t end at the finishing line. It redefines it.
Since its inception, the Absa #SheUntamed initiative has aimed to change the participant profile of the Absa Cape Epic by supporting women who may otherwise never have imagined themselves on a starting line of the world’s most gruelling mountain-bike stage race. What was once a pathway into the event has become something much deeper: a network of opportunity, mentorship and belief that carries this sisterhood from their first pedal strokes all the way to the finishing line.
Today, Absa #SheUntamed stands as proof that representation and support matter. It’s no longer just about participation. It’s about progression. This year’s story reflects that evolution.
A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH
For many Absa #SheUntamed riders, the journey began with a simple question: Could I do this? What started as tentative first rides through the Epic Trippers Programme or events across the racing calendar – often just to test their limits – has since evolved into something far greater.
Today, most of these riders have conquered the Absa Cape Epic or are preparing to take on the challenge for the first time, while some return for unfinished business with a hunger for redemption. Their journeys reflect the true power of the movement, which doesn’t simply open doors, but builds a lasting pathway for women to grow, compete and belong – from gravel roads to technical singletracks. From boardrooms and classrooms to the saddle and great outdoors, their stories embody the spirit of the Absa Cape Epic, the race that measures all.
“#SheUntamed changes lives. One invite to ride led to more opportunities, thrills and joy than I can convey on a single page. Through this initiative, I’ve made lifelong friends – women who have my back, who are always up for adventure and who show me nothing but love and support. Although only eight teams are lining up for this year’s Absa Cape Epic, there are hundreds of us backing them! #SheUntamed will always matter.” – Simone Sharpe, finisher, 2025 Absa Cape Epic
“It started as an initiative to empower women of colour to ride a bike. It has since developed into a family of all-women riders who can ride a bike.” – Hannele Steyn, finisher of all 21 editions of the Absa Cape Epic
PAVING THE WAY FOR THOSE TO FOLLOW
The success of every #SheUntamed group helps to redefine what’s possible for the next group of riders coming through the programme. This year, four new Absa #SheUntamed team members and two team members with unfinished business, line up with the same goal: to conquer the race that measures and, sometimes, conquers all – the Absa Cape Epic.
While they share the same starting line, their journeys and stories to get there could not be more different. Some come from established cycling backgrounds, while others discovered mountain biking later in life. Some balance careers and family responsibilities, while others are still navigating their place within the sport. Yet, the common thread is opportunity and the belief that with the right support, the impossible becomes possible.
This is where the true strength of Absa #SheUntamed lies. It recognises that there’s no single pathway into mountain biking, and certainly no single type of rider capable of completing the Absa Cape Epic. Instead, the programme creates a platform where ambition, opportunity and resilience intersect.
THIS YEAR’S STORIES
For all the women who stepped into the Absa #SheUntamed programme in 2026, regardless of whether they’re a lioness or lion cub, the Absa Cape Epic represents both a challenge and a transformation. Over months and even years of training, preparation and mentorship, they’re building not only physical strength but also confidence and community.
Their stories are still unfolding.
“Just weeks ago, I lost my life partner, Dr Mark Oliver, in a tragic cycling accident. Mark was my adventure partner – the one who shared the climbs, the laughter, the stories from the saddle and the endless love for the outdoors. Losing him has been the hardest challenge of all. And yet, somehow, riding my bike still feels like one of the places I can feel closest to him. The trails hold so many memories of our adventures together. Now, as the starting line approaches, the nerves are real.”
Michelle Daglish, an avid mountain biker from Johannesburg, who is taking on her first Absa Cape Epic. Michelle shares her journey with us here.
“My story holds significance for me because it’s not just about race numbers. It’s about the sisterhood and cycling community that’s growing. It’s about the lessons, courage and determination of those around us and those little chats before they pass or I pass. It’s about representing Namibia as a rider and expressing my gratitude for Absa’s unwavering support.”
Jackie Shipena hails from Namibia – this will be her first Absa Cape Epic. Jackie shares her journey with us here.
“Through #SheUntamed, this opportunity became possible. Their mission aligns so closely with what Trail Angels stands for: empowering women to step into challenges that once felt impossible to overcome and equipping them with the tools, skills and confidence to get there. By supporting our entry, #SheUntamed is not just sending two riders to the Absa Cape Epic. They’re helping us tell a story that can inspire other women to believe that reaching these starting lines are possible for them too. Because the truth is: I didn’t get here alone. I got here because of a community that believed in me, often before I fully believed in myself.”
Lena Ronge, a qualified MTB skills instructor from Cape Town, is ready for her first Absa Cape Epic. Lena shares her journey with us here.
“I am privileged to work for Absa, a company that backs sporting ambition the same way it backs leadership capability. In 2019 my line manager, Ewald Kellerman – one of those super-humans – introduced me to the #SheUntamed programme. I joined the #SheUntamed Trippers programme for four years. Every year I walked away richer. I’ve learned so much from these women, both on and off the bike. I was drawn into a sisterhood of women who celebrate and develop one another – a community that invests deeply in lifting each other up.” Esmari Goosen, Absa Employee and Newbie at the 2026 Absa Cape Epic. Esmari shares her journey with us here.
“Sisterhood is what SheUntamed is all about. During the training camp in Karkloof in 2025, I had a life-changing experience. What I thought was simply a tough day on the climbs, struggling to acclimatise and not being kind to myself, turned out to be far more serious. I felt nauseous and dizzy, and thankfully, I listened to my body and stopped riding. When I got to the hospital, I was shocked to be told I was having a mild heart attack. I felt fine just moments before and was ready to get back on the bike. I ended up in the Cardiac ICU for three days.” Monene Moumakoe, a lecturer from Pretoria, lines up for the second time, more determined and prepared to earn her first finisher’s medal. Monene shares her journey with us here.
Alongside the individual journeys sits another powerful voice within the programme, that of Remofilwe Moeketsi. Finisher of three Absa Cape Epics, she says, “For as long as there’s still such a gender and racial imbalance at the starting line of the Absa Cape Epic, #SheUntamed must matter and always will. As a mother, I get that now more than ever.”
Remofilwe’s perspective reinforces the wider mission of the Absa #SheUntamed movement: to ensure that women from different backgrounds and walks of life see mountain biking not as an inaccessible space, but as one where they belong. Because when life pushes, women push harder.
In 2026, the significance of Absa #SheUntamed is measured not in medals or race results, but in the journeys that defy expectation and rewrite possibility. Its true power lies in the stories being forged along the way – stories of women discovering strength they never knew they possessed, claiming space where they were once told they don’t belong and building communities that uplift and endure. Every pedal stroke, every climb, every finishing line crossed is more than a personal victory. It’s a statement, a reclaiming of what was previously out of reach and a triumph that echoes far beyond the trails.
The Absa Cape Epic has always been defined by extraordinary challenges and unforgettable journeys. Through Absa #SheUntamed, more women and girls are now able to experience both. One starting line. Infinite journeys. A legacy of women owning the race, the trail and the future.
Paid partnership with Absa
