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CYCLING NEWS - Just over three decades ago, To Hell and Back pioneered mountain bike stage racing in South Africa. 

The inaugural event, in 1995, took place nearly a decade before the 31^st champion, who was crowned on Sunday, 16 November 2025, was born. 

In fact, Francois Hofmeyer’s age is closer to that of the iconic race’s new presenting sponsors, Squirt Cycling Products. Founded in 2003, the local company, which grew into a global brand with an international distribution footprint, launched their Squirt Chain Lubricant in 2004, the year Hofmeyer was born.

Many things have changed in the 31 years since the first edition, most notably the mountain bike itself. Yet the race remains simple and real, with a deliberate diversion from race villages with complimentary Wi-Fi and constant social media coverage. 

The immersion into the now, which a journey into the Gamkaskloof necessitates, demands an in-person approach to every interaction.

“We’re stoked to have Squirt Cycling Products on board as presenting sponsors,” Zane Schmahl of EcoBound smiled. “Like us, they’re based in George, and the team live and breathe mountain biking. Our relationship with Squirt Cycling Products, at both To Hell and Back as well as Trans Baviaans, goes back decades

"Not quite to the foundation of To Hell and Back, but certainly to the establishment of Squirt Cycling Products in 2003, ahead of the public launch of their first product – Squirt Chain Lube. Their support has allowed us to increase the hospitality we can offer in the most remote race village in the country.”

“This year’s event was, I believe, a great success,” Schmahl continued. “The weather played along, with cooler temperatures in the mornings, which made the riding pleasant, though it did get hot on Saturday afternoon. When it gets hot in Die Hel it really showcases why we moved the race village further into the Kloof. Yes, it adds nearly 15 kilometres to the stage distances, but the lush lawns of Boplaas, the ample shade, and the cool mountain water of the Oshoekshangrivier all help to offset the famous heat.”

On the bike the racing was competitive for the minor places, though Hofmeyer and Jolande Marais cantered to victory in the men’s and women’s categories, respectively. 

“Francois [Hofmeyer] set a new record for the fastest time into the Kloof,” Schmahl noted. “His Stage 1 ride in particular was super impressive, and he joins an interesting list of champions, which includes Simon Andreassen, Matthys Beukes, and Dylan Rebello.”

Hofmeyer’s was roughly 20 minutes faster, per stage, than his nearest rivals, while Alexander Lamberts came from sixth on Stage 1 to finish second overall. Neil Gultig had been second fastest into Die Hel, but Lamberts’s storming ride out of the Kloof left Gultig third overall. 

After 140 kilometres of rugged mountain biking and nearly 4 000 metres of climbing, the pair were separated by just 40 seconds.

In the women’s race, Marais’s margin of victory was 46 minutes over Adele Jeppe; Hildegard Cronje was the third woman home. Jaco Louw was the fastest man on an E-Bike, while Mary Ann Vieira was the women’s E-Bike champion. Both Hofmeyer and Marais were comfortably faster than the electrically assisted riders, adding to the analogue success of the weekend.

“The lack of cell signal sets the tone for the weekend,” Schmahl explained. “Even at De Hoek, where the race starts, there’s not really reception aside from in a small pocket near the gate where you can just about send a text, but not make a call, and definitely not upload a social media post. In Die Hel, the riders are completely off the grid. So, everyone has to live in the moment, socialise with the people who are there, read a book, or generally slow down. I had more than one rider tell me how refreshed they felt, despite the hard riding, after the race.”

Squirt Cycling Products’ support of the oldest mountain bike stage race in the country has made it possible for EcoBound to invest in upgrading the race village experience with canvas tents and a cap on entries going forward. 

“There’s limited accommodation in Gamkaskloof, so our numbers have always been governed by how many people we can accommodate in tents,” Schmahl said. “In recent years, we used subcontractors for the tents, but the state of the road has made it increasingly difficult to get fully loaded trucks to Boplaas. Going forward, we’ll be focusing on the real strengths of To Hell and Back: giving each rider a unique personal experience, which is only possible with a small field of participants.”

“Along with Squirt Cycling Products’ chain lubing stations at the water points, they ensured every bike started Stage 2 clean from the gritty dust of the Road to Hell at the Squirt Biodegradable Bike Cleaner bike wash. The riders who camped in the Boplaas race village were treated to hot showers, powered by wood-burning donkey geysers, and ample mountain water straight from the Oshoekshangrivier. 

"Every participant then got to socialise around the Safari Braai Products fires, while cooking their own meat to their liking. We provided them with sides, salads, and a sweet to satiate their appetites after Saturday night’s dinner. We also provided lunch after Stage 1 and breakfast before Stage 2, and most importantly, tried to facilitate a weekend of meaningful conversations while everyone was free from the distraction of phone screens,” Schmahl concluded.

The backdrop for the race is the storied Gamkaskloof. Known as Die Hel for the scorching temperatures it experiences in summer. Though well off the beaten track, it grips the South African imagination, having featured in David Kramer’s Volksie Bus Adverts in the 1980s, and André Brink’s Devil's Valley novel in 2000, Die Hel has maintained a mystery while also boasting instant name recognition.

Hidden deep within the folds of the Swartberg Mountain range, the fertile gorge takes its geographic name from the Khoi word for lions and was first used by farmers as a refuge and refuelling station while driving their cattle to market. 

In 1963, a gravel road was built into the valley linking Thomas Bain’s masterpiece, Swartberg Pass, with the farms in the 20-kilometre-long and 600-metre-wide valley. Kosie van Zyl built this pass in anticipation of the completion of the Gamkapoort Dam, which, in 1969, would have otherwise cut the Kloof off from the outside world. 

The pass then became the only route suitable for transporting goods, including the dried fruit for which the farms in the valley were famous, to market. Other routes into the valley are limited to Die Leer, which exits towards the Seweweekspoort in the west and is more suitable for adventurers than traders, and the Donkey Trail to Calitzdorp, in the south.

The 32^nd edition of the To Hell and Back mountain bike stage race, presented by Squirt Cycling Products, will take place on 14 and 15 November 2026. 

Entries will be limited to 200 riders and will open on 1 March 2026. To stay updated with, and motivated for, the original South African stage race, follow @ridetohellandback on Instagram or like the To Hell and Back Facebook page. For more information, visit www.tohellandback.co.za.

2025 To Hell and Back, presented by Squirt Cycling Products, Results

Men’s General Classification after Stage 2:

1. Francois Hofmeyer (6:53:38)
2. Alexander Lamberts (7:31:59 | +38:21)
3. Neil Gultig (7:32:19 | +38:41)

Women’s General Classification after Stage 2:

1. Jolande Marais (10:15:21)
2. Adele Jeppe (11:01:56 | +46:35)
3. Hildegard Cronje (11:53:39 | +1:38:18)

For the full results from the 2025 To Hell and Back, presented by Squirt Cycling Products, click here.

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