Samantha Sanders and Alexis Skarda Win W2W Chardonnay
Samantha Sanders and Alexis Skarda won the 2026 FNB Wines2Whales Chardonnay for Efficient Infiniti Scott Shimano, breaking clear on the final climb of the final stage to overturn three days of sprint finishes and navigational errors and claim the title by 1 minute 33.6 seconds at Benguela Cove near Hermanus on Sunday, 8 November 2026.
The 2026 edition was the first FNB Wines2Whales to carry UCI S1 classification and the first to open with an Elite Women’s Prologue. Rider numbers grew significantly on 2025, with women’s participation up 20% year on year, and nearly 1 200 riders completed the three-day journey from Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset West to the coast.
The Prologue on Thursday evening set the pattern. Katažina Sosna-Pinelė and Giorgia Marchet of Torpado Kenda FSA edged Sanders and Skarda by 0.9 seconds in a sprint over two laps of a 9km circuit at Lourensford to take the first Ciovita orange leader jerseys, with Margot Moschetti and Costanza Fasolis of e-Fort third.
Stage 1 covered 61km and 1 400m of climbing from Lourensford to Oak Valley Estate in Elgin, with the Gantouw Pass portage the decisive feature. Sosna-Pinelė and Marchet opened nearly a minute on the rocky wagon trail, Sanders and Skarda clawed it back on the A-Z Trails, and the Lithuanian-Italian pair won a second sprint in as many days, this time by 0.4 seconds.
South Africans Sarah Maré and Lilian Baber of Efficient Infiniti Insure took third, 7 minutes 47 seconds back, ahead of e-Fort, Chloe Bishop and Malena Seer of Hollard x 1OF1, and marathon world champion Anna Weinbeer with Greete Steinburg.
The Oak Valley Play Day on Saturday turned the race. Skarda attacked before Vissie’s Magic, Sanders bridged across and the pair led by two minutes at the new PC Play Park. An overshot turn on a descent with 8km to go cost them most of that advantage, but 31 seconds on the stage was enough to take the orange jerseys by 29.6 seconds overall. Maré and Baber’s third place lifted Efficient Infiniti Insure into third on general classification ahead of e-Fort.
Sunday’s 63km finale from Oak Valley to Benguela Cove, with 1 100m of climbing, began with the top two separated by those 29.6 seconds. A stick in Marchet’s derailleur at the foot of Katpas briefly split the leaders, then a second navigational error by Sanders and Skarda near Beaumont Wines brought the teams back together at Water Point 2.
On the climb beside Karwyderskraal Road, around the 46km mark, Efficient Infiniti Scott Shimano finally broke the elastic and won the stage by 1 minute 4 seconds, with Maré and Baber third on the day and overall.
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“It is amazing. We have a really good dynamic, the racing was very close and I’m looking forward to the stages ahead,” said Skarda after the Prologue, words that held for the whole weekend.
The Chardonnay opened the FNB Wines2Whales trilogy, with the Pinotage race following from 9 to 11 November and the Shiraz from 13 to 15 November, both also finishing at Benguela Cove.
Final Elite Women’s General Classification after Stage 3 of the 2026 FNB Wines2Whales Chardonnay, at Benguela Cove on Sunday, 8 November 2026
1. Efficient Infiniti Scott Shimano: Samantha Sanders and Alexis Skarda, 9:33:37.3
2. Torpado Kenda FSA: Katažina Sosna-Pinelė and Giorgia Marchet, +1:33.6
3. Efficient Infiniti Insure: Sarah Maré and Lilian Baber, +20:58.4
4. e-Fort: Margot Moschetti and Costanza Fasolis, +23:51.9
5. KTM Spada Brenta Brakes SkoMotors: Anna Weinbeer and Greete Steinburg, +35:12.0
6. Fortress Toyota: Cherise Willet and Ila Stow, +39:50.1
7. Hollard x 1OF1: Chloe Bishop and Malena Seer, +40:14.3
8. Trail Angels 2: Lianke Fourie and Robyn Chapman, +48:13.9
9. Safari Essence Titan Racing: Danielle du Toit and Roxy Kemp, +53:36.3
10. Velo Kartell: Claudia Egginger and Lisa Mitterbauer, +54:17.2
Original Copy: The Epic Series, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: Samantha Sanders and Alexis Skarda of Efficient Infiniti Scott Shimano raise their bikes aloft after crossing the finish line to win the 2026 FNB Wines2Whales Chardonnay, the first UCI S1-classified edition of the stage race, by 1 minute 33.6 seconds over Torpado Kenda FSA, at Benguela Cove near Hermanus on Sunday, 8 November 2026. All Photos: Epic Series / Diwan Krige
Photo 2 Caption: Giorgia Marchet and Katažina Sosna-Pinelė of Torpado Kenda FSA cross the finish line for silver at Benguela Cove.
Photo 3 Caption: South Africans Sarah Maré and Lilian Baber of Efficient Infiniti Insure, third overall after three days of racing.
Crédito: Link de origem