Canyon SIDI’s Andreas Seewald and Marc Stutzmann rode hard and fast to claim Stage 3 of the 2024 Absa Cape Epic in a sweltering Wellington on Wednesday.
The pace was ferocious from the start thanks to the early tar and district road kilometres. The entire men’s field roared out of Tulbagh’s Saronsberg Cellar in a mad dash, clearly intending to reach the Wellington finish before the extreme heat of the day peaked. Once off the smoother surfaces, though, the racing tactics began.
The first challenge of the day was the rugged Waterval climb inside the Waterval Nature Reserve. Georg Egger (ORBEA LEATT Speed Company) found out just how rugged when he contrived to go over his handlebars – on an uphill. World Bicycle Relief’s Sebastian Fini was also a victim of the terrain, losing precious seconds thanks to his chain dropping off. Fini and Schurter were never able to make up the lost time. From Waterval, the leading teams on Stage 3 emerged.
Hans Becking and Wout Alleman (BUFF – MEGAMO) put in an early surge, with Canyon SIDI (Andreas Seewald and Marc Stutzmann), Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne (Matt Beers and Howard Grotts), Pyga Euro Steel (Philip Buys & Pieter Du Toit), ORBEA Leatt Speed Company (Georg Eggar and Lukas Baum) and, somewhat surprisingly, 2018 winner Jaroslav Kulhavy’s Superior Lions team, joining the Yellow Leader Jersey wearers at the front of the field.
After the bumpy middle sections of the stage, the riders enjoyed some respite on the smooth tar of Bain’s Kloof Pass before entering the relatively kinder Wellington trails. At 65km into the 94km race, there were four teams in it – Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne, Speed Company, BUFF – MEGAMO and Canyon SIDI.
That all changed on Stage 3’s penultimate descent into Doolhof, when the German-Swiss pair of Seewald and Stutzmann decided to, rather fittingly in a region known for its fine wines, pop the cork. It was a calculated risk that paid off. The three chasing teams failed to respond, allowing Canyon SIDI a hassle-free run to the finish. Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne rolled over in second on the day, with Speed Company Racing a few seconds behind them in third.
“It feels amazing to have won,” said Seewald. “Everyone knew it was going to be a fast, tough start, but we worked together with our second team and got into the front group which was critical.”
Seewald added, “We had some difficulties in the first few days, but we’re still fighting for the GC. A stage win is awesome, and there’s still a long way to go. We’re looking forward to more climbing ahead. Today we’ve shown that we are strong on the climbs so we plan to take it one day at a time and put the pressure on the climbs.”
Men’s Category, Stage 3
1 Andreas Seewald & Marc Stutzmann (Canyon SIDI) 3:40:24
2 Matt Beers & Howard Grotts – Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne + 49
3 Georg Egger & Lukas Baum (Speed Company) + 50
Men’s Category GC after Stage 3
1 Hans Becking & Wout Alleman (BUFF – MEGAMO) 12:29:38
2 Matt Beers & Howard Grotts (Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne) 12:31:25
3 Nino Schurter & Sebastian Fini (World Bicycle Relief) 12:33:25
How to Watch
To watch the racing action unfold, tune in to the daily live broadcast on the Epic Series’ YouTube channel, from Sunday, 17 March. Fans of mountain biking can also share in the excitement of the race by following @capeepic on Instagram or by liking the Cape Epic Facebook page. For more information please visit www.epic-series.com/capeepic or click here to view the full 2024 race register
Source: Absa Cape Epic Media
