The final stage of the 2026 FNB Wines2Whales Chardonnay brought the curtain down on the first event of the FNB Wines2Whales trilogy, taking riders from Oak Valley Estate Race Village to the shores of Hermanus and the finish line at Benguela Cove.
Despite windy conditions greeting riders on the start line, excitement was high throughout the race village. After three days of racing, just 29.6 seconds separated the leading Elite Women teams in the battle for the CIOVITA orange leader jerseys.
The 63-kilometre stage featured 1 100 metres of climbing and a route profile perfectly suited to a dramatic conclusion. Fast early kilometres gave way to the iconic Katpas descent before a sting in the tail through the climbs and technical trails above Bot River and Karwyderskraal.
With everything still to play for, Samantha Sanders and Alexis Skarda wasted little time taking the race to their rivals. The Efficient Infiniti Scott Shimano pairing immediately went on the offensive, with Torpado Kenda FSA matching their pace while Efficient Infiniti Insure settled into a strong chase.
As the race climbed towards Houw Hoek, Katazina Sosna-Pinelė was forced to dig deep to maintain contact with the leaders, while Sarah Mare and Lilian Baber lost touch with the front group but continued another strong and consistent ride.
The race looked poised to swing in favour of Efficient Infiniti Scott Shimano until an untimely mechanical brought the leading battle back to life. At the foot of Katpas, Giorgia Marchet was forced to stop after a stick lodged itself in her derailleur. The delay briefly opened a gap, but the race was thrown wide open once again when Sanders and Skarda made their second navigational error of the weekend near Beaumont Wines.
By the time the teams reached Water Point 2 at Genevieve MCC, the leading pairs had reunited and the battle for the Chardonnay title was back on.
For much of the morning neither team was willing to give an inch. It was only on the climb alongside Karwyderskraal Road, around the 46-kilometre mark, that Efficient Infiniti Scott Shimano finally managed to break clear. This time the elastic snapped.
Over the remaining kilometres to Benguela Cove, Sanders and Skarda steadily extended their advantage, crossing the line more than a minute clear to secure the stage victory and with it the 2026 FNB Wines2Whales Elite Women’s title.
Behind them, Torpado Kenda FSA held on for second overall, while Mare and Baber completed another composed ride to secure third on both the stage and general classification.
As riders rolled into Benguela Cove, the celebrations began. Nearly 1 200 riders completed their journey from Lourensford Wine Estate to the coast after three unforgettable days of trails, teamwork, adventure and gees.
Friends and family packed the finish line, stories flowed as freely as the celebrations, and the famous FNB Wines2Whales atmosphere was on full display. After all, there is a reason it’s known as the Race with GEES!
The 2026 Chardonnay race delivered better-than-ever women’s racing, unforgettable trail experiences and a fitting start to the FNB Wines2Whales trilogy. Attention now turns to the Pinotage race, where E-Bike and mountain bike riders are set to light up the trails. With the Race with GEES rolling on, another exciting chapter awaits.
VIEW RESULTS: https://www.epic-series.com/races/wines2whales/results
Source: Epic Series Media
