On what would have been his 38th birthday, Tread Media looked back at Burry Stander’s breakthrough year and the legacy of determination, talent, and inspiration he left behind.
South Africa (17 September 2025) – Burry Stander’s name remains in South Africa’s sporting memory as the country’s first mountain biker to not just compete, but also win at the highest level of XCO racing. A fierce rival to Swiss legends like Nino Schurter and Mathias Flückiger, Burry’s career was tragically cut short in 2013 when he was killed in a road accident at just 25 years old. Yet his legacy continues to inspire, through his results and through the example he set for young athletes worldwide. Especially now, with South African riders like Alan Hatherly winning World Cup races back-to-back and taking up space on the global stage, it is important to reflect on where it started for South African riders.
Burry’s international journey began in 2007 as a 19-year-old competing in the UCI World Cup Series. Though his early results showed promise rather than dominance, it was clear that he had the determination to push further. By the following year, he was ready for a breakthrough.
In 2008, Burry teamed up with Swiss star Christoph Sauser for the Cape Epic, racing under the banner of Team Songo, a charity initiative that built a BMX track for youth in Khayamandi.
“It was a huge thing. When someone of the calibre of Christoph Sauser, who at the time was one of the best in the world, asks you to race the Cape Epic with him, you know that he sees something in you,” recalls his brother, Duane Stander.
That same season, Burry made history with his first World Cup podium finish, announcing himself as one of the sport’s brightest young talents. He went on to claim more podiums, climb to fifth overall in the World Cup standings, and finish as the top Under-23 rider globally. These achievements secured him a contract with Specialised from 2009.
His performances represented a South African athlete breaking into a sport dominated by Europeans. Resilience that carried a rider from KwaZulu-Natal to the biggest stages in cycling.
On 16 September 2025, what would have been his 38th birthday, many raised a chocolate Super M in his honour. More than a champion, Burry Stander was a trailblazer who showed what was possible for South African cycling.
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