It was a traditional final day, all culminating at Lourensford Wine Estate where a hero’s welcome awaited the tired riders.
Robert Mennen and Kristian Hynek of Topeak-Ergon Racing won the overall leaders jersey of the 2014 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset West. Photo: Nick Muzik / Cape Epic / SPORTZPICS
It was a short day with a late start, but definitely not a free ride to the finish!
A few final hurdles challenged riders, like the climb up Nuweberg on forestry roads, with its steep and washed out descent.
At the finish line, winner of today’s stage Matthys Beukes was very emotional. He and team mate Gert Heyns made Epic history by being the first ever SA team to win the final stage. They also won the Absa African special jersey.
Robert Mennen and Kristian Hynek of Topeak-Ergon Racing were overall winners of the world’s foremost mountain bike stage race, after finishing in an overall time of 30:31.59,2.
In second place overall were a disappointed Christoph Sauser, bidding for his fifth win, and František Rabon of Meerendal Songo Specialized in 30:42.22,4.
Ladies winners Ariane Kleinhans and Annika Langvad during the final stage (stage 7) of the 2014 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to Lourensford Wine Estate. Photo: Warren Elsom / Cape Epic / SPORTZPICS
Team Bulls 2 of Tim Boehme and Simon Stiebjahn were ecstatic with their third place overall in 30:45.25,2. Mennen and Hynek won with a lead time of 10 minutes, 23,2 seconds.
Swiss/Danish duo Ariane Kleinhans and Annika Langvad (RECM 2) dominated this year’s race and won their category in an overall time of 34:54.53,7 with a lead time of 37 minutes and 44 seconds.
They also won the final stage in 3:32.59,0. In second place overall were the Meerendal team of Esther Süss and Sally Bigham in 35:32.38,1, who also finished in second place in the final stage (3:45.06,6).
In third place overall were Jennie Stenerhag and Theresa Ralph of Cape Brewing Company in 37:35.38. Milena Landtwing and Hielke Elferink (Meerendal Wheeler) finished in third place today in 3:48.31,9, but placed fourth overall in 38:13.15,5. It was also their first podium this year.
Kleinhans and Langvad walked away with the largest share of the women’s prize purse, amounting to R281 000 of the total prize purse. The women’s prize purse is equal to that of the men’s, and the largest for women in any cycling event in the world.
To view more information on the Absa Cape Epic event, click here.
