It was a clear sweep of the levels for 2024 ladies’s Absa Cape Epic winners Anne Terpstra and Nicole Koller (GHOST Manufacturing facility Racing) and an emphatic win for Matt Beers and Howard Grotts (Toyota-Specialised-NinetyOne) who carved out a niche of greater than 11 minutes to their nearest rivals.
After a prologue and 7 levels on the South African pairs mountain bike occasion, Beers and Grotts – who now has two titles to his identify – had a time of 25:22:17 whereas the battle for second was tight. Nino Schurter and Sebastien Fini (World Bicycle Aid) completed simply 31 seconds forward of Hans Becking and Wout Alleman who had been 11:36 again from the general winners.
“It’s all fairly loopy. To win three Absa Cape Epics. I’m not actually certain what to say. It looks like yesterday I received my first Epic,” stated Beers who received the occasion for the primary time with Jordan Sarrou in 2021 and final 12 months with Christopher Blevins earlier than taking his third victory with the American, Grotts.
”It’s a complete whirlwind,” stated the South African in a race media launch. “I’ve been fortunate with good companions and actually good individuals. All my companions have been superb. I’m very fortunate to have these superior individuals in my life.”
Beers and Grotts received two levels on their technique to general victory within the males’s class and moved into the highest spot on the Basic Classification on stage 4. Whereas Terpstra and Koller had the right run on their debut on the race, by no means dropping grip of the lead from day 1, it was a barely nearer battle by way of general time within the prime two spots of the ladies’s race.
The GHOST Manufacturing facility racing group completed with a time of 30:56:22, whereas Mona Mitterwallner – who had been battling with sickness via the week – and Candice Lill (Cannondale Manufacturing facility Racing) had been 8:36 again. Then there was a bigger hole to 3rd with 2022 winner Sofia Gomez Villafañe and Samara Sheppard (Toyota-Specialised-NinetyOne) practically 36 minutes behind the race winners.
“The Cannondale and Specialised groups put up such a tough battle this week,” stated Terpstra, who was first resulting from tackle the Cape Epic in 2020 however that race was cancelled amid the COVID pandemic. “It was actually exhausting, so it’s superb to be standing right here as an Absa Cape Epic winner.”
Given it was the duo’s first try on the gruelling 603km race with 16,050m of climbing the highest step of the general podium – not to mention the highest step and eight stage victories alongside the best way – far outstripped their expectations.
“It’s a dream come true – utterly unbelievable,” stated Koller. “We truthfully didn’t count on this after we deliberate to race the Absa Cape Epic. We didn’t suppose we might be ending our first-ever Epic like this.
“It was a troublesome week, an important race. We labored exhausting however we had enjoyable as effectively. What every week.”
| Rank | Names | Crew | General Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Simon Schneller & Urs Huber | BULLS Mavericks | 2:52:08 |
| 2 | Fabian Rabensteiner & Samuele Porro | Willier Vittoria Manufacturing facility | 2:54:24 (+2:16) |
| 3 | Matt Beers & Howard Grotts | Toyota-Specialised-NinetyOne | 2:55:16 (+3:08) |
| Rank | Names | Crew |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matt Beers & Howard Grotts | Toyota-Specialised-NinetyOne |
| 2 | Nino Schurter & Sebastian Fini | World Bicycle Aid |
| 3 | Hans Becking & Wout Alleman | BUFF – MEGAMO |
| Rank | Names | Crew | General Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anne Terpstra & Nicole Koller | GHOST Manufacturing facility Racing | 3:32:07 |
| 2 | Candice Lill & Mona Mitterwallner | Cannondale Manufacturing facility Racing | 3:36:52 (+4:45) |
| 3 | Vera Looser & Alexis Skarda | Environment friendly Infiniti SCB SRAM | 3:40:09 (+8:02) |
| Rank | Names | Crew |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anne Terpstra & Nicole Koller | GHOST Manufacturing facility Racing |
| 2 | Candice Lill & Mona Mitterwallner | Cannondale Manufacturing facility Racing |
| 3 | Sofia Gomez Villafane & Samara Sheppard | Toyota-Specialised-NinetyOne |
