The 2026 FNB Wines2Whales Chardonnay race opened on Thursday evening at Lourensford Wine Estate with a tidy little statement: the first-ever UCI Elite Women’s Prologue was never going to be a ceremonial roll-out. Torpado Kenda FSA’s Katazina Sosna and Giorgia Marchet took the win in a sprint finish, pulling on the first CIOVITA leader jerseys of the inaugural UCI S1-classified FNB Wines2Whales.
The Elite Women raced two laps of a fast, spectator-friendly 9-kilometre circuit, with 180 metres of climbing and the technical Pinot Steps section acting as the course’s sharp elbow. Short, punchy, and very public — exactly the kind of opener that can expose tired legs, nervous handling and team dynamics before the stage race has even properly unpacked its overnight bag.
Fast laps, sharp elbows
Anna Weinbeer was immediately active, driving the pace on the opening climb. But the Efficient Infiniti Scott Shimano pairing of Samantha Sanders and Alexis Skarda, plus Sosna and Marchet for Torpado Kenda FSA, stayed close enough to keep the move under control as Weinbeer repeatedly looked back for teammate Greete Steinburg, who was struggling to hold contact.
On the opening descent, Skarda was first through Pinot Steps, while Weinbeer had to ease off and wait for Steinburg after the Estonian lost touch on the first lap. By the end of lap one, three teams had marked themselves as the race-makers: Torpado Kenda FSA, Efficient Infiniti Scott Shimano and e-Fort.
The second lap trimmed the fight to two teams. Sanders and Skarda went head-to-head with Sosna and Marchet, with neither pairing able to snap the elastic before the line. In the final dash, Sosna and Marchet had the kick that counted, beating Skarda and Sanders to the Prologue win. Margot Moschetti and Costanza Fasolis of e-Fort finished third, keeping themselves in the early conversation before the longer racing begins.
Marchet called it a “very fast race” and said: “We used our minds and technical skills to keep the pace high.” Sosna added: “I am very happy. South Africa is such a beautiful place and I am enjoying this so much. I love riding with Giorgia.”
Skarda was upbeat after second place, saying: “It is amazing. We have a really good dynamic, the racing was very close and I’m looking forward to the stages ahead.”
For Steinburg, the opener was rather less dreamy. “It was horrible,” she said. “Two days ago I had a stomach bug. I hope day by day it gets better. At least I got used to the trails. The short format and the climbs were not really for me.”
Next up: Gantouw Pass
The Chardonnay race now shifts from prologue fireworks to proper point-to-point stage racing. On Friday, the elite teams join nearly 1,200 amateur riders for the 61-kilometre route from Lourensford Wine Estate to Oak Valley Estate, including the iconic Gantouw Pass. With rain forecast and the Elite Women’s race still wide open, Stage 1 should give the first clearer look at which teams have the legs, teamwork and tactical calm to chase the Chardonnay crown.
The 2026 edition is also notable beyond the front of the race. Across FNB Wines2Whales’ three events, rider numbers have grown significantly compared with 2025, while women’s participation is up 20% year-on-year — a welcome sign for one of the biggest editions in the event’s history.
