Latest news with #KAPsani2c
The Citizen
18-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Centurion cyclist rides again after heart transplant
Billy Macleod (56), a cyclist from The Reeds in Centurion, recently participated in the KAP sani2c mountain bike stage race from May 8 to 10. The event covered 265km over three days from the Southern Drakensberg to Scottburgh on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast. The race held profound significance for Macleod as it marked his second year after a heart transplant. 'This race meant a lot to me. It was a chance to show that life after a transplant is amazing.' He said that last year?s experience was incredible, and now, two years post-transplant, he is tackling a challenge many believed impossible. Macleod rode alongside 20-year-old Pedro Basson, who, like him, is also a heart transplant recipient. He shared that their team became a powerful symbol of unity, and determination. 'Pedro's presence made the race even more meaningful,' he said. 'Being able to ride with another heart transplant recipient, especially someone as young as Pedro, was emotional.' Macleod said Basson's energy and determination helped keep him going through the most gruelling parts of the race. 'He's young; it was his first time, but he showed incredible strength.' Macleod explained how preparing for the event wasn't just physical. He described how he had to train through the gym, focusing on long rides and time in the saddle while also keeping his mind sharp. 'We wanted to be the first team of heart recipients to complete this challenge. Our goals were simple: go slow, stay safe, avoid trouble, stay hydrated, stay fed, and stay on the bike.' Despite his decades of experience, Macleod admitted that the journey wasn't easy. He said one of his biggest concerns about the race was crashing. 'I had to remember that I have a new organ and needed to be careful and grateful. Every day is a gift from my donor.' Macleod's journey began in Carletonville, where he grew up before joining the military and eventually settling in The Reeds, Centurion. He began cycling at the age of 20 after serving in the military and participated in major events for over three decades. 'My achievements included completing ten Ironmans and racing in the prestigious Epic races in 2012, 2013, and 2014.' However, everything changed in 2014 when he discovered he had heart disease. He recounted the devastating moment when a doctor recommended a pacemaker due to his low heart rate, leading to a series of health challenges that forced him to pause his passion for cycling for six years. He felt he had lost a crucial part of his identity. 'I didn't want to believe it at first, but I eventually got the pacemaker in 2015, and for two years it worked well, and I was back on the bike,' he said. That return was short-lived. In 2017, Macleod began experiencing blackouts. 'Doctors thought I had a brain tumour. I had to turn off the pacemaker for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and they installed an ICD [a device that shocks the heart back into rhythm]. He said his battle with heart disease was marked by numerous hospital visits. He described the experience as incredibly isolating. 'My wife and daughter stood by me, but I felt so alone sometimes. People say they support you, but unless they're really in it with you, they don't understand.' Macleod faced dark times filled with depression and a feeling of burdening his family. Yet, amidst this struggle, he found hope and made peace with his situation. 'In July 2022, I made peace with the idea that I might not see Christmas.' Then everything changed. In September 2022, Macleod received a new heart. And with it, a new life. 'I woke up three hours after surgery, talking to my doctors. Most patients go into a coma or need ventilators, but I was alert. It felt like a miracle.' The former cyclist then achieved his first ride on January 5, 2023, and set his sights on participating in the World Transplant Games, where he qualified for the South African team. He also opened a business at the Red Barn to promote organ donation, sharing his story to inspire others. 'I'm proud to represent people like me and to show that we're still capable of amazing things.' Macleod said his story isn't about racing or medals. 'I want people to know there's hope. Life can be tough, but there's always something good. Gratitude is everything. Waking up and taking a breath is already a success.' He added he's met many people in dark places who just needed a little encouragement. 'Don't give up. There's always a positive side. Look for someone who gives you hope. And be that person for someone else, if you can.' ALSO READ: Pairing of paint and wine adds a splash of joy to Mother's Day Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
17-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
IN PICTURES: KAP sani2c Adventure and ‘OG'
IN PICTURES: KAP sani2c Adventure and 'OG' The KAP sani2c Adventure and 'OG' - two versions of the 21st edition of the KAP sani2c - took place last week, with about 1 000 riders per event riding 270 kms over three days. A competitor gestures while riding through a sunflower field. Over the three days, riders are also taken throug indigenous forest, farmlands, tribal lands and nature reserve. The race takes place from Glencairn farm near Underberg down to Scottburgh on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal. Pictures by Devin Paisley and Anthony Grote Heading out on stage one from near the base of the Sani Pass, the 'OG' KAP sani2c sees the UCI 'pro' riders following a Ford vehicle through a neutral zone before the racing begins. Crossing the PG Bison Floating Bridge across the Mossbank Dam near Pevensey. From Pevensey the route winds through the Donnybrook area to Mackenzie Club in Creighton, near Ixopo, where 'Farmer Glen' Haw, the founder of the event, greets riders – along with the Lynford School learners who hand out chocolate milks and other refreshments. Lynford School was the original beneficiary that the race was started to fund, and over 20 years later there are over 23 beneficiary schools and community organisations. Most riders behind them are out to enjoy a challenging ride and not race through the beautiful scenery, passing through midlands dairy farms and forestry plantations. Riders are encouraged along the way by many community members, especially excited children. The iconic cabbage tree seen during the famous descent into the Umkomaas Valley known as the 'Umko Drop'. This descent and its spectacular views, are two of the big reasons KAP sani2c is on most mountain bikers' bucket lists. Much of the route is singletrack. Stoked! At the start of stage 2, ahead of the 'Umko Drop'. After the 'Umko Drop' riders face the Unitrans Iconic Climb, using a water station and refuel stop before the challenge. Nature's bounty greets at every turn through a mountain biking singletrack heaven. Lifeguards on duty at Scottburgh beach greet tired riders, who, after crossing the Hansgrohe floating bridge across the lagoon onto the beach, have just a kilometre or two to go to the Scottburgh Golf Club finish line. That finish line feeling. After a final push up the fairway, a rider reacts enjoying the sea views, ready for a chocolate milk and a burger. MORE PICTURES: ABSA Cape Epic a true endurance test and Is the Cape Town Cycle Tour the world's most beautiful race?
The South African
09-05-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Imbuko ChemChamp and Safari Essence Titan Racing take Stage 1 wins at sani2c
Imbuko ChemChamp 'A' team's Tristan Nortje and Marco Joubert showed why they podiumed at the Cape Epic, stamping their authority on Stage 1 of the KAP sani2c 'OG' in a time of 02:59:46. Bianca Haw and Danielle Du Toit had another strong day for Safari Essence Titan Racing, finishing in 03:42:59 and extending their overall lead to just over four minutes. The 'OG' riders left Glencairn on Thursday morning to race 89km to Mackenzie Club in Creighton, near Ixopo. KAP sani2c is now a Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Category 2 marathon stage race, attracting a much larger elite field this year. Imbuko ChemChamp 'A' finished about a minute and a half clear at the line. Insect Science Cycling's Keagan Bontekoning and Arno Du Toit (03:01:26) rode consistently to maintain pressure, resulting in PYGA Euro Steel slowing in the final 15km. Despite a surge from Marc Pritzen and Wessel Botha (Team Honeycomb 226ers), who took third (03:02:28), Insect Science secured second place on the stage and climbed to second overall on GC. PYGA Euro Steel placed fourth in a time of 03:02:47. Marco Joubert was really happy with how they rode: 'We made it tough for ourselves and everyone else. From about 12km in, we pushed hard wherever the course allowed and got a gap. Riding in a group at high speed is always easier, but Tristan and I work well together, so we kept the pressure on, and the gap grew.' Tristan Nortje said their goal was to make the race hard from the start: 'We knew it would be a three-hour day, not a 40-minute prologue. We pushed hard from the first singletrack and the teams split up – one rider with us and their partner behind – so we just kept the pressure on, hoping the elastic would snap. The pace was so high that even gaining 20 to 30 seconds was difficult. But we knew that after two hours, things would crack. It ended up being mostly just us, riding at 30km/h. It wasn't easy, but it worked.' Bontekoning said: 'When we hit the first singletrack at 13km, I was just behind Michael. Like yesterday, he couldn't hold the front group, which opened a gap. That meant Wessel and I were behind and had to work hard to close it. We rode with PYGA Euro Steel for most of the day. Specialized came back at points, but dropped off again. With about 15km to go, Phil seemed to be struggling, so I just kept the pace up. We were able to gain a bit, and I'm happy with second today. It was a hard day with a lot of gap closing, but I feel fresh and ready for tomorrow.' PYGA Euro Steel was disappointed to lose their podium spot. Philip Buys said: 'I suffered today, made a mistake and ended in a rut – just when Imbuko ChemChamp attacked. From there, I was on the limit and spent a lot of energy getting back to them. I paid for that effort in the last 15km.' Michael Foster added: 'We're obviously a bit disappointed that we couldn't hold onto the yellow jersey. Marco and Tristan set a really hard pace on the climb just after the Pevensey Road. We tried to chase, but it took too much effort to both bridge and stay there. Philip was struggling, so we stayed with Insect Science, but they got ahead after the second water point and the pace was too much. Marc and Wessel caught us on the final descent. We're still motivated to go hard tomorrow – there's a lot of time that can be gained on one good day.' Wessel Botha says it was not a perfect day: 'We had to chase back after a big crash and a couple of wrong turns. But we kept fighting and made up time from fifth to third. There's still a gap, but it's not over. We'll keep pushing over the next two days.' Marc Pritzen said: 'The crash and wrong turns didn't help, but to come back and grab third – it's not a bad day. The last 20km were key, and Wessel was super strong pulling on the flats and drags. That helped us catch up when we started seeing the guys in front. The longer, harder stages are still to come, and we're looking forward to making a move. Mountain biking is never over until it's over.' The race is far from decided, with two more days of tight racing still to come. Danielle Du Toit and Bianca Haw had a strong day to claim the first stage and extend their lead. Image: Maryann Shaw It was another strong, focused day for Safari Essence Titan Racing's Bianca Haw and Danielle Du Toit, who finished in 03:42:59. They now hold a four-minute overall lead – a tough gap for second-placed Efficient Infiniti Racing (03:45:42) to close, but in stage racing, anything can happen. The Toyota Fortress team of Ila Stow and Cherise Willeit lost time due to a wrong turn, but were determined to hold onto third place, pushing hard to make up ground. They crossed the line in 03:53:56. Sonica Klopper and Tania Bugarin Ortiz (Tshenolo Pro Cycling Team) were pleased to retain fourth (03:59:08), and Roxanne Kemp and Janice Fourie (EPT Racing) stayed in the top five with a time of 04:06:28. Danielle Du Toit said: 'We had no strategy going in. At one point Bianca took the front and was clearly putting in a big effort. When we looked back and saw a gap, we knew we had to commit and go for it. It's tough to hold back on such a fast day. I just trusted Bianca and kept momentum in every pedal stroke. She even gave me a push at one stage – she's incredibly strong.' Bianca Haw said: 'The plan was to see how things unfolded. I ended up on the front, slowed the pace, but then noticed Sam and Sarah and realised we had to go. Once you're out of sight, it becomes real – it was motivating, especially catching some of the UCI guys.' Sarah Hill said: 'Just after 75km, I started cramping badly. There's not much you can do when that happens, and Sam was amazing. She slowed down and paced me home.' Samantha Sanders said: 'We raced well and tried to keep the tempo high from the start to shake up the bunch. We worked hard to open gaps, but couldn't drop Bianca and Danielle. It wasn't for lack of trying. Tomorrow's another day – we'll go again.' Ila Stow said: 'We took a wrong turn near Water Point 2 and lost about three minutes, but we regrouped and stayed focused. The route was long and tough, always pushing, even on the flats, but Cherise kept us steady all day. We tried to stay with Bianca and the Efficient team as long as we could, but they were just too strong.' Cherise Willeit said: 'That wrong turn was frustrating – we climbed the hill in the wrong direction and had to backtrack. It could've been worse, but Ila stayed calm and helped us look on the bright side.' Tania Bugarin Ortiz said: 'My partner Sonica was so strong today – I couldn't stay on her wheel and she had to slow down for me, so I'm very happy we kept fourth place. It was a fast, hard race, and I loved it.' The 86km Queen Stage on Friday descends into the Umkomaas Valley and climbs the Unitrans Iconic Climb, finishing at the Kings Harvest Academy after 1 896m of climbing. Riders overnight at Jolivet Farm. KAP sani2c Adventure: 7-9 May KAP sani2c 'OG': 8-10 May, with Prologue 7 May for UCI registered riders. Imbuko ChemChamp A (Tristan Nortje / Marco Joubert) – 02:59:46 Insect Science Cycling (Keagan Bontekoning / Arno Du Toit) – 03:01:26 Team Honeycomb 226ers (Marc Pritzen / Wessel Botha) – 03:02:28 PYGA Euro Steel (Michael Foster / Philip Buys) – 03:02:47 Toyota Specialized (Travis Stedman / Johan Van Zyl) – 03:03:42 Safari Essence Titan Racing (Bianca Haw / Danielle Du Toit) – 03:42:59 Efficient Infiniti Racing (Samantha Sanders / Sarah Hill) – 03:45:42 Toyota Fortress (Ila Stow / Cherise Willeit) – 03:53:56 Tshenolo Pro Cycling Team 1 (Sonica Klopper / Tania Bugarin Ortiz) – 03:59:08 TEAM EPT RACING (Roxanne Kemp / Janice Fourie) – 04:06:28 1. Imbuko ChemChamp A (Tristan Nortje / Marco Joubert) – 03:41:04 2. Insect Science Cycling (Keagan Bontekoning / Arno Du Toit) – 03:43:05 3. Team Honeycomb 226ers (Marc Pritzen / Wessel Botha) – 03:43:44 4. PYGA Euro Steel (Philip Buys / Michael Foster) – 03:44:01 5. Toyota Specialized (Travis Stedman / Johan Van Zyl) – 03:45:33 1. Safari Essence Titan Racing (Bianca Haw / Danielle Du Toit) – 04:36:22 2. Efficient Infiniti Racing (Samantha Sanders / Sarah Hill) – 04:40:32 3. Toyota Fortress (Ila Stow / Cherise Willeit) – 04:48:58 4. Tshenolo Pro Cycling Team 1 (Sonica Klopper / Tania Bugarin Ortiz) – 04:54:14 5. TEAM EPT RACING (Janice Fourie / Roxanne Kemp) – 05:03:34 Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
08-05-2025
- Health
- IOL News
Heart transplant duo takes on sani2c
Together, Billy Macleod, 56, and Pedro Basson, 20, will prove that with heart - literally and figuratively - no mountain is too high to climb. HISTORY will be made at this year's KAP sani2c MTB Challenge as two heart transplant recipients join hundreds of cyclists in one of South Africa's most iconic stage races. Heart transplant recipients, Billy Macleod and Pedro Basson will be racing in the KAPsani2c next week. They will become the first transplant duo in the world to do so. The two form part of the four-member group called Team Change of Heart. Together with their experienced cycling partners Steph Bester, CEO of AllLife, and long-time cycling companion Guy Dudley, they'll be riding to inspire. Last year Macleod who is also a cancer survivor, became the first heart transplant recipient to enter the KAP sani2c, a 265 kilometre cycle challenge which takes place over three days from the Southern Drakensberg to Scottburgh on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast. The veteran cyclist and triathlete participated at all levels of sport for many years. Then in 2014 he fell ill and was eventually told that he only had two weeks to live. At the same time his cardiologist also discovered he had cancer. 'I was tired and exhausted and just assumed I was overtraining.' Doctors discovered that he had heart problems, caused by sarcoidosis. Several complications later he received a heart transplant which changed his life. 'I could never compete at the level where I competed before, but the fact that I can actually walk to any place is quite a big thing. 'For me it's important to show people the success of a transplant.' Macleod says people are often afraid to talk about transplant operations - but when they learn how life-saving they can be, their opinions quickly change. Macleod is excited about the race taking place from May 8 -10 'Worldwide, Pedro and I will be the first heart transplant team ever to do a stage race,' he said. 'Nobody's done it before. Last year I was the first heart recipient to do a stage race.' Their ambition doesn't stop there, Macleod says their next aim is to participate in the world transplant games in Germany in August. Since his successful heart transplant his burning desire is to meet his donor's family. 'I just so badly want to just tell them about all the successes and that if it wasn't for them, I'd never ever be here. They were special, and they still are because their legacy will live on through me.' However, he has found a unique way to honour his donor. 'Because of all the races that I do, when I finish the race, I ask for a medal. So you normally get a medal but I ask for a second medal and then I go to the donor memorial site once a year and I put all my medals at my donor's memorial site.' Meanwhile, Basson who is a computer systems student at Stellenbosch University says he is excited and nervous to be taking part in the KAP sani2c. Before his heart transplant he was a fit and highly competitive tennis player, and ranked first at his school. Because of his track record he felt responsible to win all his tennis matches so that he could improve his team's score. 'And so, I just kept on playing, pushing my body to its limits' he said. Then at the age of 16 his health took a turn for the worse. A test for Covid-19 came back negative and he continued to push himself. After a school trip his condition worsened and when he slept for an entire day his mom knew that he needed to get medical help. What followed was three weeks in hospital, including the ICU. 'I went home for Christmas and three weeks later, everything just deteriorated too quickly because my heart was really weak, it couldn't give my body enough oxygen for the whole body.' Eventually he needed a heart transplant - it changed his life. 'Young people don't usually have heart failure, you know. So for me, it was mostly because I exercised while being sick. They always tell you that when you have the flu or something like that, you shouldn't exercise because it could be bad for your heart, and I didn't take that into account,' he said. Basson and Macleod have the same cardiologist. When Macleod learnt about Basson's story he reached out, and the two connected over their mutual health experiences. That's how their participation in the sani2c came about. Basson says one day he would love to write to his donor's family to thank them for his gift of life and the wonderful things he has been able to do because of it. 'Technically he is also doing the same things as I am because it is his heart.' AllLife's Bester, who was scheduled to ride with Macleod last year, had to withdraw after falling sick a day before the start of the KAP sani2c. 'I can't wait to finally be on the bike with them this year. Billy and Pedro are living proof that your story doesn't end with a diagnosis,' he said. AllLife is using this race to raise awareness for Hero777, a non-profit foundation focused on increasing organ and tissue donor registrations in South Africa. The foundation is deeply personal to the AllLife family as they deal with so many people in need of transplants daily.
The South African
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The South African
PREVIEW: sani2c 2025 attracts record UCI field
In 2024, KAP sani2c became a Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Category 2 marathon stage race, and the 2025 KAP sani2c 'OG' has attracted a record number of UCI registered teams in the men's and women's elite races. This year is the 21st edition of the event that sits firmly on South African mountain bikers' bucket lists. A Prologue kicks things off at Glencairn Farm near Underberg on Wednesday, 7 May. Stage 1 starts on Thursday and riders hit the finish line in Scottburgh on Saturday after three days and 270km of racing to the coast. After the usual shake-up of teams ahead of the 2025 season, the current top teams reflect a strong combination of experience and young talent, promising an intense battle with tight racing. Team PYGA Euro Steel is represented by Philip Buys, a seasoned campaigner with multiple sani2c titles, and Michael Foster, the young 2024 champion. The pair will be strong contenders for the overall win, but will not do so without immense pressure from an unprecedented 18 men's teams. Buys says: 'After winning XCO Champs, Michael is clearly the most in form rider from our team. I have been putting in the work though, and feel confident that things are lining up well for a solid run at sani2c.' Tristan Nortje and Marco Joubert (Team Imbuko ChemChamp A) are riding the high of a third place overall at the Cape Epic, but have not rested on their laurels, with Marco Joubert clinching a third place at the SA Gravel Champs over the weekend. 'We are coming to sani2c to win. We will line up at every stage to give it our all. 'The Prologue is a nice leg opener for the coming days' racing and gives us a chance to see who our competitors are relative to us.' Lood Goosen and Rudi Koen make up Imbuko ChemChamp's 'B' team, and Nortje acknowledged the potential advantage of having a second team. 'It always helps knowing they will be there for support, and also technical support like we had at stage 1 of Epic where Marco broke his wheel. We will also use some team tactics in the race with the B team.' Arno du Toit and Keagan Bontekoning (Team Insect Science) return with determination to claim the top spot. They will make formidable opponents, having raced sani2c many times as a team, and having claimed podium places multiple times. Bontekoning says: 'Arno and I know each other better than any other team on the start line I think, which is a great advantage. Our season has been good, with a solid Cape Epic, and we are in good form. 'The Prologue can be tough for us from the Western Cape, because of the altitude. Last year PYGA gained some time on the Prologue and it was hard to gain that back. There is a lot of depth in the field and the racing will be tight.' Wessel Botha, who was sani2c champion in 2022 and second in 2023, with then team-mate Marco Joubert, is looking forward to racing with Marc Pritzen for Team Honeycomb 226ers. He says: 'I'm very excited for sani2c after missing it last year. The Prologue will be new for us but after that we know the route pretty well. We expect some tight racing with good competition but we are both in good form and looking forward to the dice.' Unathi Nxumalo and Thabiso Zindela (Team Absolute Motion) from KwaZulu-Natal, represent strong rising talent. Nxumalo raced in Europe last year and with Zindela claimed 11th place at Tankwa Trek. This will be his fourth sani2c. 'This year I am feeling more confident about the race, I have had a consistent year. I will be racing with Thabiso Zindela, our second stage race together as a team.' We will see further rising talent in action with Team Fairtree DP World Cannondale's two teams of Luyanda Thobigunya and Kusaselihle Ngidi, and Ziandro Jordaan and Ethon Michaels. The experience of Thobigunya, who has nine Cape Epics under his belt, will guide this team who could fare well, as they each have significant stage race experience. Ngidi has podiumed in the Exxarro category at Epic three times and at Wines2Whales once. At sani2c he and Thobogunya placed eighth in 2022 and seventh in 2023. Travis Stedman and Johan Van Zyl (Team Toyota Specialized) are young, talented riders with solid results. The pair secured 18th position at the Cape Epic, and at the Prince George 100 miler last year Stedman came second and Van Zyl fourth. At Attakwas Extreme in January, Van Zyl was eighth and Stedman 16th. Team Tshenolo Pro Cycling Team is fielding two men's teams, Halalisani Ndebele and Johan de Villers, and Daniel Kotze and Siyabonga Ntsele. Ntsele came third at Gauteng Marathon champs and has solid stage race experience, with a stage win at Cape Epic in the Exxarro category. Kotze has a strong cross country background, as does De Villiers. As a four-time Cape Epic finisher who has won the Exxarro category twice, Ndebele is in his element. Beon Van Staden and Daniel Scheepers (Team Bicycle Bandits) hope to feature strongly in the U23 category. With a strong XCO background, Van Staden completed his first stage race at Tankwa Trek in February. Other teams in the Under-23 category include Team Absolute Motion Young Guns (Bladen Van Rensburg and Tayne Rudling), Team ACT (Keegan Tullis and Omar Alexander Wilson), Team Caracal Velocity (Liam Hoffmann and Zuan Jacobs), Team Project Dream SA (Jordan Boshoff and Travis Rademan-Ludeke), Team Wineland Wheelers (Andre Van Rooyen and Ruan Portwig) Trevor Case and Murray Brown (Team accidentANGELS) and Erick Heyns and Wayne Van Der Walt (Team FuelX) round off the deep men's field. In the UCI women's race, 2024 KAP sani2c champions Sam Sanders and Danielle Du Toit (neé Strydom) are in new pairings. Sarah Hill joins Sanders for team Efficient Infiniti Insure Racing, and Du Toit will line up with Bianca Haw for Safari Essence Titan Racing. Sanders is a multiple winner of sani2c and is partnering with Hill for the first time. 'Although I have raced against Sarah for many years already, we have never partnered for a race before. I always look forward to everything that is sani2c. The riding, the Haw family hospitality, and every race village experience. I don't think farmer Glen does anything in half measure, and with his vast experience in building trails I expect only the best fun on the new Prologue trails,' she says. Sarah Hill is also amped for the Prologue: 'Having missed sani2c last year and the new format for the UCI riders, I absolutely can't wait for the 4-day event. This year we have some super-fast women teaming up, and it makes racing so exciting. We've been waiting for this! The Prologue adds a lot of excitement and a boost to the fastest stage race on the calendar.' There may be some cause for concern for Team Safari Essence Titan Racing, as Danielle du Toit has been unwell this year with Covid-19. Haw, who grew up with the sani2c, has had an incredible racing season, and amongst other results placed third overall in the Cape Epic women's race (with Hayley Preen) and second at the 4 Islands Epic in Croatia (with Vera Looser) just last month. Haw has intimate knowledge of the sani2c route and will be hoping that her team-mate is ready to race. Du Toit says she is feeling stronger after a tough start to the year. 'I am a bit nervous, but my training has gone well, and I am going to give my absolute best. Bianca is very strong, but as powerful as she is, she is also gracious and will look after me. I hope we can get a good result.' Ila Stow and Cherise Willeit (Team Toyota Fortress) had a strong showing at the Cape Epic, with a category finish of 11th place. Willeit is perhaps best known for her road cycling accolades, but as 2023 SA Gravel Champion and with four Epic finishes, she and Stow will be interesting to watch. Refilwe Mogorosi and Tania Burgarin Ortez placed fourth on GC at the 2024 edition of sani2c and now have new team-mates for this event. Sonica Klopper will ride with Bugarin Ortiz (Team Tshenolo Pro Cycling Team 1) and Mari Du Toit will ride with Mogorosi (Team Enza Cyclenation and VivoVita). Both du Toit and Mogorosi are coached by Sam Sanders, and Mogorosi says: 'I took every moment as a lesson in last year's race and with better knowledge of the route, we will race consistently and smartly and use teamwork as best as we can. sani is such a special race and close to my heart – it is filled with everything a mountain biker needs to prove that they are getting better each year. ' Janice Fourie (neé Venter) and Roxanne Kemp (Team EPT Racing) are also strong teams who performed well at Cape Epic, as are Nicola Freitas and Megan Scribante (Team Revive). Steph Wohlters, who won the PE to Plett with Robyn de Groot earlier this year, is riding with Sanchia Malan as Team Index Efficient Infinity. Malan competed in the mixed category at Cape Epic, placing 18th, and was third in the 2023 SA XCO Cup Series elite women's category. The KAP sani2c continues to serve as a benchmark for South African mountain biking excellence, with a commitment to community upliftment and showcasing the natural beauty of the region. Watch the race on Instagram stories @_sani2c and highlights reels, and find full highlights videos and race reports on the sani2c website each evening at KAP sani2c Adventure: 7-9 May KAP sani2c 'OG': 8-10 May with a Prologue on 7 May for UCI registered riders. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
