BDO South Africa partners with German practice for 2026 Cape Epic ride
Members of the South African and German branches of accounting and advisory firm BDO are partnering on an unusual project: the gruelling eight-day Absa Cape Epic mountain-bike race.
Taking place from the 15th to 22nd of March across South Africa’s Western Cape, the Untamed African MTB event is considered one of the toughest mountain bike races in the world, this year covering more than 700 kilometres and climbs of almost 16,000 meters.
In a true collaboration, professionals from BDO’s South African offices will pair up with their German counterparts to compete against over 650 teams from all around the world, while also raising funds for community development organisation the Kolisi Foundation.
“This journey is about more than endurance and performance,” BDO stated. “Our riders will be tackling eight days and hundreds of kilometres of demanding terrain while also supporting initiatives that uplift and empower communities across South Africa. It is a powerful example of how collaboration across borders can elevate more than performance.”
Among BDO’s local contingent is Nelson Mandela Bay office managing partner Siyabonga Mthembu, who, in somewhat of a twist, also heads the firm’s automotive practice. Mthembu will team up with Stuttgart-based partner Andreas Gebert, who has competed in the race previously with colleague Jens Freiberg, BDO Germany’s head of capital markets out of Düsseldorf
This year, Freiberg will partner with former Port Elizabeth managing partner Mark Willimott, now head of international offshore solutions, while the third team entry will consist of Alexander Beck and Christo Geyer, the latter who heads BDO South Africa’s actuarial services offering and may have a slight home-ground advantage, having spent most of his career in Cape Town.
In a post to LinkedIn, Freiberg said he was proud of being part of the cross-border team, but in wanting to live up to his responsibility to his fellow humans would also donate 1€ to non-profit bicycle distribution program World Bicycle Relief for every kilometre of the race he completes. Willimott then matched Freiberg’s pledge, with proceeds to go to the Kolisi Foundation.
The mixed professional and amateur race, which was first established in 2004 and has been described as the “Tour de France of mountain biking”, has a strong emphasis on teamwork. To qualify for a Cape Epic finish, the pairs must stick together throughout the duration of the race, and get docked a time penalty if they drift more than two minutes apart at any given checkpoint.
