Italians Luca Braidot and Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria) were still the team to beat despite losing 1 minute 37 seconds to the African jersey wearers on Saturday’s penultimate stage, and it was all to play for over the final 58km stage around Stellenbosch on Sunday.

…in a dramatic second half in which Nortje crashed heavily, the Italians fought back from a two-minute deficit to within 40 seconds…

Within the first 10km the local favourites had already put 35 seconds into the Italians on the long climb up to Saaltjie, but in a dramatic second half in which Nortje crashed heavily, the Italians fought back from a two-minute deficit to within 40 seconds in the final 10km.

In the end, an injured Nortje, helped by his senior teammate Beers, managed to hold their lead and finish third behind stage winners Sam Gaze and Luca Schwarzbauer (Canyon).

With the Italians eventually finishing fourth, 1 minute behind, the 32-year-old Beers and an emotional 24-year-old Nortje were finally able to celebrate a historic win, 1:04 ahead of Wilier-Vittoria with Gaze and Schwarzbauer filling the final podium spot 3:33 behind.

In the women’s race, South African champion Candice Lill finally realised her dream of winning the Absa Cape Epic, after finishing second five times, as she and Dutch partner Alessandra Keller cruised to their seventh win in eight stages ahead of Monica Caledron and Tessa Kortekaas (Massi Isb Sport) and Chemchamp Honeycomb’s Hayley Preen and Haley Smith.

After the She Sends Foundation team of Greta Seiwald and Kate Courtney was eliminated from the race after Seiwald fell ill on Saturday, Preen and Smith moved up to second overall, 52 minutes 58 seconds behind. The ever-consistent Torpado FSA Kenda team of Katazina Sosna-Pinele and Giorgia Marchet were third, over an hour behind.

Men’s Race
With big crowds lining and cheering along the route, Beers and Nortje were quick to attack the lead of Wilier-Vittoria on the first climb of the day to the upper contour above Stellenbosch. While Gaze and Schwarzbauer were powering away for the stage win, Beers and Nortje were only focused on the fight for the yellow jersey.

The Toyota Specialized Imbuko pair eeked out a 30-second gap before Beers was forced to stop briefly and fix an issue with his derailleur. The tall South African quickly remounted, charged past the Italians, and caught Nortje as the race headed into the famous local tracks, including the Neverending Trail in Jonkershoek. With Braidot clearly struggling, the expected race looked to be over before it even started as the rampant locals powered clear and had stretched their gap to two minutes by the 32km mark.

But there was drama still to come.

Just after halfway, Nortje clipped his pedal on a tree, went over the bars and fell heavily on his right side, cutting his right elbow and bruising his right leg. 

“I knew it was a big crash,” Nortje said. “I hurt my elbow quite badly and my right leg hit a rock. It was just dead and numb after that and I couldn’t really pedal properly any more.”

But as he has shown throughout the week, Nortje soldiered on, helped by Beers.

”It’s why I have this tattoo on my arm (Nortje has a tattoo on his left inner arm which reads: Never Give up). We had so much bad luck this week but we kept on believing.”

Beers resorted to pushing his partner whenever he could, while Toyota Specialized Imbuko teammates, Marco Joubert and Travis Stedman, were always in close attendance, encouraging and setting the pace up front when they could.

With Nortje struggling, the Italians seemed to find a second wind and the gap shrank to 40 seconds with 12km left to ride. In the end, Nortje and Beers managed to hold enough of an advantage as the two entered the finish to a huge cheer from a large crowd at Stellenbosch’s Coetzenburg fields.  

“You can’t get bigger than this,” an emotional Nortje said afterwards. “There are so many emotions right now. I think about all the sacrifices made by family, friends, and the team that have supported me. Today was about doing it for them and for the people of South Africa… It’s very special.”

Beers is now just one win away from equalling the record wins of Karl Platt and Christoph Sauser, who have both won the race five times.

“It’s a special one because we have done what a lot of South Africans have been trying to do for a long time,” said the Capetonian. “Tristan has ridden amazingly all week and although he made it harder for himself by crashing today, he showed true character pushing through.”

Women’s Race
After the withdrawal of Seiwald on Friday morning, Lill and Keller were imperious on the final day as they won their seventh stage out of eight. The top three teams were still together at the 23km checkpoint but the orange jerseys eventually edged clear and extended their lead all the way to the finish.

Calederon and Kortekaas were pushing hard to try on the singletracks but the orange jersey wearers were not in the mood to gift anyone a stage. The Massi Isb Sport team would eventually finish 2 minutes 27 seconds behind, with Preen and Smith in third, 4:32 adrift.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said the 34-year-old Lill. “But sometimes you have go through those deep, dark situations to get to where I am today. It makes it sweeter, and I’m very grateful to everyone around me who helped me get here.”

For Keller, the current World Short Course champion, taking part in the Absa Cape Epic was always a dream.

“It’s a bit like winning a World Cup series overall because you have to be consistent over eight days. So this means a lot to me, especially because you are doing it as a team,” Keller said. “It’s a race I’ve always wanted to do… it’s an adventure.”

RESULTS
Elite Men Stage
1 CANYON Luca SCHWARZBAUER & Sam GAZE (2:19.54)
2. TOYOTA SPECIALIZED IMBUKO 2 Marco Joubert & Travis STEDMAN (2:20.58 | +1:04)
3. TOYOTA SPECIALIZED IMBUKO: Matt BEERS & Tristan NORTJE (2:21.02 | +1:08)
4. WILIER-VITTORIA: Luca BRAIDOT & Simone AVONDETTO (2:22.20 | +2:26)
5 KLIMATIZA ORBEA: David VALERO SERRANO & Marc STUTZMANN (2:23.00 | +3:06)

Elite Men GC
1. TOYOTA SPECIALIZED IMBUKO: Matthew BEERS & Tristan NORTJE (26:55.51)​
2. WILIER-VITTORIA: Luca BRAIDOT & Simone AVONDETTO (26:56.56 | +1:04)
3. CANYON:Luca SCHWARZBAUER & Sam GAZE (26:59.25 | +3:33)
4. KLIMATIZA ORBEA: David VALERO SERRANO & Marc STUTZMANN (27:07.59 | +12:08)
5. BUFF-BH Wout ALLEMAN & Martin STOSEK (27:14.51 | +19:00)

Elite Women Stage
1. THÖMUS MAXON SABI SABI: Candice LILL & Alessandra KELLER (2:48.27)
2. MASSI ISB SPORT Monica CALEDERON & Tessa KORTEKAAS (2:50.54 | +2:27)
3. CHEMCHAMP HONEYCOMB Hayley PREEN & Hayley SMITH (2:52.59 | +4:32)
4. SYMBTECH.NET Margot MOSCHETTI Claudia PERETTI  (2:54.18 | +5:51)
5. TORPADO FSA KENDA Katazina SOSNA-PINELE & Giorgia MARCHET (2:56.46 | +8:19)

Elite Women GC
1. THÖMUS MAXON SABI SABI: Candice LILL & Alessandra KELLER (24:32.38)
2. CHEMCHAMP HONEYCOMB: Hayley PREEN & Haley SMITH (25:25.36 | +52:58)
3. TORPADO FSA KENDA Katazina SOSNA-PINELE & Giorgia MARCHET (25:41.37 | +1:08.59)
4 SYMBTECH.NET Margot MOSCHETTI Claudia PERETTI  (25:46.17 | 1:13.39)
5. MASSI ISB SPORT Monica CALEDERON & Tessa KORTEKAAS (25:55.56 | +1:23.18)

SPECIAL JERSEYS GC

Toyota Mixed
1. TEAM 69: Jenny RISSVEDS & Simon ANDREASSEN (31:29.38)

Absa African Men
1. TOYOTA SPECIALIZED IMBUKO: Matthew BEERS & Tristan NORTJE (26:55.51)

Absa African Women
1. SANI2C EFFICIENT INFINITI: Samantha SANDERS & Bianca HAW (26:17.26)

Open Women:
1. JOY RIDE: Jennifer BURTNER & Callah ROBINSON (44:48.47)

Open Men:
1. SAFARI ESSENCE Mark van Zyl & William PIAT (30:32.53)

 Great Grand Masters Men
1. OTB: Pieter MULLER & Corrie MULLER​ (40:14.19)

GIC Grand Masters Women
1. UAG EPIC: Martha KOEKEMOER & Jenny RÖNNGREN (41:22.17)

 GIC Grand Masters Men
1. ORBEA FOX FACTORY: Ibon ZUGASTI & Ernesto MENDOZA (31:37.09)

 NTT Data Masters Women
1. IGLU THERAPY CHEMCHAMP RACING Juanita Rose MACKENZIE Rouxda GROBLER (40:24.37)

 NTT Data Masters Men
1. CZECHROCKETS&SWISSDIESEL Pavel GONDA Tobias Luthi (27:21.39)

Exxaro Women’s Jersey
1. EXXARO MANGANESE LADIES 1: Tsholofelo NKOSI & Bontle PHEPISO (51:59.00)

 Exxaro Men’s Jersey
1. FAIRTREE DP WORLD CANNONDALE 2: Ethan MICHAELS & Damon TERBLANCHE (31:57.53)

The post Saffa Glory! Beers, Nortje and Lill Take Cape Epic Honours appeared first on Bicycling.

Beers and Nortje finished second but, more importantly, pulled back 1 minute 37 seconds on the overall leaders, Italians Luca Braidot and Simone Avondetto, and now lie just 13 seconds behind with only the Grand Finale stage on Sunday to go.

It was a thrilling end to a stage that climbed more per metre than any other stage of this year’s race with 2450m of ascent over the 76km route. But unlike the rough trails from earlier in the week, it was a day to play for most of the riders as they raced around the manicured trails in near-perfect cool, calm weather.

In the women’s elite race, over 62km with 1850m of climbing, overall leaders Candice Lill and Alessandra Keller won their fifth stage with relative ease after the second-placed She Sends Foundation team was reduced to one when Italian Greta Seiwald withdrew through illness. Seiwald developed a fever overnight and withdrew shortly after the start, leaving World Marathon champion Kate Courtney from the US to continue on alone. The withdrawal meant that the Chemchamp Honeycomb team of Haley Preen and Haley Smith moved into second position after finishing third on the stage. Margot Moschetti and Claudia Peretti (Symbtech.Net) took second place on Saturday to move from fifth to fourth on the overall.

Men’s Race
After winning the Queen stage on Friday, Braidot and Avondetto looked favourites to win their first Absa Cape Epic title on Sunday. But early on it was clear that Braidot was feeling the effects of the long week. With 16km of the stage to go, the Beers and Nortje surged clear of the main bunch up the long climb towards the top of the The Doctor trail. 

At time physically pushing Nortje, Beers powered up the steady climb cheered on by big local crowds. They first caught early leaders Sam Gaze and Luca Schwarzbauer of Canyon and were even starting to bring down the gap between the Buff-BH team who, with Canyon, had made the earlier break. 

But Alleman and Stosek, who had suffered numerous mechanicals earlier in the week, were flying down the final singletrack towards the finish and secured their second win of the week by 18 seconds.

“It was so much fun with the crowds screaming for us along the route,” Allenman said. “We just wanted to show that, after all our bad luck this week, that we were still in shape.”

Beers and Nortje followed just 18 seconds later followed by Canyon and the second Toyota Specialized Imbuko team of Marco Joubert and Travis Stedman. The yellow jersey ended fifth – the first time they had been off the podium all week.

After the stage Braidot quickly left the media interview area and it was left to Avondetto to comment on their dramatic day: “It was a tough day and Luca was on the limit in the last part, but we are still in it to fight for the yellow jersey. Thirteen seconds is nothing but it’s better to be in front than having to chase.”

Beers and Nortje had their own struggles with Nortje struggling to hold the pace early on.

“We could see that Luca was suffering, but Tristan was also hurting,” Beers said. “But he’s a tough kid and doesn’t give up. I knew he would come around at some point, although it took a little longer than I expected.”

“This was my bad day,” Nortje said. “Between Luca and me, it was about who was suffering more. But I kept believing and didn’t want to be the first to give up.”

Beers is a three-time Absa Cape Epic winner, while Nortje won the Absa African jersey in 2025 alongside Marco Joubert.

Women’s Race
After the early withdrawal of Seiwald, it was clear that the class of Lill and Keller would be difficult to beat as Chemchamp Honeycomb and Symbtech fought it out for the podium. 

By the 40km mark, the two had already cruised to a 1-minute lead and began to stretch it out as the local fans cheered on the pair.

“It was really sad about Greta this morning and we never want to see our competitors have to pull out like that. It’s been great racing them all week,” said Lill. “But we had a really nice day today. I enjoyed following Alessandra on the downhills, and I think I’m definitely improving my skills there thanks to her.”

Preen and Smith proved that consistency is key as they moved into second on the GC.

“This is the way I like to race this race,” said Preen. “I always start further back and work my way up. But we can’t get too excited until the end of tomorrow.”

The final stage of the 2026 Absa Cape Epic takes place over 58km with 2150m of climbing. The course is the same for the women’s elite race.

RESULTS
Elite Men Stage

1. BUFF-BH Wout ALLEMAN & Martin STOSEK (3:13.49)
2. TOYOTA SPECIALIZED IMBUKO: Matt BEERS & Tristan NORTJE (3:14.08 | +18)
3. CANYON Luca SCHWARZBAUER & Sam GAZE (3:14.20 | +30)
   4. TOYOTA SPECIALIZED IMBUKO 2 Marco Joubert & Travis STEDMAN (3:15.36 | +1:46)
   5. WILIER-VITTORIA: Luca BRAIDOT & Simone AVONDETTO (3:15.44 | +1:55)

Elite Men GC
1.  WILIER-VITTORIA: Luca BRAIDOT & Simone AVONDETTO (24:34.35)
2. TOYOTA SPECIALIZED IMBUKO: Matthew BEERS & Tristan NORTJE (24:34.48 | +13)​

3. CANYON:Luca SCHWARZBAUER & Sam GAZE (24:39.31 | +4:55)
4. KLIMATIZA ORBEA: David VALERO SERRANO & Marc STUTZMANN (24:44.39 | +10:03)
5. BUFF-BH Wout ALLEMAN & Martin STOSEK (24:48.14 | +13:38)

Elite Women Stage
1. THÖMUS MAXON SABI SABI: Candice LILL & Alessandra KELLER (2:56.08)
2. SYMBTECH.NET Margot MOSCHETTI Claudia PERETTI  (2:58.55 | +2:47)

1. CHEMCHAMP HONEYCOMB Hayley PREEN & Hayley SMITH (3:01.09 | +5:01)
   4. MASSI ISB SPORT Monica CALEDERON & Tessa KORTEKAAS (3:01.52 | +5:44)
   5 TORPADO FSA KENDA Katazina SOSNA-PINELE & Giorgia MARCHET (3:05.43 | +9:35)

Elite Women GC
1. THÖMUS MAXON SABI SABI: Candice LILL & Alessandra KELLER (21:44.11)
2. CHEMCHAMP HONEYCOMB: Hayley PREEN & Haley SMITH (22:32.36 | +48:25
3. TORPADO FSA KENDA Katazina SOSNA-PINELE & Giorgia MARCHET (22:44.50 | +1:00.39)
4. SYMBTECH.NET Margot MOSCHETTI Claudia PERETTI  (22:51.59 | 1:07.48)
5. MASSI ISB SPORT Monica CALEDERON & Tessa KORTEKAAS (23:05.01 | +1:20.50)

SPECIAL JERSEYS GC

Toyota Mixed
1. TEAM 69: Jenny RISSVEDS & Simon ANDREASSEN (28:42.48)

Absa African Men
1. TOYOTA SPECIALIZED IMBUKO: Matthew BEERS & Tristan NORTJE (23:34.48)

Absa African Wome
1. SANI2C EFFICIENT INFINITI: Samantha SANDERS & Bianca HAW (23:12.42)

 Open Women:
1. JOY RIDE: Jennifer BURTNER & Callah ROBINSON (40:50.29)

Open Men:
1. SAFARI ESSENCE Mark van Zyl & William PIAT (27:55.54)

 Great Grand Masters Men
1. OTB: Pieter MULLER & Corrie MULLER​ (36:34.29)

GIC Grand Masters Women
1. UAG EPIC: Martha KOEKEMOER & Jenny RÖNNGREN (37:50.41)

 GIC Grand Masters Men
1. ORBEA FOX FACTORY: Ibon ZUGASTI & Ernesto MENDOZA (28:47.50)

 NTT Data Masters Women
1. IGLU THERAPY CHEMCHAMP RACING Juanita Rose MACKENZIE Rouxda GROBLER (36:39.42)

 NTT Data Masters Men
1. CZECHROCKETS&SWISSDIESEL Pavel GONDA Tobias Luthi (27:21.39)

Exxaro Women’s Jersey
1. EXXARO MANGANESE LADIES 1: Tsholofelo NKOSI & Bontle PHEPISO (46:54.26)

 Exxaro Men’s Jersey
1. FAIRTREE DP WORLD CANNONDALE 2: Ethan MICHAELS & Damon TERBLANCHE (29:12.20)

The post It’s Down To The Wire as Beers and Nortje Fight Back appeared first on Bicycling.

In the men’s race Italians Luca Braidot and Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria) finally got their first stage win despite having led the race overall for the last three days. The two finished the brutally hard 134km, with 2750m of climbing, in 5 hours 9 minutes and 51 seconds, with David Valero and Marc Stutzmann (Klimatiza Orbea) eight seconds back. The all-South African pairing of Matt Beers and Tristan Nortje (Toyota Specialized Imbuko) hung on for third to retain their second place in the overall classification.

In the shorter elite women’s race – over 90km with 2150m of climbing –  South African champion Candice Lill and World Short Course Champion, Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon Sabi Sabi), were unstoppable as they finished just over nine minutes ahead of Kate Courtney and Greta Seiwald (She Sends Foundation) and now lead the overall classification by 14 minutes, 18 seconds.

Men’s Race
Trailing the leaders by just 1 minute and 28 seconds, Beers and Nortje were aggressive early on as a crosswind on the open gravel roads played into the powerful Beers’ strengths. At 14km, the two South Africans put in a strong attack in an attempt to break up the lead group. The attack was brought under control and it was eventually the 7C-Pedregal team of Luis Meija and Keyron Fonseca who managed to get a gap up the road just before halfway. On stage 1, Meija and Fonseca suffered major mechanical problems, including broken wheels, which forced them to ride two-up on one bike at times just to get to the finish.

But their time in the limelight was eventually snuffed out just after the Houw Hoek water point as the leading riders started upping the pace towards the big climbs of the day. As they have done all week, the two Italians rarely took the lead, simply following the attacks and minimising their energy expenditure. The race also included a compulsory portage section down the Gantouw Pass at 90km, which further split up the leading group.

By the time the race had summited the long Lourensford climb and reached the Eden trails of Stellenbosch, three teams remained with former Olympic bronze medallist Valero setting a furious pace. But the Italians were eager to get a stage win, and as the group entered the final section of singletrack 3km from the finish, Avondetto darted ahead. It looked to be the race-winning move, but moments later, he crashed off the trail. Quickly remounting, the Italian finally rejoined his partner up front, and the two recovered to open up enough of a gap over the pursuers to have time to celebrate before the finish.

“We really wanted a win and it’s nice to get it on the Queen stage,” said the 25-year-old Avondetto, a former World Under 23 champion. “Today was quite challenging in the first 40 to 50km. We are now looking forward to the final two days.”

Beers and Nortje, despite their best efforts, were unable to break the Italians but were happy to have hung on to second place overall.

“We saw there was a crosswind and we threw in a haymaker,” said Beers. “I think it caught a few teams off guard and there was a lot of panic. But we were hoping to burn a few more teams. By the time we got down the Gantouw Pass, our legs were dying and we had to go full cockroach mode all the way home.”

After their second place, the Klimatiza Orbea team moved up to third overall, 5:59 behind the leaders.

Women’s Race
If there was any doubt that Lill and Keller were the class act of this year’s Absa Cape Epic, they certainly proved it on Friday.

After just 10km Seiwald was forced to stop when a stick got caught in her rear mechanism, and it was the signal for the Thömus Maxon Sabi Sabi team to fly the coop. By halfway, they had already opened up an almost nine-minute gap as Seiwald struggled to keep pace with her World Marathon champion partner and the Chemchamp Honeycomb team of  Hayley Preen and Haley Smith (Chemchamp Honeycomb) closed in.

Lill and Keller maintained their pace in the difficult conditions, eventually crossing the finish line in Coetzenburg in 4:29.08.

“It was a tough stage but we didn’t want to get involved in racing the She Sends Foundation team the whole way,” said Lill. “My favourite way of racing is to race from the front, where we can set our own pace and rhythm.”

Meanwhile Seiwald admitted that she had struggled. 

“Kate was my hero today. She literally pushed me up every hill,” the Italian said. “I just didn’t have the legs today.”

On Saturday, the penultimate stage is a relatively short 76km but with 2460m of climbing while the women’s elite race will be raced over 62km with 1850m of climbing.

RESULTS
Elite Men Stage

1. WILIER-VITTORIA: Luca BRAIDOT & Simone AVONDETTO (5:09.51)
2. KLIMATIZA ORBEA David Valero & Marc Stutzmann (5:09.59 | +8)
3. TOYOTA SPECIALIZED IMBUKO: Matt BEERS & Tristan NORTJE (5:10.03 | +12)
4. CANYON Luca SCHWARZBAUER & Sam GAZE (5:11.01 | +1:09)
   5 TOYOTA SPECIALIZED IMBUKO 2 Marco Joubert & Travis STEDMAN (5:12.56 | +3:04)
   
   Elite Men GC
   1.  WILIER-VITTORIA: Luca BRAIDOT & Simone AVONDETTO (21:18.51)
   2. TOYOTA SPECIALIZED IMBUKO: Matthew BEERS & Tristan NORTJE (21:20.40 | +1:49)​
5. KLIMATIZA ORBEA: David VALERO SERRANO & Marc STUTZMANN (21:24.50 | +5:59)
6. CANYON:Luca SCHWARZBAUER & Sam GAZE (21:25.10 | +6:19)
   5. BUFF-BH Wout ALLEMAN & Martin STOSEK (21:34.25 | +15:34)

Elite Women Stage

1. THÖMUS MAXON SABI SABI: Candice LILL & Alessandra KELLER (4:29.08)
   2. SHE SENDS FOUNDATION: Kate COURTNEY & Greta SEIWALD (4:38.37 | +9)
2. CHEMCHAMP HONEYCOMB Hayley PREEN & Hayley SMITH (4:40.40 | +11:32)
   4. MASSI ISB SPORT Monica CALEDERON & Tessa KORTEKAAS (4:43.32 | +14:24)
   5 TORPADO FSA KENDA Katazina SOSNA-PINELE & Giorgia MARCHET (4:44.43 | +15.34)

Elite Women GC

1. THÖMUS MAXON SABI SABI: Candice LILL & Alessandra KELLER (18:48.02)
2. SHE SENDS FOUNDATION: Kate COURTNEY & Greta SEIWALD (19:02.21 | +14:18)
3. CHEMCHAMP HONEYCOMB: Hayley PREEN & Haley SMITH (19:31.27 | +43:24)

4 TORPADO FSA KENDA Katazina SOSNA-PINELE & Giorgia MARCHET (19:39.07 | +51:04)
5 SYMBTECH.NET Margot MOSCHETTI Claudia PERETTI  (19:53.03 | 1:05.00)

SPECIAL JERSEYS GC

Toyota Mixed 

1. TEAM 69: Jenny RISSVEDS & Simon ANDREASSEN (25:01.41)

Absa African Men

1. TOYOTA SPECIALIZED IMBUKO: Matthew BEERS & Tristan NORTJE (21:20.40)

Absa African Women

1. SANI2C EFFICIENT INFINITI: Samantha SANDERS & Bianca HAW (19:59.45)

Open Women:

1. JOY RIDE: Jennifer BURTNER & Callah ROBINSON (35:01.36)
   

Open Men:

1. COLIBRI CYCLING: Eimantas GUDISKIS & Vladas JURKEVICIUS (24:10.11)​

Great Grand Masters Men

1. OTB: Pieter MULLER & Corrie MULLER​ (31:21.41)
   

GIC Grand Masters Women

1. UAG EPIC: Martha KOEKEMOER & Jenny RÖNNGREN (32:15.17)

GIC Grand Masters Men

1. ORBEA FOX FACTORY: Ibon ZUGASTI & Ernesto MENDOZA (24:49.43)

NTT Data Masters Women

1. IGLU THERAPY CHEMCHAMP RACING Juanita Rose MACKENZIE Rouxda GROBLER (31.19.04)

NTT Data Masters Men

1. CZECHROCKETS&SWISSDIESEL Pavel GONDA Tobias Luthi (23:40.55)
   

Exxaro Women’s Jersey

1. EXXARO MANGANESE LADIES 1: Tsholofelo NKOSI & Bontle PHEPISO (40:01.06)

Exxaro Men’s Jersey 

1. FAIRTREE DP WORLD CANNONDALE 2: Ethan MICHAELS & Damon TERBLANCHE (25:25.20)

The post Lill and Keller Dominate as the GC Leaders Take Charge appeared first on Bicycling.

The two riders who have now finished every single Absa Cape Epic dice with disaster every year, just to make the finish of an event in which so many succumb to illness, injury or a disastrous crash. And you couldn’t find two more different people to have as the Last Lions of what is rightly billed the Untamed African Mountain Bike Race. 

Former Springbok triathlete, duathlete and mountain biker Hannele Steyn is the Last Lioness – the only women to have ridden every one – and is a big part of Absa’s SheUntamed drive to get more women riding mountain bikes, and ultimately riding the Epic itself. 

And then there’s John Gale, the quiet Cape Town accountant who enters every year, and sleeps in the tented village. We all did, in the early years; he’s kept doing so, because it’s as much part of the event as the riding. 

And part of Gale’s success has been keeping it simple. As an accountant, his world revolves around minimising risk; and that’s the only reason, he believes, that he’s managed to notch up a full rack of finishes. 

“It seems bizarre and unlikely. Although I rode Attakwas last week with my 2024 Epic partner, and he hasn’t even finished Attakwas twice. There’s an element of luck – or an absence of bad luck. 

“I think it’s in your head, too. I’ve had to accept over the years that I find it difficult not to finish things, to walk away from things. 

“But sometimes there’s no real reason. An Epic day is always bigger and harder than you would do ordinarily – you get to the point where it’s bigger than anything you’ve done. You get halfway, and your mind goes, ‘That’s enough’. But you carry on, and do it. 

You get halfway, and your mind goes, ‘That’s enough’. But you carry on, and do it. 

“These days, we go in prepared. And I’ve always made these races a family affair – included Beth and the kids. The early days were harder, having to get out of the house by 5am to be back to help with the kids. But they’re much older now, so I can manage that better.”

Howdy, pardner!
Gale has had a surprisingly small number of partners; all have been close friends, “because it’s an amazing thing; you get to spend eight days in a bubble with someone, outside the world, in a different, challenging environment. I’ve always ridden with people I know already, who are smart, with a sense of humour. I don’t meet people on the start line.” 

His 2024 teammate is a prime example. “Twelve years ago, Phil (Ferreira) said to me, ‘One day, I’ll ride the Epic with you.’ I said, ‘Ah, you big fat rugby player – not a chance.’ Now it’s happened. 

“I’m not choosing anyone I don’t like, to start with. It’s an amazing privilege; you get to know people at a different level – there’s no escaping each other. Not just under stress, but all the time. 

“And they’re so different. One’s a trial lawyer, and is always up for a fight. Another we call ‘40% George’ – he says things like, ‘John, I’m about to cramp; we need to back off.’ And does so like a startled hare. Rather flatteringly, he’s said he wouldn’t be bothered to ride with someone other than me. 

“Riding the Epic brought all of us closer, as friends. Which is no small thing.”

Route matters
As one of the Last Lions, Gale is well placed to comment on the pros and cons of the clover-leaf configuration that in 2009 replaced the original journey from Knysna to Cape Town. “Logistically, it’s obviously much more efficient. The experience of travelling is very powerful, but obviously there are compromises you have to make when you have to cover distances. 

“Technically, now, the variety of riding is much better with the clover leaf – increasingly so, as land access becomes more of a problem. More and more farmers are managing their security with cameras and electric gates – they used to like the ‘right kind of eyes’ travelling through their farms, but now it’s a pain when the field triggers sensors and cameras. The transition days are just going to get more difficult to build, I think. 

“Do I miss the sense of travel? Yes. Do I enjoy singletrack? Yes I do. Did I enjoy the journey? Yes I did. Would I choose one over the other? Well… I enjoy both.

“The Epic is at the very top of the class in the events world. Clearly there’s still a huge demand for it, and there are powerful interests at city and provincial level which seek to promote these flagship events, which helps with the inconvenience and risk. 

“We’ve kinda grown up with it. Back in 2003, my mate Jakes called and asked if I’d heard of this new race. I hadn’t; but we did it anyway. And it’s changed the face of mountain biking in South Africa – which in some ways is good, some less good. 

“There’s a different kind of rider now. The ‘suck it and see’ crew is no longer around, the ones that ‘didn’t read all of the words, but I’ll give it a go!’ And increasingly, it’s harder to cross 40 or 50 landowners’ properties to put a stage together. That’s always been one of the amazing things about the route, getting all those landowners on board on the same day!

“Every year, I can’t wait to be on the start line. Even though it’s still a bit terrifying each time.”

The Memories
What was the hardest stage ever? And the hardest stage in history? 

The first question is the easiest to answer, in Gale’s unique experience of the event: “They’re all hard. And you’re always going as hard as you can. So there is no hardest stage. 

“If you’re stronger than your partner, it’s easier; if you’re weaker, it’s harder; and if you’re sick or injured… it’s just unbearable. I have lain under trees and hoped to feel better soon, often. And you do. 

“One of the things we’ve had to learn to manage is the heat; there’s no doubt it’s got worse. It’s an external factor people don’t allow for. They can’t imagine what riding for that length of time could do to your body. For me, these days, it’s as much about just trying to keep your body cool enough to let you function later in the day.”

We look at each year in turn. For Gale, this means a mixture of lucidity and blur – as you would expect, with more than 150 stages and 15-odd thousand kilometres to go back over. 

“I’ll never forget Stage One, in the very first year, climbing up that last tar pass to Saasveld. The longest race in South Africa then was about 80km; we had ridden 120-plus, and there was a guy with cramps, lying on the road, flapping like a salmon. ‘Ek’t jou mos gesê, dis nou genoeg training…’ 

“That day, we had no idea what to expect. At one stage there was a group of police directing us; and then, later on, there were some army guys with a Ratel and R4s, ‘forcing’ us up the mountain. Then you knew it was serious! I thought that set the tone. 

“The very last day, someone had put out some Chuck Norris signs – to motivate us, I presumed. Things like ‘Saddle sores get Chuck Norris’. And then we got to the finish, and there was a sign saying, ‘Chuck Norris and friends are riding back to the start tomorrow, 05h00!’. In that first year… we had no clue.”

Gale nearly ruined his streak before it even started – by failing to enter the 2005 event in time. “I bumped into Mike Cheeseman, who had also ridden in year one, on the back of his many Berg River Canoe Marathon wins; and he told me he had an entry, but wasn’t riding. So we subbed, about three weeks before the event. 

“I was suffering with terrible ITB at the time, training for Two Oceans; so my memories of that year are stretching, resting, stretching, resting… I did go to the race medic at one point, and he surmised, highly professionally, that it was an overuse injury, and that keeping on using the leg might allow it to get better… turned out, he was right! 

“I’ve had a root canal during an Epic – a huge abscess – and I remember telling 40% George on the start line that I was feeling absolutely terrible. He nodded wisely; and sure enough, halfway through the stage I was feeling better, and we were back to normal. 

“And then there was 2016, when I only just finished, with hepatitis. My partner Pierre had to take my bike on the last stage, and it was all I could do just to get to the finish line. There’ve been some close shaves.

“From about 2006, we got better at training and cleverer at finishing, I think. Our execution got smarter. And 2008 was great – George’s mother drove us to the start in Knysna, from Cape Town. And we all camped in the campsite before she dropped us off in the morning to ride back to Cape Town.”

The Failure
2023 was to be a different year for Gale. Until then, he’d been the only one of the Last Lions to finish every one of his 18 Epics with his team intact. It was the heat that changed the narrative. 

“I was going to ride with Phil, but he tore a bicep – doing housework! – so I ended up riding with an old friend, Gavin Copeland. Stage One was terribly hot; but I think we failed to realise how hot. It’s like being a frog in boiling water; you just get used to being over your limits, and you keep going. 

“Gavin was in a bad way – at one point I had to call to him not to ride into a pavement. And he was riding the singletrack into Hermanus terribly. Quite unlike him. 

“I knew it was bad, but I thought they would just put him on a drip at the finish. But they took him to hospital, with renal issues – it was serious. We didn’t realise it, but a combination of anti-inflammatories and heat on the day meant seven guys ended up with a huge helping of that, and failed to finish. 

“I hate that we didn’t make it; I see it as a failure, in a way. My job is not to finish the Epic, it’s to finish the Epic with my teammate – to do whatever we need to do to help each other make it to the finish each day. And I couldn’t do that. 

“I hated it, but I don’t think either of us was aware of how hot we were getting. But your core is just getting hotter, and hotter, and hotter… He kept apologising for letting me down; but if anything, it was the other way round.”

That turned Gale into a solo rider for the remaining stages of the ’23 Epic. “That was a different experience. Part of the Epic is the working together, communication. So in a sense it was easier, because you only have to worry about how you are feeling. There are enough riders these days that you’re never really alone. 

“In the early years, you felt quite exposed – like, if you crashed off the road or something, they might never find you. But it’s different now; it’s so big. Solo’s a different challenge. With a partner – which is the way it should be – you have to learn when you can go hard, and know how to manage both him and you, which is the challenge of the Epic. On your own… if you’ve had enough, you slow down; if you’re feeling good, you speed up.”

“I felt an element of failure. It’s not the riding – I don’t want to say that’s easy – but I didn’t complete the task as it was set out.”

The End
So how does it end for John Gale? What would put a stop to the streak? “I don’t really know – I guess, one year, I might just not feel like riding it. Something else might come up that’s interesting. 

“But I don’t think that’ll happen soon.” 

The post The Last Lion appeared first on Bicycling.

Prologue: Sunday, 17 March 2024

Lourensford Wine Estate, Somerset West

Distance: 26km

Climbing: 1050m

Difficulty: 2.5 Stars

Opportunities await as the journey into the untamed begins on the manicured trails of Lourensford Wine Estate. In the shadow of the Helderberg Mountains it is renowned as one of the country’s oldest and most celebrated wine farms.  Teams transfer north to Tulbagh for the first marathon stages. Stage 1 and 2 both start and finish at the spectacular Saronsberg Wine Estate, famed for its wines, blueberries and art.

Stage 1: Monday, 18 March 2024

Saronsberg, Tulbagh

Distance: 90km

Climbing: 2450m

Difficulty: 4.5  Stars

Bravery will be required on Stage 1. Tulbagh, once a frontier town, is still an untamed mountain biking destination.

Four major climbs punctuate the day, including the infamous Fanti’s Pass. It’s not just all challenges and climbing though. Handbuilt singletracks, never before ridden in a race will offer a welcome reward for the uphill toils. Exceedingly tough on the way up. Scintillating on the way down. Stage 1 will be beautiful throughout.

Stage 2: Tuesday, 19 March 2024

Saronsberg, Tulbagh

Distance: 93km

Climbing 2200m

Difficulty: 4 Stars

Withstanding the untamed and unrelenting challenges presented by the Witzenberg Valley requires endurance and skill. Stage 2 begins with an ascent from Absa Cape Epics of yore, climbing into the Witzenberg Valley. Famed for its relentlessly technical trails the valley itself might not feature an imposing amount of climbing, but do not be fooled by the profile. The rocky trails deny momentum and reintroduce the concept of inertia to all but the most skilful. The drop back to the Tulbagh Valley is no free ride. Rocky in places, line choice will be vital. Stage 2 will require mental as well as physical fortitude.

Stage 3: Wednesday, 20 March 2024

Tulbagh to Wellington

Distance: 94km

Climbing: 2100m

Difficulty: 3.5 Stars

On Wednesday morning the race departs the Tulbagh Valley for Cape Peninsula of Technology’s Wellington Campus, in the only transition stage of the 20th edition. Blending buttery smooth tarmac with the rugged remoteness Stage 3 is a mix of natural and manmade.  A flat run starts the day before the course gets complex with a dual track climb into the wild. The summer sun will have slowed the waterfall to a trickle and turned Zuurvlakte to a valley of rock and sand. Teams will experience some classic Cape singletrack cut through pristine fynbos before Bainskloof pass and an unexpected sting in the tail, do not expect a direct race home from the summit.

Stage 4: Thursday, 21 March 2024

Cape Peninsula of Technology, Wellington

Distance: 88km

Climbing: 3000m

Difficulty: 5 Stars

The Queen Stage of the 2024 Absa Cape Epic, it will demand every team rises to the challenge – the gauntlet laid down by the untamed. Featuring more meters of climbing than any stage in recent years, Stage 4 is defined by ascents. They begin relatively steadily, then become longer and steeper as the day progresses until it reaches into the clouds with South Africa’s most awe-inspiring Cliff Hanger trail. The Toyota Tough section of the day. Built on Canetsfontein and part of the Imbuko Big Five Challenge, clinging to the very highest slopes of the Hawequas Mountains it takes a head of heights and technical skills to conquer.

Stage 5: Friday, 22 March 2024

Cape Peninsula of Technology, Wellington

Distance: 70km

Climbing: 1750m

Difficulty: 3 Stars

A thrilling loop through the Wild Boar Trails. Home to technical climbs, traverses and descents it is a rare day of flat out fun, but still with a challenge or two. 70 kilometres and 1750 meters of climbing. A mix of district road and dual tracks starts the day; but once on the trails, they flow back-to-back along the slopes of the Limietberg and into the Doolhof Valley. As fatigue begins to set in, teamwork will be vital. If one is feeling good while the other suffers the gap between teammates will amplify. Wild and rocky at times, always untamed, it should be a faster day, ahead of the bus journey to Stellenbosch for the final two stages of the race.

Stage 6: Saturday, 23 March 2024

University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch

Distance: 87km

Climbing: 2300m

Difficulty: 4.5 Stars

Teams should be warned, they will need to be steadfast in their resolve if they are to conquer the untamed in Stellenbosch. 87 kilometres, 2 300 meters of climbing. The route presents climbs aplenty across some of South Africa’s most famous wine farms. It does however also boast singletracks, both uphill and down. The trails twist and turn with berms and rollers interspersed among small drops and rises. When raising your eyes from the terrain ahead you’ll see across the winelands to Table Mountain in the distance, but do not raise your gaze for too long.

Stage 7: The Grand Finale – Sunday, 24 March 2024

University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch

Distance: 65km

Climbing: 2000m

Difficulty: 4 Stars

The conquest of the untamed is within reach but the final stage is no free ride. Of the kilometres which remain the majority are in the world-renowned Jonkershoek Valley. The course zig-zags uphill and down, climbing one side of the valley three times and descending it in turn too. Sweeping and fast, tight and technical. Smooth in places. Rocky in others. A high traverse above familiar terrain leads to the final hurdle of the 2024 race and then you cross that finish line, you know you gave it all, claiming your spot in the book of legend.

The post The 2024 Absa Cape Epic Route Revealed appeared first on Bicycling.

 

2023 Absa Cape Epic Stage 2 Results:

2023 Absa Cape Epic General Classification After Stage 2:

The post Absa Cape Epic Stage 2 – Little Change After Long Day appeared first on Bicycling.

The Absa Cape Epic is the most televised mountain bike race in the world and the only eight-day mountain bike stage race classed as hors catégorie by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), making it a highlight on the professional racer’s calendar. Africa’s Untamed MTB Race also attracts aspiring amateur riders wanting to test themselves against the best. In the past few weeks international journalists have descended on the Cape Winelands to report on the build-up, speak to riders and get a sense of the terrain and favourites for the race. When the event starts in Durbanville’s Meerendal Wine Estate on 19 March, the cycling world will hold its collective breath to ensure not a single attack, crash, climb or bone-jarring descent is missed.

The Absa Cape Epic Live Broadcast will cover it all in 2023.

Members of the media and all Cape Epic fans can catch every moment simply by downloading the Epic Series app on the App Store or Google Play or by following the action on the Absa Cape Epic website, Facebook or YouTube Channel.  SuperSport will also be broadcasting the Prologue (19 March, 9am-2.30pm), Stage 6 (25 March, 8.30am-11.30am) and Stage 7 (26 March, 8.30am-12.30pm) live. Both SuperSport and the AbsaCape Epic YouTube channel will also carry daily highlights at 8.30pm each night from 19-26 March. Given the drama that unfolded in the 2022 edition of the event, when the lead changed in the Grand Finale,  you can’t afford to miss a thing.

The post How To Watch The 2023 Absa Cape Epic Live appeared first on Bicycling.

The 2023 edition, taking place over 658km from 19-26 March, will be no different.

The Fran Millar Story

This year, Cape Epic fans can look forward to a host of international road cycling greats tackling Africa’s ultimate untamed MTB race, including European and Australian riders who lit up the Tour de France in their heyday. Another notable name in the field is Fran Millar, the CEO of British heritage fashion brand Belstaff, as well as one of the most powerful women in cycling. She is synonymous with success, with many believing everything she touches turns to gold. While at INEOS Grenadiers, she led on the development on the team’s operational and governance systems alongside all the business and engagement strategies. She also previously held a dual role as both Director of Business Operations and Head of Winning Behaviours at Team Sky, which she helped build from the bottom up with  Sir Dave Brailsford. In her role at Belstaff, she has made it her business to push the brand into a new era, and few will be betting against her.

Her participation in this year’s Cape Epic is made all the more special in that her brother, David Millar, the former Cofidis and Garmin-Sharp rider who dominated stages of the Tour de France, Vuelta a España and Giro d’Italia in the first decade of the new millennium, will be joining her. Whether they plan to compete in the Toyota Mixed jersey made by Ciovita remains to be seen, but all will be revealed at the race in March.

The gap in the siblings’ riding prowess could not be much greater, though that is arguably why Fran chose her brother as her partner for the 2023 Absa Cape Epic. “I’m terrified,” she says. “I’m hoping that his years as a road captain will be what he calls on as opposed to his years focused on winning! We are best friends and have always got on really well, but we have never done a challenge like this together so it’s going to be interesting. The only times we rode together while he was racing, he used to complain about how slow we went and he’s still pretty impatient… so, I’m hoping he’s going to go easy on me.”

MEET THE 2023 Absa Cape Epic – stage by stage

The David Millar Story

Growing up in Hong Kong, he discovered a passion for two wheels thanks to the BMX races he took part in. While he “did pretty well”, it ultimately was the decision to buy his first road bike in 1992 that set him on the path to future glory. When he returned to the UK to live with his mother, he joined the High Wycombe club in Maidenhead, England. While he had been scheduled to begin arts school, destiny had other plans, as his career then took him to France where he won eight races riding under the banner of the St-Quentin club in the Picard region.

Instantly recognised as a star talent, David was signed by Cofidis and in his first professional season he won the prologue of the Tour de l’Avenir and the competition for the best young rider in the Mi-Août Breton. The first of his Tour de France stage wins came in 2000, a feat he was to repeat three more times in his career. While he was dogged by controversy for several years, he re-emerged in 2006 and with the Garmin-Sharp team to put in a number of hugely impressive performances, especially in the time-trials, over the next few years.

As testimony to his red-hot form in 2010, he won gold in the time-trial and bronze in the road race at that year’s Commonwealth Games, a highlight in a professional journey that came to an end in 2014. The smart money will be on Fran and David to wow more than a few riders and fans on the singletrack at this year’s Absa Cape Epic.

The post It’s Millar Time! Fran and David Tackle the Epic appeared first on Bicycling.

Nino Schurter and Lars Forster win Stage 2 of Absa Cape Epic. XCO Mountain Bike World Champion Nino Schurter and partner Lars Forster (SCOTT-SRAM) finally came to the party at the 2022 Absa Cape Epic.  The Swiss riders endured a third day of punctures, but this time the deflation couldn’t defeat them as they raced home in a sprint finish to claim the 123km Stage 2, from Lourensford Wine Estate to Elandskloof Farm Cottages, Greyton. Schurter and Forster, who lost time on the Prologue and Stage 1 due to punctures, were in control throughout Stage 2, sitting at the front of the men’s bunch or one or two positions back in the field during the demanding transition. Most of the top contenders were comfortable throughout the stage, with race leaders Andreas Seewald and Martin Stošek (Canyon Northwave MTB) always in the mix, and Hans Becking and Jose Dias (BUFF-MEGAMO) a constant threat. Becking said after the stage that they were happy not to attack on the day. Although SCOTT-SRAM won the stage, the ride of the day in the Men’s category must go to Matt Beers (Toyota-NinetyOne-Specialized) who went from finishing Stage 1 looking like dried seaweed to somehow finding himself in a sprint finish for Stage 2. “I’m still not 100 percent better,” said Beers, “but, obviously, very happy with the ride. To be honest, I struggled to get a line on the finish and couldn’t work out which way to go.” The leading men remained together up until around 90km into the never-ending 123km stage; that’s where Jacques’ Climb entered the fray and SCOTT-SRAM made their break.  Schurter and Forster managed to put just over a minute on the chasers, but near the top of the climb, Schurter realised his rear tyre had an issue, again. This allowed the chasers to catch the Swiss riders and form a lead group of seven teams. Tellingly on the long day, all the leading teams took their time at the final water point, seemingly in no rush for the mad dash to the finish. At the tech zone, Forster thought about finding a replacement tyre for Schurter but appeared to be dilly-dallying somewhat and was soon back on his bike when Schurter sped off without him. SCOTT-SRAM lead to the finish, with Toyota-NinetyOne-Specialized and BUFF-MEGAMO’s Hans Becking for company – Becking’s partner Jose Dias was slightly off the pace. Toyota-NinetyOne-Specialized’s Christopher Blevins surged ahead in the finish chute, showing he still had great power left, but Beers was unable to pass Becking, allowing Schurter and Forster to cross the line as the stage winners.  “It’s always nice to win,” said Schurter, “but we had bad luck again! I don’t know what it is, for some reason; I am just struggling with my gear this week. The legs feel great though and I felt good throughout today’s stage. The sprint was not really a sprint finish but more just a case of who could hold on the longest. Whoever had the legs at the end was going to win that one. It’s great to take the win, and it gives us motivation for tomorrow.” The yellow leader jersey wearers Andreas Seewald and Martin Stošek (Canyon Northwave MTB) finished fourth, 10 seconds behind the leaders, so little to no damage was done to their general classification lead. They will start Stage 3 with an almost five-minute gap ahead of second-placed Becking and Dias of BUFF-MEGAMO. Defending champion Beers, alongside Blevins, is now in third in the general classification, eight minutes off the top spot.

BMC MTB Racing soars on Stage 2 at Absa Cape Epic. If the story of the Men’s race was Matt Beers charging back to life after a wretched Stage 1, then the same could be said for Pauline Ferrand-Prévot in the CM.com Women’s category. The French superstar – a past World Champion in cyclocross, road, and XCO – was rudely introduced to the realities of the Absa Cape Epic on Stage 1. But on the 123km Stage 2, Ferrand-Prévot bounced back like a champion, riding to victory on the stage alongside BMC MTB Racing teammate, Robyn de Groot. BMC MTB Racing finished almost three minutes ahead of current race leader Sofia Gomez Villafane and Haley Batten (NinetyOne-songo-Specialized) on the stage. Their efforts saw them leapfrogging Faces Rola and Symbtech ZA on the general classification, moving them into second place overall. They now sit just over six minutes off the leaders, with plenty of racing to come. The CM.com Women’s category race saw the top four teams riding together for much of the first half of Stage 2. Candice Lill and Mariske Strauss of Face Rola swapped places at the front of the bunch with Villafane and Batten all the way up to the 85km mark. From here, though, BMC MTB Racing sparked to life. Ferrand-Prévot attacked on Jacques’ Climb, taking De Groot along for the ride. Ariane Lüthi and Amy Wakefield (Symbtech ZA) and Faces Rola had no answers, while NinetyOne-songo-Specialized were hampered in their response by a malfunctioning dropper post. By the top of the stage’s big climb, BMC MTB Racing had built a commanding near-three-minute lead over the chasing teams. After the climb, BMC MTB Racing rode home calmly and consistently, with none of the other teams able to eat into the time gap. Robyn de Groot said her partner’s comeback was incredible. “Yesterday was very tough. Pauline had a bad day out there. It’s incredible how she bounced back today, absolutely amazing in fact. She was so determined.” Ferrand-Prévot admitted that the team tactics on Stage 1 were not quite right, but the tactics for Stage 2 were spot on. “I made the mistake of going out too fast in the beginning yesterday. I paid the price for that. Today I started slower and rode into the day; it was a much better strategy. I made a small attack on the big climb. Robyn was super strong and I saw that she was coming with me. We made a good gap and after that, we just rode a nice rhythm to the finish.” Second place finishers on the stage and orange jersey wearers NinetyOne-songo-Specialized know they have a race on their hands now. “It just shows you how unpredictable this race is,” said Haley Batten. “We really had to adapt and go with the flow today. This not going to be an easy race over the next few days, but we are ready for the challenge. Today I really had to dig deep. Coming from cross-country, I am not used to six hours in the saddle, even though that’s how I trained. Sofia was amazing in the last quarter of the race, she really kicked into gear and helped us get home.” On Stage 3 the leaders in the CM.com Women’s category will have to keep their eyes on the 101 kilometres of treacherous trail in front of them while looking over their shoulders at the same time.

Stage 3 of the 2022 Absa Cape Epic is a 101km race around the dry, dusty, and rocky trails of Greyton with punctures being a very real threat. Teams not prepared for that reality could find themselves in trouble.

Tune in to the Live Broadcast of Stage 3 from 08:30 on www.cape-epic.com/.

The post Scott, BMC Dominate on an Epic Stage Two appeared first on Bicycling.

Ferrand-Prévot, a multi-discipline World Champion in road racing, cyclocross, and XCO (her last MTB World Championship title coming in 2020), set the pace on the 24km Prologue at Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset West and De Groot followed.

The South African rider matched her partner where it mattered most with an impressive ride of her own. The BMC MTB Racing duo, partnered together for the first time, finished the course in a time of 01:09.5,9.

Candice Lill and Mariske Strauss (Faces Rola), the 2021 Absa Cape Epic runners up in the Women’s category, claimed second place, while Amy Wakefield and previous winner Ariane Luthi (Symbtech ZA) crossed the line in third. BMC MTB Racing take a 42-second lead into Monday’s Stage 1, the Queen Stage, over Faces Rola.

Like the scorching Cape weather that was dished up for the teams by a mischievous Mother Nature, the racing in the CM.com Women’s category was hot, so much so that Ferrand-Prévot was taken by surprise when told she had won the stage.

“Who won? Did we win?” she asked with genuine astonishment on the finish line. “I felt really good out there; it was hot, but I felt strong. Robyn was a great partner, she was really good out there. It was nice to push hard on the route and get the blood pumping; we are one stage win in and we’re very happy with that. It’s a long stage race to come, so we will just take each day as it comes.”

De Groot, a five-time Absa Cape Epic finisher who’s had her fair share of misfortune at the event and with her health, wrote on social media ahead of the race that Ferrand-Prévot had given her “reason to get fit again”. The fitness shone through, with the former SA Marathon Champion rolling back the years on a route not particularly suited to her exceptional skills.

 

“I didn’t know what I was in for!” said De Groot after the Prologue. “I just had to hang on to the wheel of Pauline. For me, that was a super ride. I have come into the event feeling fresh; I have been doing a lot of running. I feel much better than the last Absa Cape Epic.”

 

With start times at one-minute intervals for the teams in the CM.com Women’s category, it’s hard for the riders to know where they are in the race. This forces the elite teams to “ride their own races”. It causes some confusion, even for the most experienced riders, with Ariane Luthi also unsure about her final position after the race.

 

“Oh, we’re third,” she exclaimed. “That’s amazing! We just rode our own race today and didn’t worry too much about the other riders. I’m very proud of the way we rode – we were really in sync out there, made no mistakes, and finished in one piece, which is always good!”

 

Luthi’s partner, Amy Wakefield, was also happy with the performance, and grateful that the supporters were out on the route to cheer the popular pair on. “The support means so much to us. We obviously can’t say thank you when we ride past, but it’s so nice to hear the cheers of encouragement. It really lifts you. We rode a consistent Prologue; I am stoked with how we performed today. This is my first podium, so I’m really happy and looking forward to the racing for the rest of the week.”

 

Stage 1 of the Absa Cape Epic is the Queen Stage and boasts a 92km route to and from Lourensford Wine Estate, with riders making their way towards Stellenbosch’s Helderberg Mountain range before heading back to Lourensford. A feature of the day will be the steep climbs, dry conditions, and withering late summer heat that appears to be locked in for the next few days.

 

Tune in to the Live Broadcast of Stage 1 from 08:30 GMT+2 on https://www.cape-epic.com/.

The post Ferrand-Prévot, de Groot Open Account at Absa Cape Epic appeared first on Bicycling.