Alan Hatherly and Hayley Preen started their 2026 seasons with stellar victories in the Momentum Medical Scheme Attakwas Extreme, presented by Biogen. The 120-kilometre race from Chandelier Game Lodge, near Oudtshoorn, to the Pine Creek Resort, in Great Brak, featured a revised route that lent itself to faster times, aided by cool weather on Saturday, the 17th of January.
Revised Route Drives Faster Racing
Dryland Event Management estimated that removing two infamously rocky climbs within the first 40 kilometres would keep riders on their bikes and speed up the course. For the UCI Men, the expectation was a 15-minute gain, though that proved conservative.
“I think the smoother opening kilometres helped us stay fresh longer,” Marc Pritzen said. “Last year we went hard on the climbs and then sat up; this year we kept a consistent pace,” Hatherly added.
Fast Start Shapes the Men’s Race
“Normally it would take us 1 hour 45 to 1:50 to the first feed zone,” Tristan Nortje noted. “This year, we were there in under 90 minutes.” Just before that point, Nortje punctured and lost over two minutes, ending his chances at the front.
Marc Pritzen surged on the King of the Mountain climb, cresting it with only Hatherly, Wessel Botha, and later Andreas Seewald in contention. Seewald recovered from a puncture to rejoin the leaders, while Travis Stedman crashed heavily and dropped out of the front group.
Hatherly Attacks for the Win
With 20 kilometres remaining, Hatherly attacked on the second-last climb and quickly opened a gap. “We could just not bring him back,” Botha admitted. Despite fading slightly in the closing kilometres, Hatherly held on to win in 4:25:10, a new benchmark time on the updated course. Pritzen finished second, 23 seconds back, ahead of Botha, with Seewald fourth and Nortje fifth.
Preen Takes Control in Women’s Race
In the UCI Women’s race, a fast opening saw a group of 10 riders reach the Queen of the Mountain climb together. “It was exciting, and the bunch stayed together for longer,” Samantha Sanders said.
Preen attacked on the climb as planned and later regrouped with Sanders and Bianca Haw. After working together for nearly 30 kilometres, Preen attacked again on a steep climb with around 30 kilometres to go and rode away solo.
“I felt really strong this year,” Preen said. “That’s probably the biggest reason why my time is so much better.” She won in 5:33:07, nearly 50 minutes faster than her 2025 ride, with Sanders second and Haw third.
The revised Attakwas Extreme route delivered faster racing, decisive attacks, and benchmark performances, providing Alan Hatherly and Hayley Preen with emphatic victories and an ideal launchpad for their 2026 seasons.
