South Africa’s Ryan Gibbons delivered one of the most memorable Cape Town Cycle Tour performances in recent history on Sunday, storming to victory in the 48th edition of the iconic 109km UCI Gran Fondo World Championship qualifying race around the Cape Peninsula with a blistering sprint finish.
Gibbons, racing for Fly Cool Collective, crossed the line in 2:33:06 — just milliseconds ahead of mountain biking crossover star Jaedon Terlouw, who matched the same gun time in second. Under-23 standout Ryno Schutte completed an all-South African men’s podium, finishing a single second back in 2:33:07. Callum Ormiston, who had boldly launched the breakaway that shaped the race, came home fourth in 2:33:08 after the leading group reeled him in during the closing kilometres.
The 31-year-old Gibbons, who retired from professional European racing in October 2025 to spend more time with his family, described the win as a bucket-list achievement.
“I may have celebrated a bit early, and Jaedon nearly came around me,” s smiling Gibbons commented afterwards. “But taking the victory is so special. It’s great to be back here in South Africa, to be part of the local cycling community again. It has grown and strengthened so much in the last decade. Winning the Cape Town Cycle Tour is massive for any South African, and for me in particular, because it was the big South African race missing from my palmarès.”
In the women’s elite 109 kilometres race fellow South African Erin Kate Shillaw, 23, added her name to the roll of honour with a dominant solo victory margin of three minutes, stopping the clocking at 2:56:43. Chasers Sanet Coetzee and Katerina Slegrova battled for the remaining podium steps in the final kilometre, with Soetzee finishing second in 2:59:43.
In the shorter women’s medio fondo race, 78 kilometres, Lisa Bone of South Africa took top honors with a sprint victory of her own, clocking in at 2:06:26. Russia’s Daria Pravilova took second, while American Kate Courtney, the reigning mountain bike marathon world champion, rounded out the podium in third.
South African teenagers ruled the medio men’s race, with U17 rider Zander Wilken edging Tristan Mc Given in 2:04:29, followed by Riley Van Der Walt a few minutes later.
With approximately 30,000 riders tackling the challenging climbs of South Africa’s Cape Peninsula — including Chapman’s Peak and Suikerbossie — the Cape Town Cycle Tour once again lived up to its reputation as the world’s largest timed cycling event. Sunday’s edition delivered drama, heartbreak, and worthy champions.
Competitors finishing in the top 25% of their age/gender category qualified to participate in the 2026 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Niseko, Japan next August.
Complete 2026 Cape Town Cycle Tour results HERE
Photo Credit: Facebook/cycletour
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