From Garden sprints to national glory: Tyler Jacobs crowned 2026 SA Elite Women's Road Champion

Cyclist Tyler Jacobs is the 2026 South African Elite Women’s Road Race champion following a thrilling finish at the National Road, Time Trial & Para-Cycling Championships at Rosenbusch Estate in Walkerville.

Speaking to Eyewitness News, Jacobs reflected on her national title and the highlights of a career that is rapidly gaining momentum across multiple disciplines.

 A THRILLING FINISH IN WALKERVILLE

Jacobs revealed that she only realised she had the "climbing legs" and the power to sprint for the win roughly halfway through the gruelling four-hour race.

“Yes, it was quite an exciting moment. I think I realised about halfway through the sprint when I started making my way to the front of the pack,” Jacobs said.

Despite the distance being longer than her usual competitive outings, she managed to maintain her position among the leaders until the final stretch.

“It was a much longer race than I'm used to, and I was really looking forward to the finish line. I like a sprint finish in XCO [Cross-Country Olympic] as well. So, I think that worked in my favour with getting well-positioned for the sprint.”

FROM BACKYARD CRASHES TO ELITE SKILL

Jacobs has come a long way from her early days spent chasing her brothers around the garden on a small bicycle. She admits that, back then, her ambition often outweighed her technical ability.

“When I was chasing my brothers around the garden, I had far more confidence than I did skill. I wanted to keep up, and I loved going fast, but lacking any great technical ability, I crashed a lot. My technical skills have just gradually improved over the years to match my confidence.”

MAKING HISTORY ON THE GLOBAL STAGE

In 2025, Jacobs etched her name into the history books at the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships by claiming bronze in the Under-23 Women’s Short Track (XCC) race. This marked the first-ever XCC World Championship medal for a South African female cyclist.

“It didn't cross my mind that I would be the first South African female to do that; however, I did really want to make my country proud,” she noted. “Explosive efforts are my strong suit, and on that course, there was only one climb where you leave it all out there, which was great for me.”

During that race, Germany’s Carla Hahn managed to edge past Jacobs in the final seconds to take the silver medal. When asked if she would have changed her strategy, Jacobs remained firm in her performance.

“I don't think I would've done anything differently. I left everything out there, and I didn't want to save too much energy for the last lap because I knew there were plenty of strong girls chasing behind us.”

MENTORSHIP AND STAGE RACING

The 2025 season also saw Jacobs and Candice Lill secure their third consecutive Wines2Whales title with a clean sweep of all stages. Jacobs credits much of her growth to the partnership with Lill.

“Candice is very strong, and I learn so much from her when we race together. Wines2Whales is one of the shorter stage races, so I think it suits us, being cross-country riders. We are also good friends, and we have a lot of fun together,” Jacobs said. “Aside from being a very experienced cyclist, she has a lot of wisdom to share, on and off the bike.”

THE ROAD AHEAD

Now a National Road Champion while still dominating the XCO scene, Jacobs is in no rush to specialise in just one discipline.

“As of right now, mountain biking is what I love most, but I do like doing the occasional road race. I might want to get more into road in the future, but for now, I'm really happy where I am.”

As for her goals for the remainder of 2026? Her sights are set back on the dirt. “I'd really like to get a podium in XCO this year.”