The Grind
📍 Gauteng, South Africa
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa · 5–7 May 2027
Difficulty: 4/5 — Very hard
Covering 270 kilometers over three action-packed days, this legendary South African mountain bike stage race takes riders from the high Drakensberg mountains down to the coast of the Indian Ocean. The route features a mix of fast farm roads, native forest singletrack, and a major descent into the Umkomaas Valley.
Visit official site →It is designed for mountain bikers who love scenic, multi-day point-to-point adventures and appreciate a highly supportive community atmosphere.
Riders with poor technical descending skills or those who haven't trained for back-to-back days of over 85 kilometers in the saddle will struggle significantly.
Prioritize long, consecutive endurance rides on gravel and singletrack to prepare your body for the physical toll of three straight days of racing.
Compare your W/kg to see how you stack up against this race's typical level — and which races fit you best right now.
The standard KAP sani2c is a three-day mountain bike stage race spanning a total of 270 kilometers.
Yes, e-bikes are accommodated and catered for specifically during the 'OG' version of the three-day race.
The race starts on a sheep farm near Sani Pass in the southern Drakensberg, crosses midland farms and forests, drops down into the Umkomaas Valley, and finishes on the beaches of Scottburgh next to the Indian Ocean.
Stage 1 is 89 km with 1,027 meters of climbing; Stage 2 is approximately 92 km with about 1,600 meters of climbing; Stage 3 is 86 km with 1,042 meters of climbing.
Yes, there is a point-to-point endurance marathon called the 'sani2c nonstop' which covers 256 kilometers along much of the same route within a 24-hour time limit.
📍 Gauteng, South Africa
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