In her pursuit for a fourth Absa Cape Epic title, Ariane Lüthi has put together the first-ever women’s back-up team for the 2017 edition.

Alice Pirard and Sabrina Enaux will make up Team Spur Foundation and ride in support of Lüthi and Adelheid Morath, her new partner. Pirard raced the Cape Epic in 2015, finishing fifth alongside Swiss legend, Esther Süss, but for Enaux it will be her debut at the grueling mountain bike race. Both riders however, come with decorated racing pedigrees.

As a previous winner of the Cape Pioneer Trek stage race, Pirard, a four-time Belgium National Marathon champion (2013-2016), comes with a wealth of experience and will be well aware of how tough it is to race on the African continent. Enaux on the other hand is more of a XCO specialist but is fully committed to the task at hand. “From everything I’ve seen and read I know it’s a very difficult race, both physically and mentally,” she says.

“The idea of riding as a support team is a very good idea,” she says. “Not only will this bring more women into this race, but ultimately give Ariane and Adelheid even more chance at victory.”