Events

Can anyone derail Annika and Ariane?

· By Press Office · 17 comments

Denmark’s Annika Langvad and her Swiss partner Ariane Kleinhans (Spur-Specialized) have electrified the Absa Cape Epic Women’s category for the past two years.

Their natural athleticism, outstanding team dynamic and smart tactical approach has seen them dominate in spite of the field getting stronger each year.

In 2016 they will again start as clear favourites, but will know that the chasing pack is a hungry one and contains some excellent combinations.

Perhaps the strongest challenge will come from Topeak Ergon’s Sally Bigham (England) and Adelheid Morath (Germany). “Iron Sally”, as she is known, has won the women’s race twice before and is a fierce competitor while Morath recently converted her cross country skills – which have taken her to two Olympic Games – into the marathon discipline. Riding together, they won the Swiss Epic in September last year – and the team they beat into second place was Langvad and Kleinhans.

Meerendal Wheeler’s Esther Süss (Switzerland) and Catherine Williamson (England) will also be waiting to pounce should the Spur-Specialized team falter. Süss has won the women’s race twice (in 2011 and 2012, the latter with Bigham) and Williamson once (in 2013, with Yolande Speedy) so knows what it takes.

ccs-62657-0-76763100-1454581503.jpgAriane Kleinhans and Annika Langvad.

On paper Sport for Good’s Sabine Spitz (Germany) and Yana Belomoina (Ukraine) have more than enough raw ability to win the Absa Cape Epic. Spitz is a former Olympic gold, silver and bronze medallist, a former cross country world champion and still highly competitive at 43-years-old. She is one of the most decorated women’s riders ever while Belomoina, just 24, has emerged in recent years as one of the best cross country riders in the world.

Both are, however, doing the race for the first time and the Absa Cape Epic tends to favour those with experience of its unique rigours and challenges.

ccs-62657-0-52492100-1454581506.jpgSally Bigham.

The South African challenge will be led by Ascendis Health’s Robyn de Groot, riding with Swede Jennie Stenerhag. These two finished second last year and are in excellent form in 2016. They have been riding together for some time and appear to be getting stronger each year.

Another team to keep an eye out for might be Team Meerendal Rocky EBE’s Hielke Elferink (Netherlands) and Elisabeth Brandau (Germany). Both have raced the Cape Epic before with other partners and finished fourth.

But all bets will be on Kleinhans and Langvad when the gun goes off at UCT on March 13. Langvad is one of the world’s best mountain bikers in all disciplines – she is routinely at or near the front in cross country races and is a former marathon world champion. Kleinhans is herself an amazing athlete and very strong over longer distances.

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Comments

Jaco-fiets

Feb 5, 2016, 8:23 AM

mmmmmm nope! Maybe if Suss finds a partner as strong as herself

milky4130

Feb 5, 2016, 7:53 PM

mmmmmm nope! Maybe if Suss finds a partner as strong as herself

I reckon Catherine Williamson & Suss is good enough to dethrone A & A, this year.
Baaisikilist

Feb 5, 2016, 8:46 PM

No

goya-goya

Feb 5, 2016, 9:12 PM

Robyn de Groot... She on form this year!

Mntboy

Feb 5, 2016, 9:47 PM

Robyn de Groot... She on form this year!

She and Jenny Stenerhager failed to convert an hour long lead over Team Langhans (Annika's nickname for them) into a win. They'll have a good crack at it again this year but imho will fall short again.
Mntboy

Feb 5, 2016, 9:52 PM

One has to fancy Team Spur Specialized. They know how to win the Epic and will not be to overtake as the best ladies team in the race.

 

The bigger question is how close will the racing be now that they have their own start group?

nathrix

Feb 6, 2016, 4:28 AM

Will Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå be at the epic this year?

gtr1

Feb 6, 2016, 5:01 AM

Racing will be different now that the ladies all start together each day. So leaders can't sit in with the fastest men and get a nice tow while those further back start with slower riders and have to pass more riders.

mornevg

Feb 6, 2016, 5:25 AM

Racing will be different now that the ladies all start together each day. So leaders can't sit in with the fastest men and get a nice tow while those further back start with slower riders and have to pass more riders.

Agree. Should be quit interesting. But saw them racing the Epic last year, they were in a class of their own. SUPER strong. 

Ryanpmb

Feb 6, 2016, 5:30 AM

SAIDS or CSA...  :whistling:

ChunkyMonkey

Feb 6, 2016, 7:59 AM

Can anyone derail Annika and Ariane?

 

Yolandie DeVilliers & co....providing they are allowed to use any means possible.. ????

Jaco-fiets

Feb 6, 2016, 9:42 AM

One has to fancy Team Spur Specialized. They know how to win the Epic and will not be to overtake as the best ladies team in the race.

 

The bigger question is how close will the racing be now that they have their own start group?

Good point! However I think this plays into Langvad and co's favor. They are in a different league so bar any mechanicals they will have an ever bigger winning margin. Even if De Groot and Stenerhag in best form of their life they don't have the mental toughness to beat them. If they had they would have won with the 1hr advantage as mentioned by someone

Patchelicious

Feb 6, 2016, 9:54 AM

SAIDS or CSA... :whistling:

Hehe
Mntboy

Feb 6, 2016, 9:56 AM

Good point! However I think this plays into Langvad and co's favor. They are in a different league so bar any mechanicals they will have an ever bigger winning margin. Even if De Groot and Stenerhag in best form of their life they don't have the mental toughness to beat them. If they had they would have won with the 1hr advantage as mentioned by someone

Afaik Ariane's training had been hampered by the search for a sponsor for this year. Fortunately she found one in Spur. Despite this she got a third at Barberton iirc. She and Annika make a good team and have decent attitudes. And at the Epic you need that.

 

Still think the racing will be closer because of the new start batch and Adelheid Morath & partner will not be easy beats either. It's a good strong field but I still reckon Team Langhans is good for a threepeat barring injury or mechanicals.

Gen

Feb 6, 2016, 10:13 AM

The format for the ladies race is different this year.. start in their own batch which should even out the race a bit.. hope so and hope it's very well contested

Traverse

Feb 6, 2016, 5:53 PM

I am also for Robyn, she's been gaining on Ariane the whole of last year!

milky4130

Feb 6, 2016, 6:04 PM

Will Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå be at the epic this year?

no as per Süss whom I spoke to, said GRDF won't be here this year as it's an Olympic year, but hopefully next year.

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