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14–18 Apr, 2026See Race Details4Islands Epic
Which event is for me?
While there are hundreds of reasons to ride, you only have one tough decision to make, which event to enter?
FNB Wines2Whales boasts three events within its umbrella of races, the Chardonnay, the Pinotage and the Shiraz. But which is the right one for you? Read on to find out…
This FNB Wines2Whales will take mountain bikers on an exhilarating route, packed with singletrack, from Lourensford Wine Estate to Benguela Cove. Over the course of three days, you will ride nearly 200 kilometres and conquer 4000 metres of climbing. Each of the three events, starting with the Chardonnay, will complete the same course, meaning that the route does not account for any differences between the races.
The individualities of each are defined rather by who the racing focus is placed upon…
The Chardonnay Women’s Weekend
Race Dates: 31 October - 2 November 2025
Racing Categories: Elite and Age Group Women
The FNB W2W festivities get underway with the Chardonnay race on Friday the 31st of October. You don’t have to be a racing focused woman to enter, but you have to be okay with them getting all the attention. For the elite women the prize purse – the largest for any three-day event in South Africa – is a major draw. As is the prestige and media attention garnered by a stellar result. For the age-category contenders there are prizes, of course, but more importantly the coveted CIOVITA leaders’ jerseys are awarded to the category leaders at the end of each stage.
Men, for whom the first race dates work best, can enjoy a weekend of flying under the radar. With no real pressure to race it could be a good opportunity to enjoy the trails, the hospitality and maybe even the Chill Zone a little more than you usually would. The Chardonnay is great fun for all!
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The Electric Pinotage
Race Dates: 3-5 November 2025
Racing Categories: E-Bike Men, E-Bike Women, and E-Bike Mixed
E-Bikes have become increasingly popular on the trails and to meet that demand FNB W2W introduced an E-Bike Tour and an E-Bike Race in the mid-week Pinotage event. Last year even saw the then reigning E-Bike World Champion, Joris Ryf, blitz the trails. For those who want to push the limits of mountain biking technology and race their E-Bikes flat out then the Pinotage is the place to be. But there is also space for the relaxed E-Bike tourers. If you are taking your first steps into stage racing, aboard an E-Bike then join the electric Pinotage adventure.
Starting in the final group the E-Bike Tourers will have the freedom of the trails and will even be able to book a shuttle to avoid hike-a-biking the Gantouw Pass portage. Analogue bike riders in the Pinotage will benefit from the relaxed mid-week atmosphere and less congestion in the singletracks, as well as in the meal and bathroom queues – as the race has historically featured fewer teams than the weekend events.
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The Sintilating Shiraz
Race Dates:7-9 November 2025
Racing Categories:Elite and Age Group Men, Elite Mixed, Exxaro Jersey Men and Women
The FNB W2W action crescendos at the Shiraz on the final weekend of the three-race festival of mountain biking. The elite men’s teams headline the show and have over the years put on stellar performances for mountain biking fans. 2025 is likely to be no different, especially with the large prize purse up for grabs for the winning team. Because South Africans love racing the age category men’s teams are highly competitive at the Shiraz too, as is the Mixed category. The most fiercely contested sub-competition is the Exxaro Jersey battle however.
For the less competitive among you the reasons to ride the Shiraz are simple. You get to rub shoulders in the race village with South Africa’s top riders . The atmosphere in the race village also tends to take on an end of season vibe, with a carefree collegiate spirit setting in.
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