The 2024 FNB Wines2Whales once again brought mountain biking’s best to the Western Cape, where riders faced both rain and shine across three thrilling three-stage races. Set against some of South Africa's most prestigious trails, this year’s event was a showcase of speed, skill, and enduring “gees” – the unmistakable South African spirit. From muddy challenges to sunlit sprints, each stage tested the grit and passion of riders in spectacular terrain.
CHARDONNAY
The first weekend kicked off with the Chardonnay race, featuring elite women who showcased speed and skill throughout all three days on the bike. A dominating performance by Candice Lill and Tyler Jacobs saw the unstoppable duo take victory on all three stages, finally reaching Benguela Cove as overall victors yet again.
Tyler summed up her FNB Wines2Whales experience by saying, “Candice and I decided at the last minute to race W2W again and I’m so glad we did. Ending my season on a high, racing with an amazing partner through the beautiful Western Cape and being surrounded by awesome people was exactly what I needed. W2W holds such great memories for me and it’s always such a vibe, whether you’re at the front or back of the race, everyone is having fun! I hope to be back next year for another awesome weekend of riding bikes!”
After standout performances by both athletes during a lengthy XCO World Cup season, Candice and Tyler found little trouble in wrapping their racing year up with a victorious FNB Wines2Whales bow.
PINOTAGE
The epitome of E-bike power began with some of the most challenging weather conditions in recent W2W history. Three teams riding under a striking CIOVITA x Giant x Devil's Peak collaboration, equipped with a fleet of premium bicycles from Giant were fiercely challenged from start to finish, battling their way through mud, rain and even hail throughout the first stage. While Stage 2 and Stage 3 provided its own challenges, the teams of Pinner and the Pretender, Team SHEovita, and the working class heroes team from CIOVITA Head Office eventually reached the beautiful new finish line at Benguela Cove, with a cold Devil's Peak in hand and war stories to tell.
All three teams reveled in the challenge and took the opportunity to engage with their fellow riders outside of the day-today office pressures! Karlien Robertson, CIOVITA'S Design Executive, completed her first stage race with a smile on her face. "Participating in W2W was an unforgettable experience, marking my first MTB stage race event. This race held particular significance as it allowed me to experience the event from a rider’s perspective rather than as an event partner, giving me a firsthand connection with the course, the challenges, and the camaraderie of fellow cyclists. Riding in CIOVITA's high-performance kit was invaluable, especially in the face of intense weather conditions, providing the comfort I needed to fully enjoy each stage of the journey."
Alex Bester, also a W2W newbie and CIOVITA systems engineer, added, "It was such an incredible experience to ride W2W. The highlight for me was the GEES within the CIOVITA team on and off the bike. It was awesome being able to cheer for the SHEovita team when they even made it onto the podium on Day 1. Looking back at the event now, I feel closer with the team as a result of enduring through each stage together."
SHIRAZ
The final weekend saw drier trails and a surge of fast-paced racing, with the UCI men setting an unbelievable pace weaving through beautiful farmland and winding single tracks. The field was stacked with some of the world's most impressive mountain bikers who displayed raw power in spectacular fashion.
Although UCI contenders grabbed spectator and media attention alike, the remainder of the field didn't go down without a fight, one of the firm crowd favourite teams being Versus | SSC's Jurgens Uys and Matt Daneel.
Jurgens, the co-founder of Versus, explained that "FNB Wines2Whales was an incredible experience for Matt and me this year. Racing each day in our magenta bibs and custom Versus x CIOVITA team kit, we definitely didn’t make it easy on ourselves with such a bold kit—standing out as much as we did put a bit of a target on our backs! Regardless, we gave it everything, spending every ounce of energy to push as hard and fast as we could. Sometimes, our pacing wasn't perfect, and we’d find ourselves limping to the finish, but we wouldn’t change a thing. For us, there’s no conservative approach; it’s all or nothing, and we wouldn’t have it any other way."
Matt, the longest standing CIOVITA ambassador, was very excited about his new kit, "The comments (and there were many) regarding the colour of the Magenta Velocé Bibs were so positive. We were told by many that we had worn THE best outfit of all of W2W events.
After 9 days of FNB Wines2Whales 2024 - we're reminded of the thrill of getting on a bicycle and getting out there, going around the block for the first time or sprinting for the finish line packed with spectators, cycling has the power to put a smile on everyone's face. With a big thanks to everyone involved from trail builders to registration teams, committed event partners to those involved in the massive logistics of putting on a spectacular race year after year - we thank you and cannot wait to feel the gees again next year!
