Pro riders excited for The Herald Cycle Tour

READY TO RACE: The event organisers, in front, The Herald marketing manager Berna Ulay-Walters and race director Julie Briggs, and long-time returning riders of The Herald Cycle Tour, are eager to welcome the professional cyclists to Gqeberha as they celebrate The Herald’s 40th milestone edition — marking the biggest prize purse in the event’s history. Photo: Werner Hills

The country’s best-of-the-best professional riders are getting ready for the biggest race of The Herald Cycle Tour to date: its 40th edition.

The prize purse for competitive riders for the 2026 edition of The Herald Cycle Tour is a massive R650,000, the largest amount to be 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.

Kelsey van Schoor, who will be racing for Customised Cycling Pirtek, said she lost track of how many The Herald Cycle Tours she has raced since she started racing the 55km, and moved up to race the 106km when she was old enough.

“The Herald Cycle Tour is definitely a highlight on my calendar, especially since it’s a home-town event.

“I love that the race features full road closures. It makes me feel safe out on the road. The prize money is crazy.

“It has to be among the best-paying races in the country. I hope this will attract more pro riders to the start line,” Van Schoor said.

While she will be racing both the Mountain Bike and Road Race events in 2026, Van Schoor came in second place at the 2025 Herald Cycle Tour in the 106km Classic title race for women.

“I’m looking forward to seeing where I can place in the Ultimate Quest category, but ultimately, I just want to have fun out at both events,” Van Schoor said.

As the men’s winner of the 2025 and 2024 editions of The Herald Cycle Tour in the 106km Classic title, Hanro Geldenhuys from Team RDX said the increased prize money is a game-changer, and he expects the competition to be immense for the 40th edition of the race.

“I am looking forward to attempting three wins in a row with the team! The Herald Cycle Tour is more than just a race—it’s a celebration of South African cycling.

“The route really is something special, even more so for someone travelling to Gqeberha. It truly is a highlight in our team’s calendar. Every year, the race organisation is perfect, and it just allows you to embrace why you fell in love with the sport,” Geldenhuys said.

His teammate, Theuns van der Bank from Team RDX, won the race in 2023 and said he was looking forward to the “vibe after the race in the beer tent and maybe some half-price brandy specials”.

The 40th milestone edition of The Herald Cycle Tour will also mean an enhanced family experience at the Race Village, with family tents, a beer garden, children’s playpark, on-stage live entertainment, and VIP lounges.

Johann Trotzky, another RDX teammate, said The Herald Cycle Tour is a unique race with some fast, rolling roads that make it really exciting to ride.

“The Herald Cycle Tour has done an incredible job of building this into a major event on the calendar each year.

“For Realty Dynamix (RDX), it’s not just about the race; it’s a full weekend experience, enjoying time in PE and soaking in the atmosphere. RDX have podiumed a few times over the years, and every year we aim to continue that streak.”

Joshua Louw, also from Team RDX, is looking forward to racing along the stunning coastline of Nelson Mandela Bay. His advice to other riders is to “save a little energy for the final 5km”.

“The wind along the coast towards the finish line can be brutal. And above all — don’t forget to take in the incredible views and enjoy the ride,” Louw 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.

Sponsors of The Herald Cycle Tour are Telkom (Top tier Platinum), Standard Bank (Silver), Sarah Baartman District Municipality (Gold, Mountain Bike Races), as well as vehicle sponsor Eastern Cape Motor Group Ford, hydration sponsor Powerade and accommodation sponsors Town Lodge Hotel Group and Zuurberg Mountain Village.

The Herald Cycle Tour 2026 medical sponsor is Relay EMS, infrastructure sponsors are Talisman Hire and K&W, while the bicycle sponsors are Trek, Cyclo Pro and Thule. Technical sponsors are Wayne Pheiffer and Coimbra; the print sponsor for the event is Goshawk, and the security sponsor is Omega Security.

For more information and to enter, visit www.heraldcycletour.co.za. Online entries close on Monday February 2. Contact The Herald marketing manager, Berna Ulay-Walters, for any queries.

The prize-money breakdown is:

Road race, Sunday February 15 2026

106km coastal classic

C1 Racing Group Men and Women. Domestic Racing Licence required: 1 R100,000, 2 R60,000, 3 R40,000, 4 R20,000, 5 R10,000

Junior Men and Women: 1 R3,000, 2 R2,000, 3 R1,000

U23 Men and Women: 1 R3,000, 2 R2,000, 3 R1,000

Elite Men and Women: 1 R3,000, 2 R2,000, 3 R1,000

MTB race, Sunday February 8 2026:

80km Extreme

Men and women: 1 R30,000, 2 R20,000, 3 R10,000, 4 R5,000, 5 R2,000

60km Adventure

Men and Women: 1 R3,000, 2 R2,000, 3 R1,000.