Team SA Race Recap from the 2026 Enduro World Championships, Italy
South Africa’s Eight-Rider Squad Makes Its Mark at the 2026 Enduro World Championships
South Africa lined up with eight riders at the 2026 Enduro World Championships, doubling the size of its squad from the four riders who represented the country two years ago and building on last year’s three-rider contingent. For a team with limited recent international racing experience across much of the squad, it was an opportunity to measure themselves against the world’s best – and they made it count. Across a demanding week in the mountains, the South Africans punched above their weight, gained invaluable experience and delivered some standout results. From top-10 stage finishes to a top-10 overall in the Junior Men, there was plenty to celebrate.
Leading the charge was Frankie Du Toit, who made her Enduro World Championships debut count with a top-10 finish on Stage 5, going on to secure an impressive 16th overall in the Elite Women’s category. Fellow debutant Jan ‘Bof’ Vreken also made an immediate impression, taking 10th overall in the Junior Men after finishing sixth on Stage 5 and ninth on Stage 1.
In the Elite Men, Keira Duncan delivered South Africa’s best-ever result in the category at an Enduro World Championships, finishing 39th overall. An eighth-place finish on Stage 3 was a particular highlight in a deep and competitive field.
It wasn’t all plain sailing, though. Junior National Champion Troy Cole had shown plenty of speed and control throughout training, but his race came to an unfortunate end after a crash on Stage 1. Thankfully, Troy was doing alright and made it to the finish to welcome his teammates home – a reminder that, in Enduro, fortunes can change in an instant.
Justin Deyzel also had a challenging lead-in to race day, battling illness during the week and unable to complete the full course in practice. Despite not yet being back to full strength, he dug deep across the stages to finish 26th in the Junior Men, with an 18th-place result on Stage 6 providing a bright spot. For Luca Zietsman, a heavy crash on Stage 1 made for a difficult start, but he battled on to complete the day. His perseverance paid off with a 77th-place finish on a stage – his best Elite stage result at a World-level enduro – and 82nd overall, also a career-best result at this level.
Matt Lombardi showed that the speed is still there, putting together a clean day in the mountains and securing two top-30 stage finishes on his way to 58th overall. It was his best Elite result at a World Enduro, another solid marker for the South African contingent. Rounding out the squad, Jason Boulle returned to racing after dislocating his shoulder and undergoing surgery earlier in the year. Getting through the day cleanly was a result in itself, and he came away with 72nd overall.
For a squad with relatively little recent international racing experience, the 2026 Enduro World Championships delivered far more than just a set of results. The team leaves with valuable time against the world’s best, several personal milestones and clear signs of what Saffas can do on the international stage. With eight riders on the start line and promising performances across the categories, it’s a strong platform to build on. Chapeau to all involved. Post-race, here’s what the riders had to say:
Jason Boulle: “I really am so grateful that my body was in a state to compete after the shoulder dislocation, and that I could share a week in Finale Ligure with Les and an epic crew of South African and international friends. I wasn’t expecting a big result from myself given what I was recovering from, I just wanted to put down some clean and solid runs and enjoy the time on the bike representing South Africa to the global mountain biking community, and I managed to do exactly that. Race Day was super demanding both physically and mentally. The Stages were technical, some of the most fitness-demanding I’ve ever raced, and required solid pacing not to blow up. I really loved Stage 1, as brutal as it was, and the rest each had their own character that made them awesome to race. I spent a lot of the day alongside Matt as we were seeded close together, and it was lekker to share that time on the bikes together again (a bit of a throwback to Trophy of Nations in 2019). I’m pleased with how I rode (even more so that I finished without any new injuries), but mostly was so stoked and proud for the South African crew and how they left it all out there in their own races! Hopefully next year we have a few more riders in the mix, some Junior Women on the squad would be so so cool, and the Enduro gees keeps on growing! Who knows, we might even have someone on the podium not long from now! I’m super grateful for the mass of support behind me from family, friends, and the brands that sponsor me! Keen to wrap up the Enduro season in Jonkershoek at the end of November and start a good build into 2027!“
Jan ‘Bof’ Vreken: “Jeez, what can you say after a day like that? I think the best way to put what was probably the best day of my life into words, is to talk you through it, so here we go. I woke up really believing that if i gave it my absolute all a top 25 could be possible, especially after the crazy week of training and the madness of practice day. Sitting in the shuttle on the way up to stage 1, reading all the messages of support from everyone including friends, family, competitors and even from my mom’s tennis team. It was really a surreal feeling knowing that all these people are watching and supporting me, and it made the nerves a bit more manageable. I had a lekker chat with some of the guys starting in front of me, and some friendly banter with Justin and Troy before we dropped in. Stage one was a rollercoaster is every way. I started off very well, feeling flowy and smooth. I hit the first climb really hard, and overtook the two guys in front of me. The trail gets progressively more rough and physical, and it’s by far the longest stage i’ve ever raced. About 10mins in I was feeling very tired, but I reached my “marker corner” that i had from practice that indicated I’m close to the finish, so it was time to empty the tank. I remember thinking that my hands aren’t nearly as tired as I’d want them to be at that stage, so i really started pushing hard. It ended up being a completely different corner, and after giving my all for about 2 minutes I started worrying that I completely overcooked myself. Luckily that was exactly when I hit my actual marker, and managed to just hold on, finishing the stage in 15 minutes and 38 seconds. At the finish Les and the rest of the SA supporters were cheering, telling me i’m 9th on the stage! At first I actually couldn’t believe it but on the climb up to stage 2 it started to sink in what i had just accomplished. That result really helped to stay positive the rest if the day, because in my eyes, the race was already a huge success. When Justin and I heard that Troy had crashed, i felt really really sorry for the guy, because I know what he’s capable of, but luckily I also know the man will come back stronger than ever!
Stage 2 was a big vibe. Not my strongest type of riding, but the chainsaw and crowds of people was a big highlight. I managed 18th on the stage, but stayed in 9th overall. On the long 2hr climb to stage 3 I read some more inspiring and supportive messages, and it got me suuuper hyped for the rest of the race. My fueling was a tiny bit off, and I feel very stupid about it now (rookie mistake) so I hit a bit of a bonk on the top of stage 3, but that’s racing. 22nd on the stage put me in 11th overall.
By this point I started realising that i could be on for a very special result if I just manage to stay in touch with the front guys on stage 4 and then strike on stage 5.
Stage 4 was super cool. I had a quick chat with my dad, and that helped a lot to get even more hyped (new hype level PR!) I made no mistakes on stage 4 and just stayed safe, not risking anything. 23rd on the stage, but I was only 5 seconds back from 10th. Perfect position to launch from.
Stage 5 was a really physical one, with 3 huge climbs, the middle one over a minute with a super steep and technical part in the middle. I took two gels, and locked innn! On the stage I gave it my absolute all. Stayed very smooth in the top corners and then buried myself on the climbs. On the very steep one i saw an Italian rider ahead and told myself “you will NOT let this guy beat you on the climb!” I pushed so so hard and eventually managed to beat the Italian! Afterwards I congratulated him and he told me “I saw you coming on the climb and i told myself, i will NOT let this guy pass me on the climb!”
I was rewarded with a 6th on the stage, and leapfrogged into 9th overall with one stage to go, a position I had never even dreamt myself of being in before! By this point Justin and I were so cooked. 7hrs in, everything was sore, we were just ready to start celebrating.
Climbing up to stage 6 I knew that I had to just make it to the finish safely. So far i’d had no mechanicals, no mistakes, just had to keep it clean to the finish. I had a 5 second buffer to the french guy behind me. Standing at the top of stage 6, DH Men, the most iconic stage in all of Enduro, I couldn’t help but feel stoked about how the day played out, how much work has gone into being there, and just all grateful for all the people who helped make it possible. And then I dropped in.
It was so sick, people everywhere, some amazing views, chainsaws, sirens, cheering and even some flares! I had a clean run, nailed all the lines, and gave the Czech guy who finished ahead of me a hug at the finish. I finished 15th on the stage, and 10th overall! Only 0.053 seconds behind 9th! Justin and I rolled to the finish, where we met up with Troy and eventually the rest of the SA squad. We had some gelato, went for a swim and celebrated a highly successful World Champs. Jeez, i get goosebumps just thinking of it now. What a crazy day! Can’t wait for next year!”
Keira Duncan: “Ligure brought my international season to a close in style! Having the opportunity to be out there flying the SA flag after a long, successful European season was incredible. Finale delivered some of the funnest and most challenging World Cup stages of the season. The mixture of terrain certainly tested me in every way. I’m really stoked with my performance, particularly on the shorter more technical stages, which suited me. I struggled on the long stages, not because they were long but because they had a lot of flat/ undulating terrain and some nasty hillclimbs that pushed me to my limits. Stage 5 was the most physical stage I’ve ever raced.
The highlight of my world champs experience was claiming 8th overall on stage 3, a result that I’m really proud of and believe is a good representation of my level of riding. The lowlight of champs for me was crashing on stage 4, a stage which I believe I could have posted another top 10 result. Overall, I gave it the best shot I could do on the day and am really stoked I could claim some proper stage results, and 39th overall against a stacked field of the world’s best.
A huge thanks goes out to PYGA Bikes, Leatt Protectives, NFB Wealth and Dovehouse Organics for the amazing support this season, I could not have done it without them. Along with the countless friends that have helped me get through the season. Onwards and upwards!”
Frankie Du Toit: “It was one of those unbelievable days on a bike that just make you super stoked that you can ride. The trails were really really good, conditions were great, not too hot, we were expecting a lot of rain, but nothing came, so we were very lucky. I felt really good, I felt strong, I fuelled properly and finished the day feeling good, which was really great. I had a few banger stages, which was quite unexpected and finished higher up than I was hoping for and expecting! So, all in all, a really lekker day for me and I’m really really stoked with how it came together and really cool to be there with the whole SA span!”
Luca Zietsman: “What a day! I was feeling great and ready for it. The bike was dialled, and Stage 1 started off really well. Unfortunately, a silly mistake resulted in a huge crash where I hit my head really hard, as well as my leg and arm. This cost me a lot of time, as I had to straighten my handlebars again. With that said, I still managed to get a decent stage result. As the day continued, my body started feeling worse and worse. I wanted to stop and call it a day; however, that’s not who I am. I don’t give up, so I pushed through. Surprisingly, I managed to keep things fairly consistent, ending the day with my best overall result ever! My last stage was also my fastest one of the day. I’m really stoked that I had the opportunity to represent South Africa at Worlds again for the third time in a row. I also had the best support from my family that I could ever ask for. Thank you to everyone around me who has supported me and helped make this possible. Proudly Mzansi!”
Justin Deyzel: “I really enjoyed the experience of racing internationally and getting to see what Enduro racing is like at the highest level. One of the things that surprised me most was just how fit the riders are on the world stage and how much fitness it takes to adapt to the demands of the race. My race went well in terms of riding smoothly, avoiding any big mistakes and keeping my bike in one piece throughout the day. All my equipment worked really well, and I didn’t have any mechanical problems.
Unfortunately, I got sick three days before the race, which affected my preparation quite a bit. I had to skip the track walks and could only practise about half of the stages. I still felt like I rode really well, considering the circumstances, but I was struggling to find the power on the climbs and felt quite weak from being sick. I managed to finish 26th in the world, which is encouraging for me and for South African Enduro. It shows that we can still put in good performances even when things don’t go perfectly. I also believe South Africa has a lot of upcoming talent that can adapt to international racing and compete at this level. Overall, it was a really valuable experience, and I’ve learnt a lot that I can take forward into the next season.”
| IMAGES: WeJustClick & Leslie Boulle | EDITOR-AT-LARGE: Jason Boulle |