South Africa's Eastern Cape has quietly become one of gravel cycling's most intriguing stages, and the 2026 Nedbank Gravel Burn just made the case again. The seven-day race covered 750km from the historic Karoo town of Graaff-Reinet to the finish at Shamwari Private Game Reserve, pulling an international field into a part of the country most tourists never see.
The racing had a home-grown ending. Matthew Beers defended his men's title, while Nele Laing took the overall win in the women's competition after a week of demanding stages across remote gravel roads and mountain passes. Both South Africans finished on top of a route that winds through the vast, open spaces of the Karoo — wide skies, dusty tracks and long climbs that test endurance as much as bike handling.
But the organisers and title sponsor Nedbank were keen to stress that the event is more than a results table. Riders camp and travel together for a full week, forming a mobile community of endurance sport fans from around the world. The route itself doubles as a tour of landscapes overlooked by conventional tourism: forgotten farming districts, Karoo villages and private reserves that sit well off the usual garden route-and-safari circuit.
There's a social side too. Through its Trail Angels programme and a partnership with The Sports Trust, the event funds grassroots inclusion in sport and aims to open doors for young South African athletes. Nedbank's Kensani Nobanda framed it as the bank using its reach to showcase the country to a global audience — and to leave something behind after the finish line.
For travellers, the takeaway is less about the podium and more about the region. The Eastern Cape's gravel network offers some of the most accessible wilderness riding in the world, and the race's start and finish points make a great DIY itinerary: Graaff-Reinet, one of South Africa's oldest towns, sits on the edge of the Camdeboo, while Shamwari offers a Big Five safari finish. Even if you're not racing 750km, the route ideas, villages and scenery between the two are worth stealing for a self-guided trip — by bike or by car.
