HIGHLIGHTS | STAGE 4 | 2024 Absa Cape Epic

With temperatures soaring in the Boland all week long, race organisers enacted the official Extreme Weather Protocol, reducing the initial 88km Stage 4 to 73km. Despite this, the Queen Stage still presented a challenging course with four arduous climbs and the tricky, yet spectacularly beautiful Cliffhanger switchback descent near the end.

Although the changes provided some welcome relief, the stage remained an intense test of physical and mental endurance. So much so that UCI Marathon World Champ, Mona Mitterwallner of Cannondale Factory Racing, called it ‘one of the hardest stages’ of her life.

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[Applause] oh Wellington home to the 2024 Absa Cape epics third race Village and second overnight campsite is a gem of the cape windlands the LBG mountains to the east provide the terar for exceptional Trails but also for worldclass wine farms and Vineyard root stocks in the town itself

Old sandstone and Cape Dutch buildings showcase Wellington’s 180-year history the region was known as the lit Valley as it was the edge of the Dutch’s Cape Colony or the Varan Marcus fet for the wagon makers who based themselves here before it was founded as a municipality

Once it was the town was named after Arthur Wellesley the first Duke of Wellington perhaps wellesley’s Innovative defensive tactics would Inspire teams taking on the queen stage though others would need to adopt more attacking tactics to make up for the previous day’s Losses the primary losers on stage three had been the world B iCal relief team the day had begun benignly enough and the top three General classification teams had even managed to establish an early break before being reeled in by a large group of teams on the cles CW descent Sebastian finny suffered a

Mechanical the Dan’s chain guide was seemingly broken by Rogue Rock and thereafter he and Nino sherter had to stop repeatedly to receip the chain this put them out of the lead Group which charged ahead with Matt beers and then the Canyon City team driving the pace after summer Banes CL pass Andreas sealt

And Mark stutzman attacked distancing beers Howard grz Lucas Bal G gger hunts backing and Val alaman the German Swiss combination charged through the wild Bo trails to the Finish Line turning their Misfortune from stages 1 and two into a race defining Victory Toyota specialized 91 orle at speed company and buff mego

Battled it out for second while World bicycle relief lost three minutes to their General classification rivals so yeah it’s super nice to win a stage here always oh something super super special I’m not really sure what what was it but maybe the Dynamics of this

Stage was suited more for me and so I had the power to to attack in towards the end and yeah super happy after the only transition stage of the race buff me’s lead was extended to 1 minute and 47 seconds with Toyota specialized 991 moving up into second

Chra and finny’s time losses saw them slip to third at 3:47 in the aramax women’s race a steady start gave way to fast-paced climbing through the Bal nature reserve viea lossa and Alexis SCA were the final team to be distanced by the now wellestablished leading Trio squads once

Again the UCI race was dictated by ghost Factory racing canel Factory racing and Toyota specialized 91 an turra ni Cola Candace Lil Mona mavala Sophia Gomez and Samar Shepard were inseparable over B CL pass only on the full monty descent did turst and cola ghost off the front they

Then time trial to the Finish holding off the Chasers behind this saw them double their General classification advantage over lilan matala who won the Sprint for second and here they come and over the finish line yeah it’s h pretty amazing to to do our first Cape epic and starting like this

Uh riding in Orange and yeah I think uh there are another few days uh coming up and tomorrow will be the queen stage and uh yeah it’s always hard and I think uh we will just see how we feel each day and uh hopefully have a nice time on the bike

Heading into stage four turst Cola LED canadel Factory racing by 2 minutes and 29 seconds Gomez vfi and Shephard were a further 5 and 1 half minutes back the queen stage had been scheduled to be 88 km long but for the safety of the amateurs with another searingly hot

Day predicted stage four was shortened to 73 km the final three climbs remained ferocious however as haraka Seven Peaks and the Cliffhanger helped contribute to the 2550 M of accumulated Ascent on the reig route feelings were mixed among the leading men though they recognized the danger the conditions and the cause

Presented to the amateur behind them today’s stage should be the queen stage but not only by by numbers but um just from the terrain but also by by the heat today we’re expecting a bit big Heat Wave coming through the valley here today so um it’s going to be uh yeah a

Tough one from from the elements and also from the track itself obviously there’s been a slight route change um Dy heat which I don’t know if I agree on because the Epic it’s meant to be hard but but there’s a lot of other people racing so yeah it’s still

Regardless it’s going to be a hard day and um I think I think there’s going to be some decent time s today well uh we just going for fun and flow today I think we need to be superow on the trails we just have to keep fun like we

The last four days and I think the pressure will be on today from the other teams they have to catch up some and we’re just going to try to hold the wheels and and see the opportunities like we do all Week heading off the start line the UCI Men set out with a ferocity of a cross country race rather than a 3 and 1/ half hour mountain bike Marathon day the shorten route meant fewer opportunities to make up time and move up the leaderboard so the rationale was one of

All out attack only the very brave and those willing to take risks would be rewarded on the queen stage ahead of their start the queens of the abser cape epic were concerned about the Heat and were happy to talk about their racing tactics yeah it’s going to

Be really hot out there so um yeah we’ll have to stay hydrated obviously will be important um I think the I I think the terrain will be spectacular like it has been every other stage and um yeah just looking forward to getting into it so we’ve done four days under the buls

Including a prologue obviously they’ve been really Fierce racing and hot and everything that the cape fic throws at you uh we’ve had so yeah I think today is going to be definitely a decider um I think Mona is feeling better and better day by day um we just need to get a few

Things right um along the way way and yeah if we play our cards right I think we can hurt the ghost girls today I think they will be trying and push every single day uh they did until now uh and until now we could uh always come with

Them uh so I don’t expect today to be any different uh they will for sure try and we will for sure try to keep up fighting talk from the leading women set the scene for a day of close racing with climbing from soon after the start the

Few hundred meters on the start finish straight were some of the only flat meters on the route it was no time to appreciate that however as the fight for positions into the climbs would be nearly as important as the ascents themselves even on the briefest of flat roads leaving Wellington the UCI men

Were on the charge riding like they were eager to get climbing and soon they would be too heading uphill into the foothills of the havar range of the LBG mountains BF megao and Matt beers were the first to seize the initiative the men in yellow controlling from the front by

Setting a pace which is fast enough to stretch the field but not too fast to hurt their own ailing legs the tempo was not enough to stop the Resurgence sual from going on the attack however the Germans speed splintered the already slimed lead group to just the main favorites World bicycle

Relief Toyota specialized 91 BF meamo Mo and his teammate St from the second climb of the stage it was clear that alaman was struggling hanging dangerously off the back of the group as they flew uphill orb lead speed company missed the split and were forced to chase with singer

Racing a brief lull in seol’s charge allowed buff mego to fight their way back up to the front group though the climbing hardly eased up the drop in Pace provided momentary respite this allowed the groups behind them to gain on them and almost close the gap completely though their proximity only

Served to inspire Canyon City to punch again there were still massive climbs to come and with the sun rising higher and higher into the African Summer Sky the heat was climbing along with the ascending Riders the extreme heat was playing its part along with the nearly

35 M of climbing per kilomet on the stage the brutal gradients and Relentless climbs were suiting the mountain goats sealt and stutzman continued to lead stringing shter finny grots and beers out behind them Canyon City were looking for a second success of stage win B mego had vastly different

Goals they were riding to conserve their General classification lead having started the day with a 1 minute and 47 second Advantage they were being informed on the course that they had already conceded 90 seconds to the group ahead the dry and Dusty conditions in the trails made following Wheels a

Tricky business which in turn slowed the collective speed of the leaders when the trails pointed downhill even sherter was forced to be circumspect while behind B and ego are now alone and able to take more risks in the single tracks as they were able to see obstacles more clearly

In their attempt to make up time alaman and becking were descending with complete abandon which in turn caused the buff megao team to puncture in the Brooklyn Bridge descent the quick stop to repair the issue didn’t cost them too much time but it did break the momentum of their

Chase further back piga Urus were having a clean and fast ride through the trails extending their abs African jersey advantage on the day and overall in the ARX women’s race the asphalt introduction to the stage alar for a moment to look through the other teams in the competition along with the

Leaders and their Rivals for victory there was the Absa African jersey battle Danielle strum and Steph falters of efficient Infinity insure led the sub competition going into the day but Sarah Hill and Haley Smith had warned the jerseys earlier in the week concerningly for efficient Infinity SCB sham the they

Missed the first split up front canadel Factory racing LED ghost Factory racing Toyota specialized 91 and Scott calab bandida Bulls just behind L Geral and Haley pin fought to bridge back across with Lon and Scar despite their efforts the Chasers never caught the lead group who Streed

Away up the climbs Natalia Fisher and Arena Little Schwab clung onto the leading Trio of teams for as long as they could and eventually they dropped and once again the women in the general classification podium places rode away from all their Rivals she Untamed cruise control and

The elements team were all locked in their private battles climbing and descending as fast as they could ghost Factory racing canadale Factory racing and Toyota specialized 91 all try their hands at attacks at times the group was stretched to the verge of breaking melna sheer and Gomez Vian all endured times

Dangling off the back the pack came back together again and again brought back by strength of will as much as by the strength of their legs defending Champion laa and Scar were shipping time behind enduring a difficult day dropping towards the base of Bain Club pass the leaders pass

Through water Point 2 together though there would be a concern for Cola who missed a bottle in the feed Zone ahead of the 16 km long climb you know we’ve still got the Toyota tap sections which I’m really looking forward to and of course cliffing I mean it’s it’s

Infamous built on the canet fontain farm which is owned by the fal family the Cliffhanger is unquestionably the most spectacular Trail in South Africa and will be the highlight of the 2024 Absa Cape epic I’ve only ridden it once but it’s amazing amazing amazing I love the

Climb up is nice but the downhill is something really Special Having started the 16 km final climb which began with OPD and ended with Cliffhanger the teams cranked up the 9% average gradients and soon the group was stretched again having LED for much of the stage sealt began to struggle and was yo-yoed off the back with sherter on the front the

Pressure was relentless the Swiss star was waiting for no man and his world bicycle relief partner required no pause finny held his teammate’s wheel with grz right behind him stman slipped back towards sealt and even beers felt the Heat when the gradients evened out on the Traverse towards the final kick the

Canyon CD team were able to power back to the leaders the speed increased and the group rounded a Bend to reveal the scale of the Toyota T the Cliffhanger the sweeping switchbacks scaling the mountain side are an or inspiring sight shter led the group of six up the final

Kick of the day without a pause to take in the spectacular views or appreciate the feat of engineering which is required to build the trail canet fain’s Masterpiece is however only open to ride by booking on the Farm’s website if the climb is breathtaking The Descent is beyond description tight and

Technical at the top the Cliffhanger takes a real skill to ride and even the very best riders in the world Took The Descent relatively easy the sharp SS demanding absolute Focus further down where the trail opened to a gently sloping bench cut Canyon City and Co could release their

Brakes flying towards the tree line long minutes after the leaders had made their descent buff megao began their drop back to Wellington with a Le speed company in tow just behind shurter and Finny descended fastest opening a small gap on beers and grots while sealt and stutzman were still further off the

Toyota specialized 91 combination managed to catch World bicycle Relief this set the stage up for a Sprint finish shurter finny beers and grz drove to the line like racers in the derby despite a final lunge the South African came up short Canyon C’s finish for third was a more sedate affair while BGA rang every possible second out of their final 100

Meters an elated ktia toimi kabati team completed their best showing of the week to finish the queen stage in Fifth becking and alaman made a moment for a show of solidarity after seeding their yellow jerseys yeah it’s really nice to win the queen stage uh and just to to win a stage here in the cape epic is is special I mean uh we got the first one

On the prologue and then we had a three half days I must say we we suffered uh Mechanicals but when we today we we had no issues we went uh through the plan and we uh yeah we made it to the finish and we we obviously really happy you you

Don’t come here to race for second place uh that was one of the the most intense days of racing I think we’ve had so far just because it it was short and Punchy and you know the descents were really fast uh but it was it was a fun day of

Racing even though there was some suffering oh I suffered right from the beginning on the first climb and I told Hans that that uh it would be a better idea to do our own pace and then we did our own pace and I think in the beginning like the first half of the

Race we didn’t lose so much time was always around 1 minute and a half I think um then I started to feel better but then H started to suffer so we had both not our best day but uh yeah I mean we had two days in yellow and

Uh for us was already a good week so we knew that it would be difficult but uh still we lost the battle but not to war it’s still 3 days go and everything can happen the day’s winners shter and Finny stood at top of the podium for the first

Time since the prologue they were joined by beers and GRS as well as by the Canyon City combination of seol and stutzman behind the leading teams Roberto batan and Miguel Munos Moreno of Catia toimi certi had their best day of the race finishing fifth becking and alaman conceded 6 minutes and 50 seconds

By the end of the day despite not having won a stage themselves Toyota specialized 91 stepped up to claim the yellow Chita jerseys after the queen stage after 5 days of racing beers and grots lead by 2 minutes from shurter and Finny becking and Alman are third at 503

The best of the Absa African jersey teams are the piga osil squad of Philip Bas and Peter D toy in the rmx women’s race the final climb was a great opportunity for the strongest to the three teams to make a difference and distance their Rivals the early slopes through the Pine

Forest and up the 21 hairpins of AR Duz served to soften the weaker climbers in the group yet nobody caved a quick gel threw gritter teeth and the usai women were ready for the final assault on the limberg Gomez vfan was the last to pass through the canet Fain banners and begin

The Toyota tough Cliffhanger descent but she had her rivals in sight sweeping down the precipitous drop the po Factory racing lead train flowed gracefully towards the valley floor far below with each passing bend the trail opened slightly allowing for increasing speed across the incredible single track the tree line signal the end of

The most technical stretch and an opportunity to really pick up speed the cola lead group had been caught early in The Descent by the NTT data Masters leaders KL Platt and Tommy misser but the legends of the Epic series respected the usai women’s racing and did not

Force their way past until the 10 km long single track concluded with a dual track climb we of been caught out by ghost Factory Racing’s kick the leader’s adversary shadowed them through the final 5 km this meant that the day came down to a three- up Sprint yet once

Again tster and cola had both the power and the Tactical Acumen to outp punch an out think cadell Factory racing and Toyota specialized 91 oh uh not really I was prepared for more attacks to be honest uh I think both specialized and kenil wanted to make the pace uh high from the beginning

But uh it turned out that actually Nicole and I would have fost us there so it was nice to know like they can try but we we’re still there we’re hanging on uh but still like you have to climb up all these climbs doesn’t matter if

You go fast or slow you have to get up there and that’s already not that easy so I think it was still a tough day for everybody uh but it was nice that we had the most you left for a Sprint finish again well I mean it’s the queen stage

So for sure even if it’s a shortened um Queen stage is still very important you know we are now approaching the second half of the K and you know from here on it um you know every minute or every second counts for the overall um so yeah

For sure today was very important I think um just everyone was very well prepared for today’s stage um so we were not the only one like targeting it um and and yeah I mean it was very close racing I mean I think everyone dig deep

Because um as soon as one team went back another team went to the front and pushed so I really think that was one of the hardest races I I have done and I mean it’s crazy the level like it’s it’s very cool racing I mean you know you

Can’t hide there’s no place to hide so um yeah was was a hard B out there even with a shorter distance it was still really tough out there but um yeah we managed to the PACE was pretty much on from the from the go um all the way to

The Finish um sopia I made a tactical ER in the first feed Zone and that suffered us a little bit but um yeah Sophia showed her strength and uh trusted her on the descend there was always sometimes a little bit of a gap at the

Top of the climb but I knew she was such a strong descender and such a strong fighter that she managed to close out every time and then yeah we’re super happy to come and finish with the top two teams um I think we were feeling pretty good otherwise and yeah it was a

Good good tough stage for us for the fifth day in a row tster and cola stepped up onto the center of the podium flanked by Gomez vfan and shepher as well as by Lil and molner the Sprint Victory earned ghost Factory racing an additional two seconds advantage over canadale Factory racing

And Toyota specialized 91 as a result turst and cola earned their fifth ARX orange CH Vita jerseys of the race heading into stage five ghost Factory racing are ahead by 2 minutes and 31 seconds there were changes lowered down in the general classification as e Private Client Holdings moved ahead of efficient

Infinity Ure SCB Shram while Steph Volus and Daniel strum firmed up their grip on the ABS African jerseys stage five is the shest stage of the 2024 race in order to make time for the bus transfer to stalos the 70 km route includes 1750 M of climbing and

Boasts some of the more rugged trails in the Wellington area roller coaster may be smooth but later in the velvin pass Valley happy hog and True Grit are rocky tests the day’s Toyota tough segment is a deceptively tricky Golden Mile [Applause] [Applause] W [Applause] GL