Due to Corona, the cancellation Cape Epic 2021 is only taking place now, at the end of a long marathon season. But the eight-day stage race through South Africa has lost none of its appeal even after a year's break. The 17th edition will feature 600 riders, including world and national champions, Olympians, newcomers and the winners of the first Cape Epic in 2004, Mannie Heymans and Karl Plattat the start. Traditionally, the Cape Epic opens with a prologue - a team time trial - before seven stages of up to 100 kilometres in length await the participants. This year, the entire route measures a total of 620 kilometres and 15350 metres in altitude.
The video summary of the first stage of the Cape Epic 2021.
XC racer in front at the 20-km prologue
Well-known cross-country racers prevailed in the 20-kilometre prologue (600 m elevation gain). In the men's race, Jordan Sarrou (XC World Champion 2020) and Matt Beers (NinetyOne-Songo-Specialized) won the opening stage at the foot of Table Mountain above Cape Town in 43:24 minutes. Second place went to Filippo Colombo (SUI) and Italian Juri Zanotti (BMC - KTM) in 45:04 minutes, followed by world champion Andreas Seewald and Martin Stosek (CZE) from Canyon Northwave in 45:14 minutes.
In the women's race, the Austrian-Swiss duo of Laura Stigger and Sina Frei showed that they are among the top favourites for overall victory. The Specialized riders (NinetyOne-songo-Specialized) are riding the Cape Epic for the first time in their careers and won in 54:08 minutes on the rain-soaked course. The South African pair Candice Lill and Mariske Strauss (Faces CST) took second place in 55:41 minutes. Third place went to three-time Cape Epic winner Ariane Lüthi and Robyn de Groot (Salusmed).
Huber/Schneller ahead of Stiebjahn/Frey: Bulls double victory on the first, long stage
The German Team Bulls dominated the first 98-kilometre stage and took a double victory in the men's race after just under four hours of riding. Urs Huber and Simon Schneller won the sprint of an eight-man group. Martin Frey sprinted away from Specialized rider Jordan Sarrou on the home straight to secure second place with Simon Stiebjahn. As Sarrou's team-mate Matt Beers was the last rider in the group, third place went to Andreas Seewald and Martin Stosek. Team NinetyOne-songo-Specialized finished fourth, five seconds behind the winners. However, this was enough to defend the overall lead and be allowed to start in yellow tomorrow.
Frei/Stigger extend their lead to 6:29 minutes
With an unchallenged victory on the first stage, the Olympic silver medallist Sina Frei and Laura Stigger (AUT) proved that they are also hard to beat on the long distance. After 4:34 hours, the Specialized riders won by 4:51 minutes ahead of Ariane Lüthi and Robyn de Groot. Frei/Stigger were even 12:02 minutes ahead of the third women's duo of Candice Lill and Mariske Strauss, the best-placed team from South Africa despite two crashes. Adelheid Morath from Freiburg finished fourth with her South African partner Cherie Redecker (+14:44 minutes). All results can be found at www.cape-epic.com
