Welcome to the Sabie Xperience 2027 Rider Handbook — everything you need to know before you roll up to the start line. From entry fees and race categories to what to pack, how the stages work and the rules that keep everyone safe and racing fair, it’s all here in one place. Have a read before race day, keep it handy during the event, and if anything’s unclear, our team is only a call away.
Welcome to the Sabie Xperience 2027 Rules and Regulations — your one-stop guide before you roll up to the start line. From entry fees and race categories to what to pack, how the stages work and the rules that keep everyone safe and racing fair, it’s all here in one place. Have a read before race day, keep it handy during the event, and if anything’s unclear, our team is only a call away.
Our Race Director and CSA Chief Commissaire may need to tweak a few details in the weeks before the event, so it’s worth a re-read closer to race day.
Mountain biking is a self-reliant sport at heart, and we race in some beautifully remote terrain — that’s part of the magic. Every rider joining us takes that on board and comes prepared.
We’re excited to welcome our younger riders with their very own category this year. Team XLite runs alongside Team Lite, and the prizes and medals work exactly the same way — the only difference is the age groups below.
TEAM XLITE (Three Stages: 20km / 20km / 18km – Approximate Total 120km
Categories (Age At 31 December 2027)
A Solo XLite entry option is also available for riders who prefer to race unpaired (see Entry Fees).
TEAM LITE (Three Stages: 43km / 45km / 32km – Approximate Total 120km
A Solo Lite entry option is also available for riders who prefer to race unpaired (see Entry Fees).
TEAM CHALLENGE (Three Stages: 65km / 65km / 35km – Approximate Total 165km
Only final general classification results qualify for trophies, medals and cash prizes. Prize money is paid by electronic transfer. Riders must attend the final prize-giving in person to receive their prize, medal or trophy. Those not present forfeit it. Categories with fewer than five participating teams are merged into the next age category up.
Cancelling an entry forfeits part of the entry fee, as set out below. A non-refundable R600 per rider is retained to cover administration, banking and related costs. Where no substitute rider is available, the remaining balance is refunded on a sliding scale:
To request a refund, email race-office@sabiexperience.co.za. For team entries, the full team may be substituted with two new riders, or the remaining rider may downgrade to a solo entry (no refund is issued for the fee difference between team and solo categories).
NO ROLLOVERS. Entry fees or entries can not be carried over to a following year under any circumstances.
You can make changes at any time during the entry period. A R400 admin fee applies to each change and entries are transferable to someone else up to one month before race day. Riders are welcome to downgrade to any lower race option — Team Challenge to Team Lite or Team XLite, for instance — though the fee difference isn’t refunded. If a team rider loses their partner, we’d encourage finding a substitute but riding solo and non-competitively is fine too, as long as it doesn’t affect other competitors’ results.
All entries in this sanctioned stage race require a valid CSA MTB racing licence. Riders without an annual licence must purchase a temporary day licence for R70 per day (R210 for a three-day event).
Should the event be cancelled, shortened or otherwise affected by extreme weather or other circumstances beyond the organisers’ control and deemed life-threatening by the Race Director, SACF Commissaire, Medical Joint Operations Command, the appointed Safety Officer, or SAPS — the Sabie Xperience is not liable to refund any entry fees.
Any rider or team withdrawing must notify the Race Office immediately — at a stage start or finish, a refreshment station, or by phone (Race Director Denzil: 082 455 7153, or Sandy: 083 799 4458). Failing to report a withdrawal that triggers a search-and-rescue operation makes the rider or team liable for its cost.
New teams may only be formed between stages, before 06:30 on race morning, and must be registered with the Race Office and Chief Commissaire. Newly formed teams do not qualify for team rankings or Official Finisher status, though individual riders completing all stages within cut-off still receive a finisher medal.
The Sabie Xperience is an Affordable Stage Race for the whole family. We are proud to boast with the most beautiful and well organised family stage race in the world.
