Daniyal Matthews of Team Siata sponsored by Hulamin was crowned the 2025 South African National Road Champion after a thrilling sprint finish in Midvaal. He outpaced Casper Kruger (Team Honeycomb 226ers) in a dramatic two-man showdown, crossing the line in 3:45:28, just one second ahead of his rival. Dan Loubser (Freewheel Cycology) rounded off the podium in third place.
In a historic achievement, Matthews becomes the first person of colour in over a decade to win the Elite Men’s National Road Race, marking a significant moment for South African cycling.
How the Race Unfolded
With a stacked start list featuring international stars like Alan Hatherly and Stefan de Bod, the race was set to be a tough battle from the start. An early breakaway of 12 riders established a commanding lead of over seven minutes by the halfway mark. However, as fatigue set in, the front group dwindled to just four riders with two laps to go.
On the final lap, Matthews made a move on the climb through the feed zone, but Kruger quickly responded. The two then broke away from the group, working together until the final stretch. With his track racing background, Matthews backed himself for the sprint and timed his acceleration perfectly, surging past Kruger in the final meters to claim his first National Road Championship title.
Matthews Reflects on His Victory
“It was unbelievable. While sprinting, I kept thinking, ‘Wow, this is actually happening.’ I even double-checked after crossing the line to make sure I had won,” Matthews shared. “It’s an incredible honour to wear the national stripes for the next year, and I’m excited for the opportunities this victory might bring.”
Looking Ahead
Matthews is set for a busy season ahead, kicking off with the UCI 2.1 Tour du Rwanda (23 Feb – 2 March), followed by the South African and possibly African Track Championships. Later in the year, he plans to head to Germany to race with the Bike Aid Development Team.
U23 Men’s Champion – Warren Moolman
The U23 Men’s category saw a dominant ride from Warren Moolman (Team Melon mobile real pay pro cycling), who powered his way to victory, finishing ahead of Blaine Kieck (Coureur pour CC Villeneuve Saint Germain) in second and Joshua Dike (ACDC Dynamix) in third.
Elite Women’s Championship – S’annara Grove Takes the Win
The Elite Women’s race was an aggressive battle with relentless attacks throughout. Hayley Preen (Honeycomb 226ers) attempted multiple times to break up the peloton, but the group managed to regroup each time. In the end, it was S’annara Grove (Oshea Racing) who proved to be the strongest on the day, claiming the National Champion title, with Hayley Preen finishing second and Tiffany Keep (Das- Hutchinson) rounding out the podium in third.
U23 Women’s Champion – Rachel Seaman
In the U23 Women’s category, Rachel Seaman (Absolute Motion) rode to a well-earned victory, with Anya Du Plessis (Reach for Rainbows) finishing in second and Nadine Visser (Customized Cycling Pirtek R&D) securing third place.
Cycling South Africa congratulates all the riders on their incredible performances at this year’s National Championships!
For Full Results please go to: SA Cycling Road Champs
