The marathon specialists and prologue winners Nicola Rohrbach and Daniel Geismayr have digested yesterday's defeat well and are riding at a high but calculated pace on the second stage. However, they were unlucky as the Swiss-Austrian duo suffered a rear wheel defect early on. Team colleagues Markus Kaufmann and Jodok Salzmann, from the Centurion-Vaude team, quickly handed over one of their rear wheels, allowing Rohrbach and Geismayr to catch up with the leaders again. In the sprint for victory, however, they ran out of energy.
"I already had a flat tire after five kilometers, and the field was still pretty big at that point, so we stepped on the gas and soon managed to catch up again," says Rohrbach, adding: "It was pretty tough today with all the dust, but it went well and the fact that we were able to make up some time on Investec-Songo-Specialized with second place is good.

"Air out" for Team Investec-Songo-Specialized

Yesterday's runners-up, Jaroslav Kulhavy and Howard Grotts, try to attack on the steep "One- Two- Three" climb. Only Alban Lakata and Kristian Hynek from the Canyon-Topeak team are able to follow. Kulhavy and Grotts use their riding skills on the following loose descents to be the first to turn into the technical Bosvark Trail later on. Although they were able to pull away a little and extend their lead there, a puncture threw them back into the chasing group with the leaders.

It's hard to believe, but the Kulhavy/Grotts duo not only fight their way back into the leading group, they also launch another attack. The first stage win for the newly formed duo could become a reality, but another puncture for Kulhavy dashes their hopes. In the end, it was seventh place, while Lakata and Hynek managed third place.

Mixed day for the other Swiss

Behind the leading group of four teams, a group of three formed around the unlucky Kulhavy. Andri Frischknecht and Michiel Van der Heijden also belong to this group. There is a sprint here too, from which Frischknecht and Van der Heijden emerge as the winners. They beat the Belgian Frans Claes and his German partner Markus Bauer as well as Kulhavy and Grotts.
However, the Swiss-Dutch pairing also had a stroke of luck: Van der Heijden had a spectacular crash that only ended in a minor scare.

After yesterday's day, which the Bulls team finished in fifth place, Karl Platt and his Swiss partner Urs Huber were hoping for a similar or better performance. But in the end it was "only" twelfth place for the former Epic winners.
"I felt really good at the start, but by the 70-kilometre mark my energy had simply fizzled out - I can't explain why," says a disappointed Karl Platt.

Day three - victory number three

Once again, Annika Langvad and Kate Courtney underline their role as favorites at the Absa Cape Epic. The Investec-Songo-Specialized team only launched an attack 30 kilometers before the finish, but it was a clear one. Langvad and Courtney rode to the finish back in Robertson with a lead of over four minutes. In the overall standings, the two are now over six minutes ahead of Ariane Lüthi and Githa Michiels.

While the Dane rides a one-team show with her US team colleague, the battle for second place between the duos Lüthi/Michiels and Last/Strauss ignites behind them. It also comes down to a sprint, which goes in favor of the Swiss and the Belgian. The latter can no longer stay on her bike and collapses in the finish area, as the sprint costs her the last of her energy to prevail against the British rider Annie Last and her South African partner.

Later, she says she can no longer clearly remember the finish. However, the completely exhausted Michiels tries to recap the race: "I felt good today - until 30 kilometers before the finish. The last section is always difficult for me but I tried not to let Ariane down. I just gave it my all, but now I don't know exactly how I got here or even that I was already at the finish when I fell off my bike."

No peace in sight

A good and quick recovery is all the more important today, as the fourth day of the Cape Epic will once again be no easier, but at least no more difficult. On the third stage from Robertson to Worcester, there are 122 kilometers to complete. The 1800 meters of climbing are spread over two main climbs and several smaller climbs. However, the peloton is likely to split into several groups before the first culmination point after 20 kilometers. However, the 40-kilometer stretch from the second climb to the finish will also be decisive. It could well come down to a sprint decision again.

www.cape-epic.com