Investec Songo Specialized’s Annika Langvad and Kate Courtney dominated throughout this year’s Cape Epic to win the overall title after the final stage at Val de Vie today.
The multiple World Champion and her American partner, who finished fourth on the day, won the prologue and six stages to claim a total time of 29:57:06.
Ascendis Health’s Sabine Spitz and Robyn de Groot finished second overall, with Silverback-KMC’s Mariske Strauss and Annie Last in third.
Investec Songo Specialized’s Annika Langvad and Kate Courtney, seen here during stage six of the Cape Epic, secured this year’s title after the final stage finished at Val de Vie today. Photo: Ewald Sadie/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
The 70km stage was won by PMRA/CST Racing’s Margot Moschetti and Raiza Goulao. Team dormakaba’s Candice Lill and Amy Beth McDougall finished second on the stage and retained the African women’s special jersey, while third place went to Spitz and De Groot.
“When we reached the 15km/20km to go mark and saw the leaders were a bit tired, we thought today was our day. We went full gas and didn’t look back. It [stage win] was amazing and not expected. I’ve never had this feeling,” said Goulao.
Langvad and Courtney went into the final stage with a comfortable lead, after finishing a massive 46 minutes ahead of their closest competitors after stage six.
The pair took a tight victory on the time-trial stage and said afterwards that they were counting down the days to the finish.
“One of the proper challenges of this race is to concentrate all the time. Eight days is a long, long time and just the tiniest little mishap and everything can be gone in the blink of an eye,” said Langvad, who won the elite women’s race at the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Stellenbosch earlier this month.
The three-time women’s category champion added that they had been working hard all week and their goal for today was to be safe.
“We just wanted to make it safely to the finish line. That was our main goal for the day.”
It was Courtney’s first time on the top step and she said it was an emotional finish for her.
“When I set out to do the Epic as my first real stage race people thought I was a bit crazy, but my inner circle supported and pushed me to get here.
“I was able to race with one of my heroes in the sport and I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity. I proved to myself that I was capable of doing it and that means the world.”
View more results here.
