Honeycomb 226ers Own Wines2Whales

The FNB Wines2Whales race is built on shared effort, switchbacks, and that grin you get when the trail finally tips your way. Recently, Honeycomb 226ers lived that spirit across three lively days from Oak Valley to Lourensford, where Marc Pritzen and Switzerland’s Felix Stehli claimed the overall lead on Stage 1, absorbed the drama of Stage 2, and finished the job on Sunday, 9 November, with a composed Stage 3 win.

Stage 3 covered 63 kilometres of Elgin Valley singletrack, the Eikenhof Dam loop, and the historic Gantouw Pass portage. Pritzen and Stehli set the pace to the portage, descended with control, and never let the chasers close the gap, stopping the clock in 2:21:26. Their three-day total of 6:55:52 sealed the Shiraz title by 4 minutes 38 seconds over Buff Megamo, with PYGA Euro Steel moving up to third overall after a strong final push. It was clean, clever racing that turned consistency into the leaders’ jerseys and a win that means a lot to our team.

There was late heartbreak for Imbuko ChemChamp when Marco Joubert crashed near the finish and fractured his clavicle. It was hard to watch and a reminder that even on the happiest weekends, courage sometimes carries a price. Beyond the elite podium, W2W once again showed why it is more than a race. It brings riders together, it rewards teamwork, and it sends everyone home with a story. We are proud of Marc and Felix, proud of the crew behind them, and grateful for the support that helped make this yellow-jersey weekend possible.

Results snapshot:

• Stage 3 Men: 

1) Honeycomb 226ers 2:21:26

2) PYGA Euro Steel (+39s) 

3) Buff Megamo (+1:49)

• GC Men: 

1) Honeycomb 226ers 6:55:52

2) Buff Megamo (+4:38) 

3) PYGA Euro Steel (+5:39)

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