Road Stars Take on MTB Kings at the 2026 King Price Race to the Sun

On Saturday, 30 May 2026, the worlds of road and mountain bike racing will collide at the King Price Race to the Sun. South Africa’s premier gravel race features a fast-rolling route that suits the speed and tactical nous of road racers, but the mixed surfaces, unexpected challenges, and river crossing will play into the skillsets of mountain bikers on the start list. Ahead of the ninth edition*, cycling fans can look to riders like Ryan Gibbons, Tristan Nortje, Kent Main, and Wessel Botha to be in the mix for victory in the elite men’s race; while Samatha Sanders, Lisa Bone, Sarah Maré, and Lucy Young headline a fiercely competitive elite women’s line-up.

“The King Price Race to the Sun usually sees bunch racing dynamics until fairly late in the 100-miler course, before the strongest rider strikes out solo in search of victory,” Race Director JP Nortje predicted. “With the shortening of the Sediba Kwêle section, which was relatively technical, the average speeds should be even higher, which could keep the groups together longer. The total distance is now also slightly below a full 100 miles, at 158 kilometres with 990 metres of climbing.”

In the absence of the double defending champion, Marc Pritzen, Tristan Nortje starts as the red-hot favourite in the men’s race. The Cape Epic winner has raced sparingly since March, but the Toyota Specialized Imbuko rider is highly motivated whenever he pins on a race number and particularly so when approaching a race he has yet to win. His closest rivals are likely to be the Insect Science trio of Wessel Botha, Keagan Bontekoning, and Jan Withaar, as well as the Fly Cool Collective road stars, Ryan Gibbons and Kent Main.

Gibbons has yet to race a gravel bike, but his World Tour pedigree and fast finish will have the mountain bikers concerned. Main has more gravel experience, and like Gibbons, would love to sharpen his skills on a course that suits him ahead of the South African Gravel Championships in two weeks. The competition between the Fly Cool Collective and the Tshenolo Pro Cycling Team, who will be represented by Brandon Downes and Gustav Roller at the King Price Race to the Sun, will add to the group dynamic, should they opt to work together against the mountain bike teams or in opposition to each other.

Ryno Schutte, the current leader of the Mzansi National Road Series standings, is another road racer to watch. As are Casper Kruger, Keanan Roodt, and Christiaan Klopper. For the mountain bikers, Tristan Nortje will have the support of Ignatus du Preez to call upon. While their Toyota Specialized Imbuko team has Jaedon Terlouw as a second potential race winner, to counterattack off any moves the team leader makes. Johan de Villiers, Travis Rademan-Ludeke, Jordan Boshoff, Philip Buys, and Nico Bell could challenge for top ten finishes.

Josh Rheeders, Always Steenkamp, Calvin Beneke, Willem Johannes Nieuwoudt, Rohan du Plooy, Daniyal Matthews, Jared Hay, JC Jooste, Noah Odendaal, Gavin and David Shelly, Matthew Horne, Thinus Mariz, Alec Coleske, Diwan Prinsloo, Jayden Naude, Ryno du Preez, Luan Vermeulen, Kyle Laing, Hendrik Lourens van der Westhuizen, Cullum Mitchell, Vincent Mettler, Andrew Worthington, and Johann Bothma complete the elite men’s line-up.

In the women’s race, Lisa Bone’s recent gravel success, built on a foundation of an increasingly impressive road palmares, makes the road versus mountain bike showdown a little less clear-cut. The 2026 King Price Race to the Sun will be Bone’s second outing on the course, which seems particularly suited to her skillset, and neither Samathan Sanders nor Sarah Maré will want to go to the line with the Cycle Nation Enza Construction rider, recently returned from racing the Traka200 and Marly Grav in Europe.

Maré won the King Price Race to the Sun in 2023, and could do so again. Though it is Sanders who is the more likely victor of the Efficient Infiniti Insure teammates. Tshenolo Pro Cycling’s Taneal Otto and Lucy Young could also use their team strength to counter the power of Bone, Sanders, Maré, and Catherine Kruger.

As perhaps the only true gravel specialist in South Africa, Kruger (née Colyn) will use every ounce of her experience to take the fight to her rivals. These also include Bianca Nel, Sonica Klopper, and Maude Elaine le Roux. Ansonia van Velden, Megan Botha, Mazaan Mellett, Jana van der Merwe, and Simoné Burger complete the elite women’s field. A top ten finish for at least one of those five riders beckons. This keeps the racing both interesting and competitive well beyond the battle for victory. As does the race for “sub” finisher medals.

At the King Price Race to the Sun, Sub-5, Sub-6, and Sub-7-hour finishes are rewarded with a special medal. Though to achieve those times, riders will need to avoid stopping too long at the famous water points. The Beestekraal Church congregation and the Magalies Citrus farmers pride themselves on their hospitality, and this year, 226ers will be elevating the aid station experience with world-class sports nutrition products too.

To find out more about the King Price Race to the Sun, visit www.racetothesun.co.za. Follow @race2thesun on Instagram and to like the RACE2THESUN Facebook page to stay updated on race day, Saturday 30 May.

*Nine editions including the 2021 seeding race, which was held in accordance with social distancing protocols.