May's floods wrecked roads and bridges through the Baviaanskloof, so the 2026 Trans Baviaans will run an altered route from Willowmore to Jeffreys Bay — with an earlier start and shifted checkpoints.
The Trans Baviaans has always sold itself on the Baviaanskloof's raw, remote gravel — but that's exactly what May's floods tore up. Road and bridge infrastructure through the reserve took enough damage that organisers have had to plot an alternative course from Willowmore to Jeffreys Bay for the 8 August 2026 running, rather than risk sending riders onto compromised crossings deep in the kloof.
The practical knock-on is a start time shifted two hours earlier, from the traditional 10am to 8am, so riders reach the rougher, less-familiar sections of the alternative route in daylight. Checkpoints are moving off their long-standing 93km, 123km, 140km and 172km marks too, repositioned ahead of climbs and technical sections on the new course rather than where the old route made them convenient. For riders who've done this race before on muscle memory alone, this is the year to actually study the GPX file.
Source: Trans Baviaans
“The ethos of the Trans Baviaans will remain unchanged.”
Frequently asked questions
Why has the Trans Baviaans route changed for 2026? +
May 2026 flooding damaged roads and bridges in the Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve, making the traditional route impassable, so organisers plotted an alternative course from Willowmore to Jeffreys Bay.
When will the exact 2026 route be published? +
At least a week before race day, along with GPX navigation files for riders to load onto their bike computers.
Has the start time changed? +
Yes — 2026 starts at 8am instead of the traditional 10am, to give riders daylight on the rougher alternative sections.
