Events

Hungry challengers set sights on Absa Cape Epic favourites

· By Press Office · 33 comments

Will the 2016 Absa Cape Epic be the year of the long shot?

There are obvious favourites in the elite Men’s and Women’s categories, but it was evident at a Cape Town press conference today (Thursday) that some outsiders will be eyeing the overall podium when the race starts on Sunday.

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Among these are Absa Cape Epic novices but world-class marathon riders Periklis Ilias of Greece and Portuguese teammate Tiago Ferreira (Team Dolomiti Superbike). Ilias is a former Marathon World Champion and Olympian while Ferreira is the reigning Portuguese marathon champion.

They have just come off a win in the Spain’s six-day Andalucia Bike Race and Ilias revealed that he had been planning to race the Absa Cape Epic of some time but now he had “found Tiago, who is the right partner for me”.

“Now is the moment,” said the determined looking Greek mountain biker.

Then there is the last-minute super pairing of young South Africans James Reid and Gert Heyns (Team Spur), thrown together after their scheduled teammates had to pull out. “We’re outsiders … but we’re going to roll the dice,” said Reid, the current African and South African cross country champion.

They will be among the many teams hoping to topple the established order at the top of marathon mountain biking. To do so they will have to beat the two favourite combinations, Topeak Ergon Racing’s Alban Lakata (Austria) and Kristian Hynek (Czech Republic) and Team Bulls’s Karl Platt (Germany) and Urs Huber (Switzerland).

Lakata has finished 6th, 5th, 4th, 3rd and 2nd in the Absa Cape Epic while Platt has won the world’s premier mountain bike stage race four times. Platt is seeking a record-equalling fifth win and Lakata a first success to add to his array of championships and successes.

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Both riders indicated at the press conference that they were in perfect condition as the big event approaches at Meerendal on Sunday.

“I’m fresh and feeling good and looking for another good year,” said Lakata. “Hopefully we have less mechanicals this year.”

“This year I have been training a lot in South Africa and think my shape is getting better and better,” said Platt.

It was up to their partners to spell out their ambitions for the race: Huber said he was “holding thumbs for him (Platt) to win his 5th time … and my first”. Hynek, a former winner himself, said “my goal is to win again with Alban”.

Sadly, one of the favourite teams, Centurion Vaude by Meerendal’s German pairing of Markus Kaufmann and Jochen Kaess, has had to withdraw after the former broke a collarbone. It was announced at the press conference that they would be replaced by Austrian youngsters Daniel Geismayr and Hermann Pernsteiner.

In the Women’s category it is also clear that several teams have set their sights on the favourite combination of Switzerland’s Ariane Kleinhans and Denmark’s Annika Langvad (Team Spur-Specialized), winners for the past two years.

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Among them will be former winner Sally Bigham of England, who told the press conference that “I have had two years of bad luck and I’m hoping to put that to bed … we’re here to try to win the race”. Bigham described her German teammate Adel Morath (Topeak Ergon) as “the perfect partner: we both have similar strengths and we’re both good climbers … I’m really excited”.

Asked about their tactics, the German Olympian laughed: “Full gas every day.”

Also in the field will be mountain biking legend Sabine Spitz of Germany and her young Ukranian partner Yana Belomoina. Spitz has won gold, silver and bronze at the Olympics but this will be her first Absa Cape Epic. She was cautious about making a prediction, but did say that “we don’t want to make it too easy for the other girls”.

Langvad said she was looking forward to the new race arrangements in terms of which the elite women would have a category start of their own, a move designed to make the competition between the women more equal and exciting.

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Comments

solo65

Mar 10, 2016, 1:06 PM

"Langvad said she was looking forward to the new race arrangements in terms of which the elite women would have a category start of their own, a move designed to make the competition between the women more equal and exciting."

 

Looks like Gunn-Rita Dahle's rant last year had some effect?

Andrew Steer

Mar 10, 2016, 1:42 PM

What is she going to complain about this time round when she fails to do anything. I don't think she has a chance in hell.

 

She's not riding... probably focused on her last Olympics  ;) 

She did seem to have a chance in hell last year when she klapped them both at Marathon Worlds  :whistling: 

Looking forward to more competitive racing - Spitz and Belomoina probably the likeliest challengers - but being Epic novices, and the latter pretty young, it might take a while still to topple A&A.

Thanks Gunn Rita for 'whining' though, been the catalyst for much needed change  :thumbup:

BaGearA

Mar 10, 2016, 1:43 PM

What is she going to complain about this time round when she fails to do anything. I don't think she has a chance in hell.

AMEN! just moaned because she could not keep up...

NelAndre

Mar 10, 2016, 1:44 PM

Happy Birthday Andrew.

 

I agree with your comments.

 

Just wondering if Ariane is in good form? Feels like she has been "off" over the last couple of races. I do not know the other contenders at all but I wonder if we are not in for a surprise in the woman's category?

Meezo

Mar 10, 2016, 1:46 PM

no bar ends of Hermida this year?

Gerry Hattrick

Mar 10, 2016, 2:43 PM

Ariane was flying at the songo.info race in Kayamandi on Wednesday evening. Sally Bigham and Adel Morath will be the best-placed challengers if Ariane and Annika are off their game

Jaco-fiets

Mar 10, 2016, 4:29 PM

Sorry to say but with a good partner Dahle would probably kick the Spez ladies asses all over the show.

 

I am also eager to see if Ariane has good form this year. It sure did not look like it leading up to the epic (she did have lots of mechanicals though)

 

It is also my opinion that the biggest challenge will come from Spitz and co

 

Hope De Groot and Stenerhag does well but I don't think they have the BMT for this

Jaco-fiets

Mar 10, 2016, 4:36 PM

On the male side Bulls and Topeak are obviously favorites. Bulls slightly more so (but I go with topeak). My prediction for top spots

 

Topeak

Bulls

Centurion Vaude

Portu-Greek team (Periklas/Ferreira or something)

Bulls 2

Topeak 2

Reid / Heyns

Lill/Woolcock

Telkom

Bell / Combrink

 

If Sauser and Gaze joined up I would have given them a top 5

jcza

Mar 11, 2016, 7:14 AM

What about Suss and Williamson? 

Andrew Steer

Mar 11, 2016, 7:22 AM

I thought the title was about the Epic and what happened there. Let me check the title again..... Oh it is. And she had no chance in anything let alone hell of beating them at that race.

So in your humble opinion being the best marathon rider in the world does not mean she will do well at the Epic? Is the Cape Epic not a marathon, or at the very least a very similar discipline? Do the top marathoner riders not do well at the Epic?

 

Can you not see how she didn't have a partner capable of competing last year? How it's been very much to the Spez girls advantage the last few years that they are the only real ladies marathon team?

 

Or is the Epic more technical? Because sorry to break it too you, but Gunn Rita is far better than Ariane on technical too... probably Annike too.

 

Very interested to hear your views... reply next to each point if it's not too much trouble  :thumbup:

Jaco-fiets

Mar 11, 2016, 7:26 AM

Agree 1000% with Andrew on this. Not even debatable in my opinion

Jaco-fiets

Mar 11, 2016, 7:29 AM

With the appropriate partner Suss will take out the spez girls as well in my opinion.

The problem in the ladies cat is there are only a handful of capable ladies for a race like this. As a general combination Ariane and Annika are just lucky to be 2 of the few that paired up

Escapee..

Mar 11, 2016, 7:41 AM

Agree with Copperhead (is that code for ginger?).

Andrew Steer

Mar 11, 2016, 7:43 AM

I think it's simple. If she was better she would have beat them. The results speak for themselves? You are welcome to get on any horse even a high one and scream as much as you like.

For me in life things are simple. If at the end of the day you are at the top of the leaders board then you are the best. If you race on paper then you are the best on paper. I don't need to reply to any of your points. What I can tell you though is that when I look at the results on the Cape Epic page it tells me who won.

Enjoy your day.

 

So you cannot in anyway substantiate your thinking or logic apart from looking at past results... this after your very bold claim at the top of the post. Noted, you enjoy your day :thumbup:  

Escapee..

Mar 11, 2016, 7:47 AM

Andrew please

 

Japan beat the Boks last year.

It was a flook

jcza

Mar 11, 2016, 7:53 AM

Its Friday guys, please raise your game and stop this "have a nice day" nonsense.

Escapee..

Mar 11, 2016, 7:56 AM

Guys need to stop forcing their opinions

 

And when I say guys I mean Andrew

Meezo

Mar 11, 2016, 7:59 AM

Its Friday guys, please raise your game and stop this "have a nice day" nonsense.

 

good friday came early

Andrew Steer

Mar 11, 2016, 8:02 AM

Guys need to stop forcing their opinions

 

And when I say guys I mean Andrew

:D  :D  :D

jcza

Mar 11, 2016, 8:03 AM

Guys need to stop forcing their opinions

 

And when I say guys I mean Andrew

 

Don't hold back, say what you mean 

Jaco-fiets

Mar 11, 2016, 8:03 AM

Dahle and Suss should team up. They will teach the youngster a lesson or 2 in indurence

Andrew Steer

Mar 11, 2016, 8:15 AM

Don't hold back, say what you mean 

The sexual frustration since she got married is palpable  :whistling:

Gen

Mar 11, 2016, 8:28 AM

The ladies format was a joke.. you can't have a ladies competition with the elite's ladies riding in different batches. . That's ridiculous.. the leading ladies then just get pulled along by the Abatch men, and the rest have to move through traffic, the changes are a good thing people, it'll Def make it more competitive. Are the 2 A's still favourite, they are yes. I for one am glad Dahle spoke her mind, and she wasn't the only one, wasn't it Bigham that also spoke of it... THE changes are brilliant for ladies racing.

solo65

Mar 11, 2016, 8:33 AM

Guys need to stop forcing their opinions

 

And when I say guys I mean Andrew

Especially if his opinion is well thought out, fair and sensible!

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