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The 2025 edition of the KAP sani2c was nothing short of electrifying.

With blistering speeds and tight competition, both the men’s and women’s races saw some of the country’s top mountain bikers digging deep and pushing limits.

Known as the fastest stage race in South Africa, this year’s race lived up to its name—and then some.

Notably, the overall men’s winners clocked in more than 18 minutes faster than last year’s champs, giving fans and fellow riders a clear sign of just how intense this year’s racing really was.

Champions Crowned: Joubert and Nortje Dominate for the Men

Marco Joubert and Tristan Nortje of Imbuko ChemChamp ‘A’ came out on top, showing steady strength across all three stages.

While they finished second on the final day to Honeycomb 226ers, they held on to a solid lead and secured the General Classification win.

From the get-go, the top men’s teams stayed tight.

Going into the 86km final stage on Saturday, PYGA Euro Steel were eyeing third place, just 44 seconds ahead of Insect Science Cycling.

It was always going to be a tactical race, and the pace didn’t allow for much wiggle room.

At 34km in, on Kenard Climb, a lead group formed—Imbuko ChemChamp, PYGA Euro Steel, Honeycomb 226ers, and Insect Science all battling for position. Not long after, things got chaotic.

At Vernon Crookes, Joubert tried to make a break, but PYGA’s Philip Buys charged back into the front pack.

Mechanical Mayhem Shakes Things Up

Insect Science’s Arno Du Toit revealed they’d burned a lot of energy early on due to a mechanical hiccup.

“Keagan dropped a chain, and we had to use a few matches we didn’t have,” he admitted.

Then came disaster—Arno hit an obstacle on a descent, smashing his wheel and puncturing a tyre. This was the moment PYGA had been waiting for.

At 58km, Honeycomb 226ers surged ahead. But by 64km, all the top three teams had regrouped.

Unfortunately, a nasty crash just before the 72km mark saw Buys and Foster (PYGA Euro Steel) go over their handlebars in the mud.

That wiped out their hopes of a stage win, but they dug deep to protect their podium spot.

As the finish line approached, a sprint seemed possible—but Honeycomb 226ers weren’t letting anyone take the day from them.

They clinched Stage 3 in 2:41:58, with Imbuko ChemChamp right behind in 2:42:19, a mere 21 seconds adrift.

But with a three-minute cushion in the GC, Joubert and Nortje still claimed overall victory.

Raising the Bar: Women’s Field Sees Fierce Competition

Over in the women’s race, things were equally intense.

A total of eight UCI women’s teams entered the fray, a testament to how the race has grown since becoming a UCI Category 2 marathon event in 2024.

Sam Sanders and Sarah Hill (Efficient Infiniti Racing) came into the final day with a comfortable lead—but they still had to defend it.

They did more than just defend; they attacked with precision.

Their rivals, Cherise Willeit and Ila Stow of Toyota Fortress, weren’t going to make it easy.

And neither were Bianca Haw and Danielle Du Toit of Safari Essence Titan Racing, who were sitting second overall before the day started.

When Defence Becomes Attack: Sanders Turns Up the Heat

On the first major climb, Clint’s Climb at 12km, all three teams were still together.

Haw pushed ahead briefly, but Du Toit looked like she was starting to struggle.

Sanders saw her moment. “I just thought—attack is the best defence,” she explained.

From there, she began to crank up the pace, with only the Toyota Fortress pair and her teammate Hill able to hang on.

By the time they hit Mtagati Bush at 45km, Haw and Du Toit had slipped 30 seconds off the leaders.

Although Willeit and Stow grabbed the lead at 72km (Rocky Bay Trails), Sanders wasn’t done.

Efficient Infiniti powered through and finished 1 minute 15 seconds ahead, winning Stage 3 in 3:17:40.

Final Results and Reflections

In the end, Sanders and Hill secured the women’s overall win by six minutes, wrapping up a sensational campaign.

Riders reflected on the race with nothing but respect for their rivals:

  • Cherise Willeit compared the pain of the final stage to childbirth. “We just tried to hold the gap to Bianca and Danielle. The level of racing was insane.”

  • Ila Stow praised her teammate: “Riding with Cherise pushes me beyond what I thought possible.”

  • Bianca Haw acknowledged their limits: “We burned too many matches on day two. We could see them ahead but just couldn’t catch them.”

  • Danielle Du Toit kept it real: “My legs didn’t show up today.”

Stage 3 Results Snapshot

     Men’s Top 5

  1. Honeycomb 226ers – 2:41:58

  2. Imbuko ChemChamp A – 2:42:19

  3. PYGA Euro Steel – 2:42:57

  4. Insect Science Cycling – 2:45:31

  5. Imbuko ChemChamp B – 2:51:36

    Women’s Top 5

  1. Efficient Infiniti Racing – 3:17:40

  2. Toyota Fortress – 3:18:55

  3. Safari Essence Titan Racing – 3:20:21

  4. TEAM EPT RACING – 3:48:15

  5. Index Efficient Infinity – 4:16:19

Overall General Classification Standings

      Men

  1. Imbuko ChemChamp A – 9:44:18

  2. Honeycomb 226ers – 9:47:46

  3. PYGA Euro Steel – 9:51:03

  4. Insect Science Cycling – 9:52:53

  5. Imbuko ChemChamp B – 10:11:52

   Women

  1. Efficient Infiniti Racing – 12:13:21

  2. Safari Essence Titan Racing – 12:19:14

  3. Toyota Fortress – 12:30:53

  4. TEAM EPT RACING – 13:36:35

  5. Index Efficient Infinity – 14:15:52

What’s Next for the Riders?

For Joubert and Nortje, it’s onto the Marathon Champs in two weeks, followed by some well-deserved downtime.

Joubert summed it up best: “It’s been an amazing start to the season. Racing with Tristan and the new setup has been such a high.”