Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Keanan Hemmonsbey
Published on 2024-03-18 21:06:41
Buff-Megamo’s Hans Becking and Wout Alleman emerged victorious in Stage 1 of the men’s elite race at the 2024 Cape Epic, while Ghost Factory Racing’s Anne Terpstra and Nicole Koller clinched the win in the women’s category at Saronsberg Cellar in Tulbagh.
Alleman showcased dominance throughout Stage 1, leading the team to victory with a time of 3:38:48, just two seconds ahead of World Bicycle Relief’s Nino Schurter and Sebastian Fini, who were victorious in Sunday’s Cape Epic prologue race.
Becking, elated with the stage win, expressed his satisfaction after finishing third on Sunday and then claiming victory on Monday. He mentioned, “Yesterday we started on a high with the podium and then after about 30km today I told Wout it was going to be a very good day for us. We paced it well and it worked out perfectly — Nino and Sebastian were just too strong to drop though. Still, six days to go and I’m thrilled to already have two podiums in the pocket.”
The race was incredibly close towards the finish line, with the four cyclists neck-in-neck until Fini experienced a chain malfunction, allowing the Buff-Magamo team to surge ahead and secure the lead.
Despite the mishap on Monday, the World Bicycle Relief men managed to maintain the overall leaders’ yellow jersey, with a lead of one minute and 10 seconds ahead of the second-placed Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne team (Matt Beers and Howard Grotts) and 90 seconds ahead of third-placed Buff-Magamo.
The Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne team faced their own challenges, with Grotts encountering two crashes on Monday. Nevertheless, they managed to secure a third-place finish despite the setbacks. Beers commented, “We had our challenges today. There were a few crashes and we just fought our way back every time. To be honest, it would have been nicer to be able to save a little bit of energy today, but all things considered, we didn’t lose that much time. We’re still on the podium, still in the hunt.”
In the women’s category, Ghost Factory Racing’s Terpstra and Koller battled closely with Cannondale Factory Racing’s Lill and Mitterwallner in Stage 1. A sprint finish between the two teams ensued, with Terpstra and Koller proving to be the stronger duo on the day, securing their second consecutive stage victory and retaining the orange jersey as the overall leaders.
With Stage 2 set to take place at Saronsberg Cellar, participants will face a challenging 97km route with 2,200m of climbing in the Witzenberg Valley’s sandy and rocky terrain.
Overall, the Cape Epic is proving to be a thrilling and competitive event, with riders showcasing determination and skill as they navigate through the demanding stages. The next stages promise more intense racing and exciting moments for both participants and spectators alike.
Read the original article on Daily Maverick
