Stage 2 of the 2026 FNB Wines2Whales Chardonnay delivered exactly what riders have come to expect from the legendary Oak Valley Play Day: world-class singletrack, big smiles and plenty of GEES.
The 64-kilometre stage featured iconic trails such as Sounds of Silence, Vissie’s Magic, Rietvlei Magic and the all-new PC Play Park, showcasing some of the very best riding the Elgin Valley has to offer.
At the sharp end of the Elite Women’s race, however, it was all business. After two days of closely matched racing, Alexis Skarda once again set a fierce tempo for Efficient Infiniti Scott Shimano as the battle for the CIOVITA orange leader jerseys intensified. The relentless pace quickly reduced the lead group to the four leading teams on General Classification. As the race approached Vissie’s Magic, the pressure began to tell. Costanza Fasolis was the first rider to lose contact, while Sarah Mare and Lilian Baber continued another strong ride for Efficient Infiniti Insure.
Sensing an opportunity, Skarda launched an attack shortly before Vissie’s Magic. The move stretched the race and allowed Samantha Sanders to bridge across, creating separation from Katazina Sosna-Pinelė and Giorgia Marchet. Once Efficient Infiniti Scott Shimano had daylight on the climbs after Vissie’s Magic, the gap steadily grew. By the time they reached the new PC Play Park at 46 kilometres, their advantage had stretched to two minutes.
Meanwhile, Mare and Baber continued to ride strongly in third place as they looked to overhaul e-Fort in the battle for the final general classification podium position.
Further back, Marathon World Champion Anna Weinbeer and Greete Steinburg enjoyed their strongest ride of the race so far, with Steinburg finding better rhythm as the event progressed.
What looked like a comfortable stage win for Sanders and Skarda nearly unravelled with just eight kilometres to go. Racing at full speed on a descent, Sanders and Skarda overshot a turn and were forced to climb back up to the route as the chasing teams rapidly closed the gap.
With Torpado Kenda FSA suddenly back within striking distance, Sanders and Skarda dug deep over the final kilometres to salvage as much of their hard-earned advantage as possible. In the end, 29 seconds was all they could retain, but it was enough to take control of the CIOVITA orange leader jerseys heading into the final stage.
For Torpado Kenda FSA, second place ensured the race remains very much alive. Sosna-Pinelė and Marchet surrendered the overall lead but remain within striking distance heading to Benguela Cove. Mare and Baber had even more reason to celebrate. Their third-place finish elevated Efficient Infiniti Insure into third on General Classification, giving them a valuable advantage over e-Fort heading into the finale.
Back in the Oak Valley Race Village, the GEES was once again in full flow. Riders shared stories from the trails, debated line choices, and settled in to enjoy another memorable afternoon of FNB Wines2Whales festivities.
On Sunday, the 2026 FNB Wines2Whales Chardonnay heads from Oak Valley Estate to Benguela Cove. Over 62 kilometres and 1 110 metres of climbing, riders will descend Katpas, traverse the trails above Bot River and race towards the coastline finishing at Benguela Cove.
With just 29.6 seconds separating the top two teams and the battle for third equally close, the stage is perfectly set for a spectacular finale to the 2026 Chardonnay race.
VIEW RESULTS: https://www.epic-series.com/races/wines2whales/results
Source: Epic Series Media
