The South African MTB Race
The 18th Cape Epic runs until March 27, 2022
The first day of the race took place amidst the vineyards of the "Lourensford Wine Estate". Follow the race on YouTube.
The untamed African MTB race ran until March 27 in South Africa.
The Lourensford Wine Estate served up a heat record at the start of the 18th Absa Cape Epic. However, the temperatures, which were in the mid-30s for most of the day, did not diminish the race on the 24-kilometer course, and in the end, it was burning hot. As always with the prologue, it was a balancing act to ride as hard as possible while controlling the exertion in the heat. Defending champion Matt Beers and reigning XCC World Champion Christopher Blevins managed this balancing act best, rising above the furnace. The Toyota-NinetyOne-Specialized team finished the course in 58:06, thus taking the first Yellow Jersey. Ominous signs for the rest of the field.
In the CM.com women's category, the BMC-MTB-Racing Team with newcomer Pauline Ferrand-Prévot and experienced South African Robyn de Groot also made the rest of the competition sit up and take notice, taking the stage win in a time of 01:09 and thus the Orange CM.com women's jersey.
Further back in the field, it was about getting the event rolling without having to burn too many proverbial 'matches'. Click on the "Read Now" button to follow all the action at the front, middle, and back of the field.
