Photos by Anthony Grote, Kelvin Trautman, Maryann Shaw and Action Photo SA 

Entries for the 2027 KAP sani2c are open, and while race week is still months away, the riders who get the most from the experience are often those who commit early. Entering isn’t just about securing a race number – it creates a goal, provides motivation through months of training and helps build towards a more enjoyable and rewarding sani2c.

Whether you’re aiming to improve on a previous performance, tackle a route you’ve always dreamed of riding, or simply experience one of South Africa’s most iconic mountain bike stage races, entering now is the first step towards making 2027 your best sani2c yet.

Another sani favourite is choosing which line you will take across the PG Bison bridges on day 1

Why enter now?

For many riders, the simple act of entering creates momentum.

“Once you’ve entered and committed, a switch flips in your brain.”

“Once you’ve entered and committed, a switch flips in your brain. Your psyche changes because you’ve now entered, you’ve committed, and you know you need to get the training done. That’s a big part of sani2c, I think,” says sani2c founder Farmer Glen Haw.

Haw knows a thing or two about endurance events, having completed 39 Dusi Canoe Marathons, ten Comrades Marathons, four ABSA Cape Epics and countless other mountain bike races.

Payment plans for KAP sani2c 2027

An easy way to add a sani2c entry to your budget is to use the sani2c payment plan. You can pay for your sani2c entry in as many months as you’d like, through automatic monthly payments. Payments must be complete by the end of March if utilising this option, so get your entry in July and pay in eight separate installments, or sign up in September and pay over 6 months. 

Know what you are training for 

Part of the motivation to prepare comes from knowing what awaits on the trail.

For more than two decades, sani2c has earned a reputation as one of South Africa’s most sought-after stage races. Riders descend through indigenous forests, carve through flowing singletrack and experience some of the country’s most memorable mountain biking terrain on the journey from the foothills of the Drakensberg to the KwaZulu-Natal coast.

The ‘Umko Drop’ is at the top of many a rider’s bucket list

Few sections capture that magic quite like the descent into the Umkomaas Valley. Among South African mountain bikers, it has become one of those bucket-list trails that everyone should experience at least once. 

Why riders keep coming back

sani2c is about more than kilometres on the bike and finish times. It is the partnerships formed on the trail, overcoming challenges together, the shared experience of spectacular scenery and the sense of accomplishment that comes from completing a really tough journey from the foothills of the Drakensberg to the KwaZulu-Natal coast. It is a race, but it is also an adventure. And for many participants, it becomes an annual tradition.

Wide open spaces, spectacular scenery and the flow of the trails

Flavio Scarpa lived most of his life in the Umkomaas area, not far from the Scottburgh finish of sani2c. He entered the first sani2c in 2005 and has never missed the event, despite his move to Italy in 2023. 

“It’s the people, the food, and the course…”

“I would have serious FOMO if I was sitting in Italy,” says Flavio Scarpa, who rode the inaugural sani2c in 2005 and has returned every year since. “It’s the people, the food and the course. As long as I can ride, I’ll be back.”

Flavio Scarpa after the 2023 KAP sani2c – he has completed all 22 editions of the event

Why preparation is key

One of the reasons sani2c continues to attract thousands of riders every year is that success means different things to different people. For some, it’s a podium finish. For others, it’s a personal best. For many, it’s simply crossing the finish line knowing they’ve conquered one of the country’s most celebrated mountain biking experiences.

Fitness matters, but so do technical skills, nutrition, bike setup, recovery and consistency. Riders who arrive prepared for the climbs, confident on the descents and comfortable spending long days in the saddle invariably enjoy the experience more.

As Haw explains:

“People aspire to do hard things, and sani2c is a hard thing. It’s not your average bike ride. It’s purposely made to be hard so that you have to train to do well and feel satisfied at the finish. If you’re going to ride sani2c and you enter early, you get the full experience of joining a training programme, going out and doing a lot of rides, becoming super fit, and then having that satisfaction of really achieving something.”

Amanda Twyman discovered exactly that when she prepared for her first sani2c with the Trail Angels in Cape Town.

“Jo and I were excited about sani2c for a long time before we got there. Every person we spoke to said, ‘It’s the best ride ever – you’re going to love it.’ At the same time, people warned us that you need to put in the training because it is tough.

“We were surprised by how challenging some sections were, but because we’d done the preparation we knew we were ready. The Trail Angels rides and camaraderie were a huge part of that journey. Having a supportive community around you makes all the difference when you’re working towards a goal like sani2c.”

Amanda rode her first sani2c this year – and experienced the thrill of being fully prepared for the ride of her life

New ways into the sani2c experience

Riders new to stage racing can look at the Sani Seeker, a two-day event hosted at Glencairn Farm from 19-20 September 2026. At the opposite end of the spectrum is sani2c nonstop, a single-push endurance challenge that tackles much of the iconic route through night riding, technical trails and serious physical demands.

Whether the goal is a podium finish, a personal best or simply reaching Scottburgh after three memorable days on the bike, the common thread among experienced sani2c riders is preparation. The earlier the commitment, the more time there is to build fitness, sharpen skills and enjoy the journey long before race week arrives.

Enter the 2027 KAP sani2c and conquer the Iconic Climb!

The 2027 Events

KAP sani2c Adventure: Wednesday 6 May to Friday 8 May 

KAP sani2c ‘OG’: Thursday 7 May to Saturday 9 May (with UCI Prologue 6 May)

 The 2027sani2c nonstop: 28-30 May.

That feeling of knowing you can claim your Unitrans Iconic socks!

READ MORE ON: mtb races SA races STAGE RACES