Manuel Fumic and Henrique Avancini won the 110km stage one of the Cape Epic, which took place in Robertson, Western Cape, today.
The Cannondale Factory Racing pair completed the race in 4:08:22, beating Investec-Songo-Specialized’s Jaroslav Kulhavy and Howard Grotts in a final sprint to take the stage. Trek Selle San Marco’s Fabian Rabensteiner and Michele Casagrande came out on top in the chasing group.
Manuel Fumic and Henrique Avancini and Jaroslav Kulhavy and Howard Grotts pictured racing head-to-head on the last several kilometres during stage one of the Cape Epic today. Photo: Cape Epic
Fumic and Avancini led the race at the 62km mark, before Kulhavy and Grotts took over in the second half of the race.
With 20km left, Kulhavy and Grotts created a two-and-a-half minute lead over Rabensteiner and Casagrande. The chasing group, at that same point, were four minutes back, which included yellow jerseys Centurion Vaude’s Nicola Rohrbach and Daniel Geismayr.
Kulhavy and Grotts and Fumic and Avancini then had a tight battle at the front on flat terrains in the last several kilometres, before the Cannondale Factory Racing pair won in a thrilling sprint finish. Fumic and Avancini now take the lead on the general classification.
Cape Epic title holders Nino Schurter and Matthias Stirnemann lost 21 minutes on the stage after Stirnemann was hindered with a stomach bug.
NAD Pro’s Matt Beers and Nico Bell took hold of the African jersey after finishing 17th on the stage. Ellsworth-ASG’s Stuart Marais and HB Kruger finished in 16th.
Investec-Songo-Specialized’s Annika Langvad and Kate Courtney surged to victory in the women’s category to retain the yellow jersey. Team Spur’s Ariane Luthi and Githa Michiels finished in second, with Silverback-KMC’s Mariske Strauss and Annie Last completing the podium.
View provisional results below
Stage one
Elite men
1. Manuel Fumic & Henrique Avancini (Factory Racing) 4:08:22
2. Jaroslav Kulhavy & Howard Grotts (Investec-Songo-Specialized) +0’01”
3. Fabian Rabensteiner & Michele Casagrande (Trek Selle San Marco) +5’33”
4. Martin Fanger & Simon Vitzthum (Price & bischi-bikes) +5’41”
5. Karl Platt & Urs Huber (Bulls) +5’49”
6. Alban Lakata & Kristian Hynek (Canyon Topeak) +5’52”
7. Nicola Rohrbach & Daniel Geismayr (Centurion Vaude) +5’54”
8. Frans Claes & Markus Bauer (Kulu Manzi Project) +5’55”
9. Jordan Sarrou & Victor Koretzky (KMC-Ekoi-Srsuntour) +5’58”
10. Andri Frischknecht & Michiel van der Heijden (Scott-Sram Young Guns) +6’37”
Elite women
1. Annika Langvad & Kate Courtney (Investec-Songo-Specialized) 4:45:52
2. Ariane Luthi & Githa Michiels (Team Spur) +0’52”
3. Mariske Strauss & Annie Last (Silverback-KMC) +5’43”
4. Sabine Spitz & Robyn de Groot (Ascendis Health) +11’14”
5. Carmen Buchacher & Samantha Sanders (Dormakaba) +13’54”
6. Candice Lill & Amy McDougall (Dormakaba) +14’14”
7. Margot Moschetti & Ralza Goulao (PMRA/CST Racing) +31’10”
8. Hielke Elferink & Cornelia Hug (Shimano S-Phyre) +33’02”
9. Nina McVicar & Reta Trotman (Hirepool) +39’18”
10. Nadia Visser & Katie Lennard (Western girls) +44’50”
Mixed
1. Agustina Maria Apaza & Cesar Lettoli 5:11:40
2. Nicky Giliomee & Brennan Anderson +0’38”
3. Heinz Posch & Nina Brenn +11’35”
4. Claude Crepeau & Josee Heppell +13’59”
5. Marleen Lourens & Bradley Hemphill +17’00”
Masters
1. Massimo Debertolis & Ondrej Fojtik 4:26:17
2. Brad Clarke & Rohin Adams +5’37”
3. Brent Brentjens & Abraao Azevedo +7’46”
4. Nic Lamond & Paris Basson +16’12”
5. Andre Costa & Wagner Quirino +18’59”
Grand masters
1. Robert Sim & Udo Boelts 4:42:27
2. Barti Bucher & Hans Juerg Gerber +7’56”
3. Andrew Mclean & Joel Stransky +24’33”
4. Martijn Mellaart & Shaun Sale +26’10”
5. Waleed Baker & Shan Wilson +26’12”
General classification
Elite men
1. Manuel Fumic & Henrique Avancini (Factory Racing) 4:54:03
2. Jaroslav Kulhavy & Howard Grotts (Investec-Songo-Specialized) +0’40”
3. Nicola Rohrbach & Daniel Geismayr (Centurion Vaude) +5’36”
4. Alban Lakata & Kristian Hynek (Canyon Topeak) +6’46”
5. Jordan Sarrou & Victor Koretzky (KMC-Ekoi-Srsuntour) +7’02”
6. Francesc Guerra Carretero & Luis Leao Pinto (Buff Scott MTB) +7’16”
7. Fabian Rabensteiner & Michele Casagrande (Trek Selle San Marco) +7’48”
8. Martin Fanger & Simon Vitzthum (Price & bischi-bikes) +7’50”
9. Frans Claes & Markus Bauer (Kulu Manzi Project) +7’53”
10. Karl Platt & Urs Huber (Bulls) +8’10”
Elite women
1. Annika Langvad & Kate Courtney (Investec-Songo-Specialized) 5:38:41
2. Ariane Luthi & Githa Michiels (Team Spur) +2’04”
3. Mariske Strauss & Annie Last (Silverback-KMC) +7’59”
4. Sabine Spitz & Robyn de Groot (Ascendis Health) +13’28”
5. Candice Lill & Amy McDougall (Dormakaba) +17’35”
6. Carmen Buchacher & Amy McDougall (Dormakaba) +18’30”
7. Margot Moschetti & Ralza Goulao (PMRA/CST Racing) +34’46”
8. Hielke Elferink & Cornelia Hug (Shimano S-Phyre) +44’19”
9. Nina McVicar & Reta Trotman (Hirepool) +47’01”
10. Sunniva Dring & Kristin Aamodt (Milslukern) +54’29”
Mixed
1. Agustina Maria Apaza & Cesar Lettoli 6:09:50
2. Nicky Giliomee & Brennan Anderson +4’43”
3. Heinz Posch & Nina Brenn +18’22”
4. Claude Crepeau & Josee Heppell +21’12”
5. Marleen Lourens & Bradley Hemphill +23’55”
Masters
1. Massimo Debertolis & Ondrej Fojtik 5:17:32
2. Brad Clarke & Rohin Adams +6’23”
3. Brent Brentjens & Abraao Azevedo +9’28”
4. Nic Lamond & Paris Basson +16’42”
5. Erik Dekker & Maikel Govaarts +20’45”
Grand masters
1. Robert Sim & Udo Boelts 5:35:59
2. Barti Bucher & Hans Juerg Gerber +10’49”
3. Andrew Mclean & Joel Stransky +31’20”
4. Waleed Baker & Shan Wilson +32’41”
5. Martijn Mellaart & Shaun Sale +33’17”
