The list of podium contenders for this year’s Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek is looking impressive as national champions, continental champions and world champions commit to the international mountain bike stage race.
Anika Langvad (left) and Ariane Kleinhans celebrate winning stage two of the 2013 Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek. They have confirmed they will defend their women’s title at the 2014 edition of the international stage race. Photo: Zoon Cronje / Nikon / XtreMedia
The event will take place in South Africa from October 12 to 18.
Recently crowned Elite women’s Marathon World Champion Anika Langvad of Denmark has confirmed she will once again team up with Swiss ace Ariane Kleinhans (Team RECM) in an effort to defend the women’s title that they secured in 2013.
Also confirmed to contest the women’s title are former European and World Champion and Olympic Games bronze-medallist Esther Suss (SUI) who will team up with South African marathon specialist, Theresa Ralph, twice a podium finisher in the ABSA Cape Epic.
And multiple Swedish national marathon champion, Jennie Stenerhag (Cape Brewing Co.), will join forces with multiple South African marathon champion Robyn de Groot (Biogen Toyota) in another formidable pairing, adding further depth to the growing women’s field.
Most of South Africa’s top men’s marathon racing teams have confirmed they’ll be on the start line of the seven-day race which, for the first time, will offer International Cycling Union rankings points; only the second mountain bike stage race in South Africa and one of a handful in the world to hold this status.
The RECM team that won the overall title in 2013 has confirmed it will return, probably with the combination of Erik Kleinhans and Nico Bell, while the FedGroup team of Kevin Evans and Max Knox are expected to resume their recently-formed stage-race partnership at the Cape Pioneer Trek.
The German-based Team Bulls has confirmed it will also have a team on the start line, most likely the pairing of Tim Bohme and Simon Stiebjahn, while the current South African Marathon champion, James Reid (Trek Factory Racing) will pair up with Rourke Croeser (Kargo Racing), who finished runner-up to Reid at the recent national marathon championships.
There are a limited number of 2014 Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek entries available. To enter or find out more about the race, visit www.capepioneer.co.za.
