Ford Trailseeker Sondela delivered a leadership change and a tense men’s finale on Saturday, 27 June. Sarah Maré won the elite women’s race at Sondela Nature Reserve and moved into the overall series lead. Jaedon Terlouw took the elite men’s victory after a five-rider battle reached the final corner.

The fourth round of the 2026 Ford Trailseeker Series used a fast marathon route with limited climbing. The 66.7-kilometre course included only 588 metres of elevation gain. That profile left little room for pure climbers to break the races apart.

Marc Pritzen had warned before the start that Sondela could suit many riders. The men’s series leader still planned to race aggressively despite the flatter terrain. The same challenge faced Maré, Terlouw, and the other favourites.

Ford Trailseeker Sondela rewards Maré’s consistency

Maré arrived at Sondela with strong form and a valuable chance. Efficient Infiniti Insure teammate Samantha Sanders withdrew through illness before the race. That opened the door for Maré to chase both victory and the series lead.

Maré said Sanders had urged her to complete two tasks at Sondela. She needed to win the race and take the leader’s jersey. Maré had not previously made the Ford Trailseeker Series lead a personal target.

She still raced with patience during the early kilometres. The front women remained together until the first long drag changed the contest. Maré and Danielle du Toit raised the pace on the steady gradient.

The acceleration quickly reduced the group. Maré and Du Toit then moved clear, while Frances Janse van Rensburg and Roxanne Kemp chased behind. Janse van Rensburg was still racing under her maiden name, rather than Swanepoel.

The race turned again in the following singletrack. Du Toit punctured and lost both time and positions on the trails. The mechanical ended her chance to fight Maré directly for the win.

Maré led alone with 35 kilometres still remaining. She stayed clear to the finish and won by 64 seconds. The result gave her the race victory and the Ford Trailseeker Series general classification lead.

Maré said she felt disappointed for Du Toit after the puncture. She had expected a direct duel through the second half of the race. Instead, she had to defend against Janse van Rensburg’s chase.

Janse van Rensburg finished second after a long pursuit. She lost contact on the first climb after getting caught in sand. She then rode much of the remainder as an individual time trial.

Kemp joined her chase and the pair passed Du Toit in the forest. Janse van Rensburg later saw Maré ahead, but a small wrong turn cost momentum. She could not close the final gap.

Kemp completed the women’s podium in third place. She finished only four seconds ahead of Safari Essence Titan Racing teammate Du Toit. Rachel Seaman gave Cycle Nation Enza Construction another strong result in fifth.

Tania Bugarin Ortiz placed sixth, with Mari Rabie seventh and Sanchia Malan eighth. Bianca Nel finished ninth, while Lianke Fourie completed the elite women’s top ten.

Terlouw times final move in men’s race

The elite men’s race also stayed compact through the opening kilometres. The first climb and the singletrack that followed again shaped the front selection. A mistake on the fence climb forced riders to a stop.

Terlouw found himself blocked behind Wessel Botha during that moment. Pritzen attacked and rode alone for around five kilometres. Terlouw then chased hard and helped bring a small group across.

The lead selection included Terlouw, Pritzen, Jan Withaar, and Philip Buys of Ford Prime Bunch. Botha initially missed that split. He later produced a long chase and rejoined with about 10 kilometres remaining.

Botha’s return gave Insect Science an extra rider in the finale. Terlouw knew the finish would reward positioning before the last corner. He had learned from a mistake at the 2025 race.

Terlouw launched with 500 metres to go on the drag before a ninety-degree right-hand bend. He entered the corner with a lead of two bike lengths. That gap let him choose the fastest line through the turn.

Pritzen, Botha, Withaar, and Buys could not regain contact before the line. Terlouw crossed first and lifted into a back-wheel celebration. The win also earned him points against series leader Pritzen.

Pritzen finished second, while Botha took third after his 37-kilometre solo chase. Withaar placed fourth and Buys finished fifth. Unathi Nxumalo was sixth after holding off Pieter du Toit in a sprint.

Travis Rademan-Ludeke placed eighth and added 14 points to his overall total. Jean du Plessis and Stephan Aldum rounded out the men’s top ten.

Next round heads to Die Bosveld

The Ford Trailseeker Series continues at Die Bosveld, just north of Pretoria, on Saturday, 1 August. That fifth round is the penultimate race of the 2026 campaign.

Like Sondela, Die Bosveld offers a fast and largely flat route. The profile should again reduce the advantage held by stronger climbers. That could create another open race across both elite fields.

For additional reporting, see trailseeker.co.za.