For almost a decade, Ziandro Jordaan has been showing up each season, getting stronger as the years go on. He grew up in Knysna, where cycling first found him through the Knysna Sports School in 2017, and what began as part of a programme quickly became something of a burning passion. In 2020 he joined the Fairtree DP World Cannondale team, under the mentorship of Chris Norton – a prominent Stellenbosch-based exponent of South African mountain biking. From there he’s progressed into a highly competitive athlete, built through consistency over several seasons of racing.

The results have followed that same pattern. He won the Wines2Whales Exxaro Special Jersey in 2024, and again in 2025, and in between claimed the Cape Epic Exxaro Special Jersey, confirming he could hold form across a full week. 

At the 2026 Cape Epic, riding alongside Luyanda Tobigunya, he stepped into the open field and finished 8th in the Open Men category, placing 38th overall. It is the strongest result by an Exxaro team in the last three years. It was a result that spoke to his dedication and that all-important consistency. “The last few days I started feeling stronger.”

Leaning into the pace from early on he says.”I like it when it’s all out from the start. The harder the race, the better for me because it makes the group smaller.”

There is a directness to his approach to racing. Written on his race number are words and a sentiment he carries into every stage, not for anyone else, but for himself.

“NO MATTER WHAT.”

Ziandro’s entry into Nedbank Gravel Burn was kindly donated by a rider who was registered for the 2025 event but sadly passed away beforehand – Mark Pienaar. WIth the entry still open, his family wanted it to go to a worthy rider. Few deserve it more than Ziandro.

The race asks something special of every rider. Unlike the familiar two-person team format of MTB racing, there is no partner to ride alongside, just the rider and the countless adjustments to the conditions and the racing made over seven days and 750 kilometres. For Ziandro, that comes down to pacing, managing the effort across the week and understanding how his body responds on a gravel bike.

“I’m most curious about what my result will be. I’ve raced a lot of MTB but not much gravel, so it’s something new for me. The team got us gravel bikes last year to train on, so I’m looking forward to seeing what I can do on them in a race like this.”

Last year, the race started in Knysna, and he watched it leave from the place where his own riding started. “I wanted to do it so badly last year because it started where I grew up.”

Now he will be on that start line himself, with a clear sense of what he wants from the week. “To be able to race it this year is one of my big goals for 2026 and I want a great result, with super-fast racing and having lots of fun while racing hard.”

Nothing about Ziandro’s success has come quickly. It has been built through season after season of showing up for the racing and himself. Through learning how to handle a week of racing, rather than only one day, and through finding a ways to keep motivated when the field stretches out.

Ziandro has earned every kilometre of his journey to the start of Nedbank Gravel Burn and no doubt he will apply the same dedication as over the seven days and 750 kilometres that follow.

No matter what.