Imbuko ChemChamp and Safari Essence Titan Racing take stage wins at KAP sani2c ‘OG’

Ixopo. 8 May 2025. Imbuko ChemChamp A team’s Tristan Nortje and Marco Joubert showed why they podiumed at the ABSA 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. 

 

 

(from left) Tristan Nortje and Marco Jourbert took the stage win for Imbuko ChemChamp

 

The ‘OG’ riders left Glencairn this morning to race 89 km 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.

 

MEN’S RACE

 

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 15 km. 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 today: “We made it tough for ourselves and everyone else. From about 12 km 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.”

 

Marco Joubert and Tristan Nortje crossing the PS Bison Bridge

 

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 30 km/h. It wasn’t easy, but it worked.”

 

Bontekoning said: “When we hit the first singletrack at 13 km, 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 15 km 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 15 km.”

 

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.”

 

Insect Science put in a strong performance and are now second in the GC rankings. (from right): Du Toit, Bontekoning, Buys and Foster were together for much of the race,  But Pritzen and Botha surged in the last few kilometres to take third place in the stage.

 

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 20 km 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.

 

WOMEN’S RACE

 

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. 

 

(from left) Danielle Du Toit and Bianca Haw had a strong day to claim the first stage and extend their lead. 

 

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.”

 

Danielle Du Toit and Bianca Haw leading the way across the BG Bison Bridge

 

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 75 km, 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.”

 

After some mud in the Xumeni Forest, the two leading women’s teams head up towards Donnybrook (from left): Bianca Haw, Sarah Hill, Danielle Du Toit, and Samantha Sanders

 

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 86 km Queen Stage tomorrow descends into the Umkomaas Valley and climbs the Unitrans Iconic Climb, finishing at the Kings Harvest Academy after 1896 m of climbing. Riders overnight at Jolivet Farm.

 

Follow the race on Instagram stories (KAP sani2c Instagram) and highlights reels, and catch full highlight videos and race reports each evening at www.sani2c.co.za

 

KAP sani2c Adventure: 7–9 May
KAP sani2c ‘OG’: 8–10 May, with Prologue 7 May for UCI registered riders.

 

RESULTS STAGE 1 

 

MEN 

 

1. Imbuko ChemChamp A (Tristan Nortje / Marco Joubert) – 02:59:46

2. Insect Science Cycling (Keagan Bontekoning / Arno Du Toit) – 03:01:26

3. Team Honeycomb 226ers (Marc Pritzen / Wessel Botha) – 03:02:28

4. PYGA Euro Steel (Michael Foster / Philip Buys) – 03:02:47

5. Toyota Specialized (Travis Stedman / Johan Van Zyl) – 03:03:42

 

WOMEN

 

1. Safari Essence Titan Racing (Bianca Haw / Danielle Du Toit) – 03:42:59

2. Efficient Infiniti Racing (Samantha Sanders / Sarah Hill) – 03:45:42

3. Toyota Fortress (Ila Stow / Cherise Willeit) – 03:53:56

4. Tshenolo Pro Cycling Team 1 (Sonica Klopper / Tania Bugarin Ortiz) – 03:59:08

5. TEAM EPT RACING  (Roxanne Kemp / Janice Fourie) – 04:06:28

 

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION 

 

MEN

 

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

 

WOMEN

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