Mother Nature is full of surprises, but mountain bikers are resilient too. The flooding that ravaged the Baviaanskloof region in May has affected but not prevented the 2026 edition of the Trans Baviaans from taking place. For just the second time in the race’s 22-year history, the route will be diverted to the Langs Baviaans course through the Grootrivier Pass. Saturday, 8 August, will see a unique race unfold, one where Trans Baviaans experience counts for less, though the class of the traditional course record holders, the Insect Science squad, and the women’s defending champions, team Grl Gngggg, still puts them atop the favourites list.
Despite the changes, the route from Willowmore to Jeffreys Bay remains 230 kilometres long. It now features 2 500 metres of ascent and 3 200 meters of descending, which makes it slightly easier than the traditional route – on paper at least. In reality, washed-out roads, muddy stretches, and deep erosion channels on the Father of All Climbs will challenge the statistics. An 08:00 start, rather than the leisurely 10:00 beginning, will also contribute to the change in experience.
“The Langs Baviaans of 2011 has become a mythical event within the history of the Trans Baviaans,” Race Director Marelize Rhodes stated. “Dane Walsh, who has ridden every edition of the Trans Baviaans, wrote a brilliant piece about that year on his Velo Tales blog. That story is definitely worth a read for anyone wanting to know what to expect this year.”
“There are a few key points riders need to be aware of this year,” Rhodes cautioned. “The route will be marked at all intersections, and there will be warnings ahead of potentially dangerous segments too, but riders will nonetheless need to have the course loaded to a GPS cycle computer or watch. The 2-minute rule, which stipulates that teammates must remain within 2 minutes of each other, will also be strictly enforced to ensure that no individual is without the assistance of a teammate on the route.”
“The descent to the Grootrivier crossing (after 138 kilometres) is long, steep, and has sheer drop-offs on the outside of tight corners,” Rhodes continued. “Riders need to be very careful on that descent!”
“The Grootrivier crossing (at the 143-kilometre mark) is ridable, but we recommend dismounting and walking across rather. There will be crew on hand to assist you there, and the Squirt Cycling Products team will provide a complimentary chain lube after the crossing. A temporary pallet bridge will help you avoid the deepest section, and because of that you’re unlikely to get wetter than you would on any normal year crossing the Langwater.”
“If you’ve downloaded the GPX file already, you’ll have noticed that the Father of All Climbs is a real slog! It climbs 700 meters in 17 kilometres and the first 2.5 kilometres average nearly 12%. In that steep section there are deep dongas, which are easily avoided on a mountain bike. But they are worth mentioning to riders who expect to be climbing in the dark. At the summit, Checkpoint 4 (Toring at 161 kilometres) awaits. A midnight cut-off will be imposed here, and all teams must leave the checkpoint before midnight to continue the race.”
“The descent from Toring to the R331 Patensie road is also long and steep. There are exposed rocks in several places, and the turn onto the tar road (at the 177-kilometre mark) should be taken with extreme caution. Shortly thereafter you will enter Checkpoint 5, at Mimosa, after 180 kilometres of truly remote riding to meet your support vehicle.”
“The final 50 kilometres also include a few issues to be wary of, including a road crossing towards Checkpoint 7,” Rhodes noted. “The culvert under the R330 has been washed away, so you will be guided across the road there, before entering the final checkpoint for one of Zuurbron’s legendary jaffles. From there the descent to Mini Mac is very rough, so please take care! You’ll be exhausted by then, and your reflexes won’t be as sharp as they were earlier in the race. The Mooidraai causeway, at the foot of Mini Mac, has been washed away. There are treacherously deep holes, and it is impossible to ride through it. Please dismount and portage the crossing.”
“Mini Mac itself is littered with loose rocks, but there’s a ridable line up the right through the middle section of the climb, where it’s at its steepest,” Rhodes concluded.
“I checked out the new route, and I think it’s going to be tough,” defending champion Keagan Bontekoning acknowledged. “There is less descending the first 100 kilometres, and then the Father of all Climbs seems like it’s going to be rough. We are definitely going to have to look after our bodies for the second half because Never Ender is brutal after being on the bike all day. Nevertheless, we do Trans Baviaans for the challenge, and I’m excited for the different experience this year!”
Bontekoning will be lining up alongside debutant Wessel Botha, for Insect Science, after Arno du Toit failed to recover from wrist surgery in time for the 2026 Trans Baviaans. Sarah Maré anchors the women’s defending champions as she seeks to add to her four titles. This year she will be partnered once again by Stacey Wagner [née Paul] and Ricci-lee Brookstone, with Sasha Basson joining the Grl Gngggg team as a fourth member. They will face stiff competition from Maré’s former teammate and Trans Baviaans mentor, Theresa Ralph.
Ralph’s Awesome Foursome squad has formidable firepower, especially for the rolling roads between Willowmore and the descent to the Grootrivier crossing. Nicolle Weir, Jenny Rönngren, and Janine Muller will line up alongside Ralph, and this team has Marénervous but excited… “It’s Millennials vs Gen X,” she joked.
“I’m excited! But firstly, I think we need to say a huge thank you to the entire Trans Baviaans team for creating a route that still allows us to ride our bikes from Willowmore to Jeffrey’s Bay,” Maré praised. “It was very touch-and-go after the floods, but I believe this new route will give us a whole new perspective on how incredible a 230-kilometre journey can be.”
“Though this will be my fifth Trans Baviaans, it feels like I am doing it again for the very first time!” Maré continued. “I’m both excited and nervous about the unknown… The Langs Baviaans route takes on the other side of the mountain range. And I have more questions than answers about the landscape the route will now take us through. My three girlfriends and I are here for the adventure and the new challenges this route brings. What a pleasure it will be to be on the start line with my closest friends.”
To see if Maré’s Grl Gngggg or Ralph’s Awesome Foursome can secure a historic Langs Baviaans Trans Baviaans title, and if Insect Science can secure a third consecutive victory, mountain biking fans can follow @transbaviaans on Instagram or like the Trans Baviaans 24HR MTB Race Facebook page on race day. The action gets underway from Willowmore at 08:00 on Saturday, 8 August. For more information, visit www.transbaviaans.co.za.
