Vehicle partner of The Herald Cycle Tour supports family fun in the region
READY TO RIDE: Ready to tackle the 40th milestone edition of The Herald Cycle Tour are Eastern Cape Motors Group riders, middle from left, Nigel Ladwig, Willem Lategan and Gino Fabbri, with The Herald marketing manager Berna Ulay-Walters, far left, and ECM North End Ford dealer principal Dale Cuthbert, far right. Image: WERNER HILLS
The vehicle partner for the Herald Cycle Tour 2026 is Eastern Cape Motor (ECM) Group Ford. This long-standing partnership is driven by shared values of supporting local families and the economy of the region of Nelson Mandela Bay.
As one of the largest privately owned motor groups in SA, ECM Group also celebrated 40 years of existence this year (2025), along with The Herald celebrating 180 years of journalism in the Bay.
The celebrations continue into 2026, with the 40th milestone edition of The Herald Cycle Tour.
The R650,000 prize purse for competitive drivers is the largest amount to have ever been given away at The Herald Cycle Tour in celebration of 40 years of cycling in the region.
The Mountain Bike Races will take place on Sunday February 8 at the Addo Polo Club and the Road Races will be raced over the weekend of Saturday February 14 and Sunday February 15 from Pollok Beach.
“The Herald Cycle Tour has been around for so long and has had a huge impact on the local community and economy,” ECM North End Ford dealer principal Dale Cuthbert said.
“It continues to grow year on year, and we enjoy the partnership with the event because of the great visibility and teamwork we experience every year.”
He said ECM Group Ford’s brand philosophies align with the values and spirit of The Herald Cycle Tour because of the local support and belief in the people of the region that spills into diverse communities.
“Local is lekker — keeping our support local is important to us. Nelson Mandela Bay is a major sport hub in the country and province, and the family-focused aspects of the event make it one of a kind,” Cuthbert said.
Vehicles that will be supplied by ECM Group Ford to support the event from an operational point of view are the Ford Ranger Series, the Ford Territory and the Ford Everest.
These vehicles will act as lead vehicles for the elite riders, conduct route checks and see to route markings and other travel logistics forming part of the race event.
“We selected these brands because of the ever-growing presence of especially the Ford Ranger and the Ford Everest into the local market.
“As we near the 40th edition of The Herald Cycle Tour, riders and supporters can look out for the early branding of the first marketing vehicles on the roads of Nelson Mandela Bay,” Cuthbert said.
Race distances include the 80km Extreme, 60km Adventure, 30km Leisure, 5km Family Ride and 500m Junior Race at the Mountain Bike event.
For the Road Race event, the distances are 106km Classic, 55km Pursuit, and the 2km and 500m Junior Races.
“We are looking forward to a record number of entrants in the 40th edition of the race, perfect weather on both weekends and a fun, family event for all,” Cuthbert said.
In addition to the increased prize money, 3 TREK bicycles will be up for grabs.
These include two sets of Marlin 4 GEN2 bicycles valued at R26 000 (one to be handed over as a lucky draw prize — open to all MTB and Road Race participants and another to be handed over to one of the event’s beneficiaries), sponsored by TREK & Cyclo Pro, and one 2025 TREK Top Fuel 5 (Matte Mercury) valued at R55,000 (available for Standard Bank MTB and Road Race participants), sponsored by Standard Bank.
For more information and to enter, visit www.heraldcycletour.co.za
Online entries close on Monday February 2.