The toughest single-day mountain bike race in South Africa is celebrating its 20th birthday with a birthday gift to riders: a slightly kinder, definitely quicker course for the 2026 Momentum Medical Scheme Attakwas Extreme, presented by Biogen.
Still nicknamed the “Hell of the South”, the iconic January suffer-fest from the Klein Karoo to the Garden Route coast will be 120 km long (down from 124 km) with 2 650 m of climbing (250 m less than 2025). Race organiser Dryland Event Management believes the tweaks will produce the fastest winning times in the race’s history when guns fire on 17 January 2026.
Back to the Original Attakwaskloof Approach
For the anniversary edition, organisers are reviving the classic northern entry into the feared Attakwaskloof Pass via the Safranriver Valley. Riders will roll past the atmospheric ruins of the old Blue Hotel and the stone horse stalls used by ox-wagon travellers more than a century ago.
Two notoriously rocky climbs between Water Points 1 and 2 have been cut, replaced by flowing farm roads through towering proteas on Goeie Hoop Farm and a brand-new purpose-built singletrack that runs parallel to the Robinson Pass road. The result? A smoother, faster first half that lets riders save matches for the infamous “rollers” in the final 50 km to Great Brak.
Records in the Crosshairs
The men’s course record stands at 4:46:22 (Wessel Botha, 2021) and the women’s mark at 5:25:55 (Annika Langvad, 2017). With cooler January weather, modern bikes, better nutrition and the friendlier routing, both marks look vulnerable.
“We’ve made the opening kilometres significantly easier and more ridable,” says Dryland’s Henco Rademeyer. “But make no mistake – the Attakwaskloof climb and those endless bumps from Bonniedale to the finish are still there. This race will still hurt, it will just hurt slightly faster.”
Perfect Timing for First-Timers
A record 24% of the 2026 field will be Attakwas rookies, lured by the less brutal start and the promise of finishing with the toughest day of the year already behind them in January.
Water Points 1 and 2 arrive earlier (21 km and 40 km), but the gap to WP3 stretches to 26 km, with only a refreshment table at the King/Queen of the Mountain hotspot (55 km). Organisers will strictly enforce the two-bottle or hydration-pack rule when leaving Safranriver.
Entries for the full Extreme close on 9 January 2026 (R2 700, late fee applies after 30 Nov). The family-friendly Half (47 km) and Mini (32 km) remain open until race morning and welcome e-bikes.
Still South Africa’s ultimate early-season leg-breaker, just a little less evil at 20 years old.
