There is no other short stage race in South Africa that has the international prestige of the Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen. As the event prepares to celebrate its 10th edition in February 2023, here are 10 facts you probably didn’t know about this iconic South African race.
Paid partnership with Dryland Event Management
THE ROUTE CHANGES EVERY YEAR
One of the pre-requisites for a race to earn UCI grading status is that it changes its route each year. As a UCI-graded event, the organisers and the local landowners collaborate to create a fresh Tankwa Trek route experience every year. Yes, each stage starts and finishes at Kaleo Guest Farm, and yes some key features such as the massive Merino Monster climb are always incorporated, but in its nine previous editions it’s never followed the exact same route, which makes it a new challenge, even for veterans of the event.
NINO SCHURTER IS THE CURRENT CHAMPION
Yes, the 10-time XCO World Champion and greatest male XCO racer of all time, Nino Schurter, won the Tankwa Trek at his first attempt in 2022. Racing with Swiss compatriot, Filippo Colombo as Team Cornercard, Schurter and Colombo won three of the four stages to secure the victory by more than five-and-a-half minutes. Will he be back in 2023?
THE MERINO MONSTER IS A TRUE MONSTER
There are very few mountain bike stage races that can claim to incorporate a climb as intimidating as the Merino Monster. Normally a feature on Stage 3 of the four-day race, the Merino Monster is undoubtedly one of the hardest climbs in South African mountain bike racing. Although the main ascent measures 8km, you actually begin gradually climbing from 20km away. The average gradient for the last 8km is 12%, but there are pitches that reach more than 20%! The fact that it comes near the end of Stage 3 after two days of prior racing means you reach the climb somewhat depleted. Add in heat and sometimes wind and you have a truly iconic climb.
A SWEDE AND A SWISS HAVE THE MOST WINS
With four titles, multiple Swedish national champion and part-time South African, Jennie Stenerhag, has more wins than anyone and is the most successful female at the Tankwa Trek. The recently retired Stenerhag claimed the 2015 and 2016 titles with Robyn de Groot, the 2017 title with Swiss legend Esther Suss and the 2019 crown with South African star Mariske Strauss, herself a three-time winner.
Swiss marathon ace, Urs Huber is the most prolific men’s winner at the Tankwa Trek. He has won three editions, 2016 and 2017 with German legend, Karl Platt and 2020 with Simon Stiebjahn. He also has one Solo category win, but it’s primarily a team race, so those carry all the palmares weight. With two wins each, Platt and former South African champion, James Reid are the only other multiple winners of the men’s title.
See full list of previous winners below.
KALEO GUEST FARM IS THE ULTIMATE VENUE
Besides being a highly sought after world-class weddings venue, Kaleo Guest Farm https://www.kaleomanor.co.za , remotely located between the Skurweberge and Koue Bokkeveld, is the ultimate mountain bike stage race venue. The lush lawns under shady oak trees make for one of the most comfortable tented camps locations anywhere. There’s a wide range of accommodation options for those not keen to ‘tent it’, right up to luxurious chalets; the catering is first class and the hospitality always warm.
THE LOCAL INVESTMENT IS SIGNIFICANT
The Tankwa Trek race route traverses more than 15 local farms. In addition to permitting access, the farmers are all involved to some extent in building and maintaining the trails on their land for the annual race. Some of the farmers are committed mountain bikers and have been instrumental in the development of a world-class trails network in the area that is both challenging and rewarding and incredibly scenic.
IT HASN’T ALWAYS BEEN A FOUR-STAGE RACE
The first six editions of the Tankwa Trek included three stages. It was only in 2019, when the UCI adjusted it’s criteria for stage-racing grading qualification to a minimum of four stages, that the organisers added a fourth stage – and fourth day. The addition of a short first stage on the Thursday was incorporated for the past four editions (although 2021 was cancelled). This additional stage is usually around 30km and takes place in the afternoon, giving the riders a good warm-up before the longer stages begin from Day 2.
13 WORLD CHAMPS HAVE COMPETED AT THE TANKWA TREK
A total of 13 mountain bike World Champions have competed at the Tankwa Trek, three of them also Olympic gold medal winners. No other short South African stage race can claim that kind of prestige when it comes to competitor pedigree…
Here’s the list:
Nino Schurter (SUI) 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 & 2022 Elite Men’s XCO World Champion, 2006 & 2008 Under-23 Men’s XCO World Champion, 2016 Olympic Champion
Alban Lakata (AUT) – 2010 & 2017 Elite Men’s Marathon World Champion
Christoph Sauser (SUI) 2007, 2011 & 2013 Elite Men’s Marathon World Champion, 2008 Elite Men’s XCO World Champion
Sam Gaze (NZL) – 2016 & 2017 Under-23 Men’s XCO World Champion, 2022 Elite Men’s Marathon World Champion, 2022 Elite Men’s XCC World Champion
Henrique Avancini (BRA) – 2018 Elite Men’s Marathon World Champion
Pauline Ferrand Prevot (FRA) – 2015,2019, 2020 & 2022 Elite Women’s XCO World Champion, 2022 Elite Women’s XCC World Champion, 2019 & 2022 Elite Women’s Marathon World Champion, 2010 Junior Women’s XCO World Champion
Alan Hatherly (RSA) – 2018 Under-23 Men’s XCO World Champion, 2019 eBike World Champion
Simon Andreassen (DEN) – 2014 & 2015 Junior Men’s XCO World Champion
Manuel Fumic (GER) – 2004 Under-23 Men’s XCO World Champion
Maxime Marotte (FRA) – 2011 and 2014 XCO Mixed Relay World Champion
Bart Brentjens (NED) – 1995 Elite Men’s XCO World Champion, 1996 Olympic Champion
Sabine Spitz (GER) – 2003 Elite Women’s XCO World Champion, 2009 Elite Women’s Marathon World Champion, 2008 Olympic Champion,
Esther Sus (SUI) – 2010 Elite Women’s Marathon World Champion
IT OFFERS 40 POINTS IN DRYLAND REWARDS
The Dryland Rewards Programme is unique in that it offers loyalty points to every finisher of a Dryland Event Management race. The Tankwa Trek offers 40 points, the second highest for any Dryland event. For more on the success of the Dryland Rewards Programme, read here.
IT’S THE IDEAL CAPE EPIC PREPARATION RACE
Taking place in the first half of February and in the Koue Bokkeveld region – and being a UCI-graded race, the Tankwa Trek is seen by most as the ideal preparation race for the Absa Cape Epic. The stages are just long enough to be testing but not exhausting and the gradient and terrain are as close as you’ll get to the most demanding at the Cape Epic. Some years the Cape Epic route shares some of the trails used for the Tankwa Trek.
The 10th edition of Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen will take place from 9-12 February 2023. The route covers 270km with 5320 metres of ascent and is expected to be the toughest edition yet . Find our more or enter now at the official race website.
TANKWA TREK WINNERS SINCE 2013
2013
Men: Lourens Luus & Waylon Woolock – RE:CM
Women: Ischen Stopforth & Hanlie Booyens – Ischen & Hanlie
2014
Men: James Reid & Brendon Davids – Trek Racing
Women: Cherise Stander & Ariane Kleinhans – RE:CM
2015
Men: Erik Kleinhans & James Reid – RE:CM
Women: Jennie Stenerhag & Robyn de Groot – Ascendis Health
2016
Men: Urs Huber & Karl Platt – Bulls
Women: Jennie Stenerhag & Robyn de Groot – Ascendis Health
2017
Men: Urs Huber & Karl Platt – Bulls
Women: Esther Suss & Jennie Stenerhag – Meerendal CBC
2018
Men: Kristian Hynek & Alban Lakata – Canyon Topeak
Women: Candice Lill & Helen Grobert – dormakaba
2019
Men: Manuel Fumic & Henrique Avancini – Cannondale Factory Racing
Women: Mariske Strauss & Jennie Stenerhag – Silverback Fairtree
2020
Men: Urs Huber & Simon Stiebjahn – Bulls
Women: Candice Lill & Mariske Strauss – Faces
2022
Men: Nino Schurter & Filippo Colombo – Cornercard
Women: Candice Lill & Mariske Strauss – Rola Faces
Paid partnership with Dryland Event Management
