WELCOME
THE RACE WITH SERIOUS GEES!
Welcome to the 2025 FNB Wines2Whales Switchback!
The 2025 FNB Wines2Whales Switchback marks the third edition of this now much-loved format – though if you remember 2023, you’ll know the September floods gave us a proper curveball! We had to swap out Stage 1 from Hermanus to Oak Valley for a quick Lourensford loop…but hey, we made it work (as us South Africans always do!).
This year, though – ja, this one’s lekker. We’ve nailed a few crucial combos that make this Switchback the best yet.
Stage 1 kicks off at Benguela Cove, with world-class facilities and views that’ll make you want to stop for a photo or two. The first 12kms are brand-new, with gentle climbs on open gravel roads like Jan en Alien se paaie, showing off ocean and mountain views that remind you why we love to ride here.
Stage 2, our famous Play Day, keeps all the fun you know and love – plus a few new surprises. There’s a full-on spectator festival at the Paul Cluver Amphitheatre, with two water points and a trail section crossing the stage itself. Near the Oak Valley finish, the brand-new Wave Runner brings together surfing and MTB – six massive dry land waves ready for you to test “ride” the afternoon before Stage 2 – right next to the public parking at the race village!
Stage 3 brings a handful of fresh trails that fit the Switchback theme perfectly – including the beautifully restored 1901 railway bridge over the Palmiet River. Then it’s time for the biggest hit of them all: heading down Gantouw, where gravity becomes your new tailwind.
Finish it all off with the new Vergelegen river trail, a Cowboy Saloon stop, and those magic Lourensford lines – capped by Schoemans, the sculpted downhill that’s just pure GEES on two wheels honestly.
As always, a massive thanks to Cape Trails and all our landowners who make this race possible year after year. We’ve packed in plenty of on-route surprises to make sure your 2025 FNB W2W GEES is alive, loud, and lekker!
Stay fit, stay safe, and have fun out there!
Adios,
JK
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The 2025 FNB W2W Rider Manual
This digital handbook is your guide to the 2025 FNB Wines2Whales Switchback. Whether you’re a returning rider or a newbie, this manual is designed to provide you with valuable information, tips and essential know-how to make sure you have an enjoyable riding experience.
Inside, you’ll find everything from the daily schedule, route profiles, race services and much more! We encourage you to read this manual thoroughly and use it as a valuable resource as you prepare for the event as well as over the 3 days you are with us. Get ready to gear up and clip in to embark on a memorable journey from the coast in Hermanus to Lourensford Wine Estate!
The 2025 FNB W2W Theme Song
“Shotgun” by George Ezra, JK’s favourite tune, is the 2025 race theme song. Perfectly capturing the gees of our race – fast, free, and full of life.
With its upbeat rhythm and lyrics about rolling through sunshine and open roads, it mirrors the rush of riders flying down trails, surrounded by flashes of green and gold. Just like Ezra sings, “I’ll be riding shotgun, underneath the hot sun,” this race is all about freedom, fun, and living in the moment and of course bringing all the GEES while doing that!