Two in a row for Stedman, Preen strikes again

Travis Stedman (Toyota Specialized Imbuko) and Hayley Preen (ChemChamp Honeycomb) won Stage 5 of Nedbank Gravel Burn 2026 at the remote orange windmill near Gwanishi Burn Camp on Thursday. In both general classifications, the leaders have under a minute’s margin over their nearest rivals.

The 400-strong field set off on a 128km stage with 1 050m of climbing that looked like a gradual downhill on the profile, but stats and graphics can deceive in the Great Karoo. The route followed the Great Fish River basin, and its relentless rolling roads offered no respite from start to finish – it’s like they were made for attacks.

After a wide variety of roads and surfaces, a sharp climb appeared at 107km, the Toyota Power Climb, before the race crossed host farmer Cole’s dairy lands to a remote finish at the orange windmill. From there, a 7km liaison took riders into Gwanishi. Coming off the Karoo plateau where the scrubby landscape gives way to the greener subtropical thicket of game country, as we approach the race’s final chapter.

Stedman sprinted to his second stage win of the week ahead of teammate Jaedon Terlouw (Toyota Specialized Imbuko), with Filippo Colombo (SCOTT-SRAM) third. Preen claimed her second stage win of the race, outsprinting Orange Jersey wearer Nele Laing (Canyon DT Swiss ATR) and Clara Koppenburg (Tudor Pro Cycling) after 128km of racing.

Beers and Laing both keep their respective GC leads, going into the penultimate stage of Nedbank Gravel Burn 2026. Nickolas Zukowsky (Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling) and Laing kept their Toyota Power Climber Jerseys, and Toyota Specialized Imbuko and Canyon DT Swiss ATR still top the leaderboard in the Teams Classification.

MEN

Riders in the Pro Men’s category correctly predicted Stage 5 would be fast. The front group averaged 40km/h over 128km of rolling roads and farm dual track.

“We knew ahead of time it would be fast,” said Beers. “The speed makes the racing very positive because the group works together for a common goal.”

The early pace was relentless. “The start was super-fast, even faster than yesterday,” said Stedman. “The dual track was loose and needed a lot of concentration.”

Georg Egger (Orbea Speed Company) spent most of the day on the front as a break containing Eddy Le Huitouze (The Grip), Lawrence Naesen (Orbea Mafia), Jasper Ockeloen, (Canyon DT Swiss ATR 1) and Daniel Loubser (Freewheel Cycology) went up the road, but the GC contenders weren’t overly concerned. Beers and his rivals brought them back on the Toyota Power Climb section, where a new group formed at the front of the race.

Stedman was among those distanced on the climb. “I got dropped on the Toyota climb. I didn’t have the pace to hold on,” he said. “But I chased and got back on.”

The rough roads took their toll when Stedman’s teammate Marco Joubert (Toyota Specialized Imbuko) crashed on a fast descent. “It’s never nice seeing a teammate crash. I hope he’s going to be okay,” said Stedman shortly after the finish. Joubert abandoned the race, and is recovering well.

With 5km to go, the lead group knew the stage would be decided in a sprint. Toyota Specialized Imbuko had numbers in the bunch, and Beers took on the lead-out. A slight drag to the line suited Stedman, who unleashed a 1 300-watt sprint launching his 60kg ahead of the group to take the win ahead of teammate Terlouw, with Colombo third, Beers fourth and Tristan Nortje (Toyota Specialized Imbuko) fifth.

“The slight drag up to the finish suited me well,” said Stedman. “My confidence is high, and being around my teammates is helping me feel really good.”

Beers tried to use his power to carry momentum into the finish, but it just wasn’t enough to beat Stedman. “The smaller roadies have a huge kick,” he said. Colombo was full of praise for his rival. “It’s like the limit doesn’t exist with Matt,” he said.

For Terlouw, local knowledge is proving as valuable as form. “Looking after your equipment is proving to be essential,” he said, referring to the impact the road surfaces have on the racing and the bicycles.

“Being local, and the Europeans not knowing it out here, gives us an advantage.”

Although Toyota Specialized and Toyota Specialized Imbuko race as separate teams, there’s an element of collaboration when it comes to helping Beers, the best-placed rider under the Toyota Specialized brands, defend his title.

“We try to race as a unit. All the guys are up there on GC, and it’s our goal to stay up there. We want Matt to win,” said Stedman.

“The Team Classification will attract more gravel teams. It’s really hard to work as a team out here, but the different dynamic adds an exciting new element.”

Beers knows the job isn’t done yet. “It was a rough stage, but a good day out. There’s not a lot of terrain to make up time, but there’s so much that can still happen, so you need to take each day carefully and balance that with racing hard,” he said.

“There’s not much in it, same as last year, so the last two days will be stressful. But I’ve been in this situation before, and I just need to get it done.”

WOMEN

The Pro Women’s race, started steadily, “We rolled easy for the first two hours,” said Laing.

Nathalie Eklund (58&fam) took advantage of a lull in pace and went clear early, spending over 80km alone off the front. Once the race reached the farm dual track, attrition whittled the field to a select few ahead of the Toyota Power Climb section.

“When we hit the dual track, it got more spicy,” said Laing. Koppenburg admitted she had been eyeing the climb all day, and that is where she made her move. Here, she tore the race apart and only Preen and Laing could follow. The trio caught and passed Eklund on the climb.

“It was really hard, and we had to stop pedalling for a second or two to breathe,” said Preen. Preen and Laing crossed the top of the Power Climb together, but Preen had started the climb further back, and therefore posted the fastest time in the segment. She moves to within five points of Laing in the Toyota Power Climb standings.

With only two stages left, Koppenburg was aiming to put time into fourth-placed Olivia Hottinger (SCOTT-SRAM) and secure her third place on GC. She drove the pace for much of the remaining distance, with little help from her companions.

“Clara wanted to pull time out of Olivia, so she worked very hard,” said Preen. “The last few climbs were more challenging than I expected, and I was suffering quite a bit because Clara was so strong.”

The trio kept the pace high while knowing it would come down to a sprint. Laing sat at the back of the group, but it was Preen who opened the sprint early in the dip before the finish and held on to the line. Laing took second, losing a second to Preen, while Koppenburg did not contest the sprint and rolled in third.

“I knew I would be stronger than Nele in the sprint,” said Preen. “I started my sprint early in the dip and just sent it to the line. It’s super cool to get another stage win, because it’s so different to the last one. I’m really happy.”

Preen was in good humour about her chances of a GC win. “The gap is only 55 seconds now. I gained a second today, so maybe I only need another 55 stages,” she joked. “I don’t have plans. I’m taking every day as it comes, because you never know what can happen.”

Laing was happy to hold onto the Orange Jersey. “I’m really happy to keep the jersey for another day,” she said.

“The surfaces were a mix of smooth gravel and farm dual track. It was a bit tricky at times and sometimes washed out, so you had to have your wits about you. After the conditions and terrain over the past few days, I can say this is a true South African gravel race. I’m enjoying it, and it’s fun.”

Koppenburg was just as happy with third. “The whole race was great,” she said. “I didn’t sprint, but I’m super happy. When I think about my plan, third feels as good as first. I’m feeling super strong for the next two days, and my confidence is high.”

Stage 5 Results:

Pro Men

Travis Stedman • Toyota Specialized Imbuko | 3:13:31

Jaedon Terlouw • Toyota Specialized Imbuko | 3:13:31 (+0:00)

Filippo Colombo • SCOTT-SRAM | 3:13:32 (+0:01)

Pro Women

Hayley Preen • ChemChamp Honeycomb | 3:54:30

Nele Laing • Canyon DT Swiss ATR | 3:54:31 (+0:01)

Clara Marie Koppenburg • Tudor Pro Cycling | 3:54:33 (+0:03)

General Classification After Stage 5:

Pro Men

Matthew Beers • Toyota Specialized | 14:07:40