STAGE 1: BULLS STAMPEDE OPENING STAGE
The Team Bulls 1 pairing clocked a time of 03 hours 30 minutes 15 seconds for the 89km stage which started and finished at Kaleo Guest Farm and took the riders on a challenging loop that incorporated 1900 metres of accumulated ascent and the rugged, yet majestic Witzenberg Valley in the fruit-growing region two hours drive from Cape Town.
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The first South Africans home were HB Kruber and Johann Rabie (Team Telkom) in fourth place.
Defending women’s champions from the Ascendis Health team, Jennie Stenerhag (SWE) and Robyn de Groot (RSA), took over where they left off last year, winning the stage in a time of 04:14:56 and claiming the early lead. South Africans, Candice Neethling and Bianca Haw of Team Dorma Spur were next to finish, a distant 10 minutes back, while Theresa Ralph and Yolandi du Toit (Garmin Galileo Risk), were the third team home.
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While the primary race focus is on the two-rider team category, there are a number of strong competitors in the Solo division. Germany’s Markus Bauer was the first Solo male home and the seventh rider to cross the finish in a time of 03:36:42 and Frenchwoman Fanny Bourdon was the first Solo female to finish in 4:30:59.
Huber and Platt were aggressive from the start, setting the pace along with Stiebjahn and Bohme and forcing their rivals to match it. The front group began to splinter after the first 15km, and then on the long eight-kilometre climb starting at 51km, Platt and Huber simply powered away from their remaining rivals and then held their lead until the finish.
“It went very well today. We kept it steady and held a high pace in the singletrack. We managed to get a proper lead on the long climb and then we worked at keeping that lead to the finish,” said Platt, a four-time Cape Epic winner and the current German marathon champion.
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Solo Men
Team Women
Solo Women
Team Mixed
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Veteran Men (40-49 years)
Master Men (50-59 years)
The 20km ascent starts just after 45km at around 700 metres above sea level and ends at 65km at 1750m above sea level. With clear weather, the views across the surrounding valleys are spectacular.
STAGE 2: SAUSER, GAGE WIN DRAMA-FILLED TANKWA TREK QUEEN STAGE
They outsprinted overall leaders Karl Platt and Urs Huber of Team Bulls 1 for the victory on what is considered the Queen Stage of the prestigious three-day stage race in the Koue Bokkeveld region of the Western Cape province. Third team across the finish line was the South African USN Purefit pair of Waylon Woolcock and Darren Lill.
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Despite having to repair two punctures on the rugged, rocky terrain, Huber and Platt managed to retain their overall lead with one day remaining, while Woolcock and Lill moved into third place on the overall standings behind Sauser and Gaze.
In the women’s race, the Ascendis Health pair of Robyn de Groot (RSA) and Jennie Stenerhag (SWE) claimed their second stage win and extended their overall lead in the process. South Africans Candice Neethling and Bianca Haw (Spur Dorma) were second on the stage and stay second overall, while Theresa Ralph and Yolandi du Toit (Garmin Galileo Risk) rounded out the stage and general classification podiums.
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The 20km long Merino Monster climb, which started just after 45km and the subsequent rough, fast descent, were essentially what shaped the outcome of the stage.
The day started with drama when Germany’s Tim Bohme, second overall with his Bulls 2 teammate, Simon Stiebjahn, withdrew from the race due to stomach illness. Then, not long after the start, Huber punctured, forcing him and Platt into a somewhat frantic chase to regain the lead pack, which they did.
Like they did on Stage 1, Huber and Platt used the day’s longest climb as their springboard. They powered clear of their rivals and claimed the King of the Mountain prize at the summit of the Merino Monster. Both accomplished descenders, they looked certain to hold their lead on the descent and for the final 10km to the finish, but Platt punctured on the downhill and that saw Sauser and Gaze join them for the last section to the finish.
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“It was actually a good day for us – a little bit hectic in the beginning. Urs flatted and we had to chase back quite hard. On the Merino Monster we tried to go our own pace and we managed to get away from the others. Then on the downhill I flatted and Christoph and Sam caught us. But we were able to keep our GC lead, which is most important,” said Platt, who is hoping to claim his fifth Cape Epic title next month.
Sauser, the only five-time winner of the Absa Cape Epic, announced his retirement from full-time racing last year. He’s still employed by Specialized, his long-time sponsor, and still does some racing as a mentor to young riders within the Specialized stable, such as Gaze.
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“We didn’t have the firepower of the Bulls up the Merino climb. We lost maybe two minutes. But they had a serious puncture on the other side. We were lucky and caught up. Urs was leading the last three kays flat out in the wind. Then I thought ah, some singletrack with 300 metres to go, so we made a little gap and got the win,” smiled Sauser.
Germany’s Markus Bauer and France’s Fanny Bourdon were the top finishers in the Solo men an women’s categories respectively, each extending their overall lead in their divisions.
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Stage 2 – leading results:
Team Men
1 Christoph Sauser (SUI) / Sam Gaze (NZL) Investec-Songo-Specialized 3:47:36
2 Karl Platt (GER) / Urs Huber (SUI) Team Bulls 1 3:47:44
3 Waylon Woolcock (RSA) / Darren Lill (RSA) USN Purefit 3:49:04
4 Gawie Combrinck (RSA) / Nico Bell (RSA) Team NAD 3:51:45
5 James Reid (RSA) / Howard Grotts (USA) Spur Specialized 3:54:22
Solo Men
1 Markus Bauer (GER) 3:47:53
2 Erik Kleinhans (RSA) Topeak Ergon 3:49:04
3 Timo Cooper (RSA) USN Purefit 3:53:34
4 Matthew Beers (RSA) Red-E 3:54:21
5 Nico Pfitzenmaier (RSA) Dorma 4:08:03
Team Women
1 Robyn de Groot (RSA) / Jennie Stennerhag (SWE) Ascendis Health 4:33:46
2 Candice Neethling (RSA) / Bianca Haw (RSA) Dorma Spur 4:42:52
3 Theresa Ralph (RSA) / Yolandi du Toit (RSA) Garmin Galileo Risk 4:51:53
4 Ila Stow (RSA) / Marianne Bergli (NOR) 5:18:50
5 Ann Harrison (RSA) / Marleen Lourens (RSA) On the Go 5:37:01
Solo Women
1 Fanny Bourdon (FRA) 4:50:17
2 Liesbet Kristafor (RSA) 5:42:28
Team Mixed
1 Stephan Senekal (RSA) / Carmen Buchacher (RSA) Velocity Sports Lab 4:38:02
2 James Lennard (RSA) / Katherine Lennard (RSA) Office National 4:49:47
3 Fienie Barnard (RSA) / Kobus Barnard (RSA) Dryland Mixed 4:50:12
4 Nadia Visser (RSA) / Rikus Visser (RSA) Assupol 4:58:00
5 Louise Ferreira (RSA) / Henning Blaauw (RSA) Team Globeflight 5:06:08
General Classification after Stage 2
Team Men
1 Karl Platt (GER) / Urs Huber (SUI) Team Bulls 1 7:17:59
2 Christoph Sauser (SUI) / Sam Gaze (NZL) Investec-Songo-Specialized 7:20:06
3 Waylon Woolcock (RSA) /Darren Lill (RSA) USN Purefit 7:28:41
4 Gawie Combrinck (RSA) Nico Bell (RSA) 7:32:11
5 HB Kruger (RSA) / Johann Rabie (RSA) 7:35:52
Solo Men
1 Markus Bauer (GER) 7:24:35
2 Matthew Beers (RSA) Red-E 7:37:53
3 Erik Kleinhans (RSA) Topeak Ergon 7:45:56
4 Nico Pfitzenmaier (RSA) Dorma 8:09:55
5 Guylin van den Berg (RSA) 8:15:31
Team Women
1 Robyn de Groot (RSA) / Jennie Stennerhag (SWE) Ascendis Health 8:48:44
2 Candice Neethling (RSA) / Bianca Haw (RSA) Spur Dorma 9:07:52
3 Theresa Ralph (RSA) / Yolandi du Toit (RSA) Garmin Galileo Risk 9:19:34
4 Ila Stow (RSA) / Marianne Bergli (NOR) 10:18:33
5 Ann Harrison (RSA) / Marleen Lourens (RSA) On the Go 10:51:22
Solo Women
1 Fanny Bourdon (FRA) 9:21:16
2 Liesbet Kristafor (RSA) 11:04:13
Team Mixed
1 Stephan Senekal (RSA) / Carmen Buchacher (RSA) Velocity Sports Lab 9:06:13
2 James Lennard (RSA) / Katherine Lennard (RSA) Office National 9:28:50
3 Fienie Barnard (RSA) / Kobus Barnard (RSA) Dryland Mixed 9:29:19
4 Louise Ferreira (RSA) / Henning Blaauw (RSA) Team Globeflight 10:02:00
5 Nadia Visser (RSA) / Rikus Visser (RSA) Assupol 10:04:43
Veteran Men (40-49 years)
1 Warren Price (RSA) / Andrew Davies (RSA) Granite Blend 8:36:07
2 Russel de Jager (RSA) / Christopher Maughan (RSA) GVK Siya Zama 8:53:27
3 Philip Vermeulen (RSA) / Joel Stransky (RSA) Lumohawks 9:11:52
Master Men (50-59 years)
1 Robert Sim (RSA) / Udo Boelts (GER) Robert Daniel 8:13:14
2 Doug Brown (RSA) / Andrew McLean (RSA) Cycle Lab Toyota 8:17:15
3 Deon Kruger (RSA) / Greg Anderson (RSA) Bus Boys 8:55:26
The final stage is over a total distance of 78km with 1150m of ascent. The first 11km will be a neutral zone, which means the actual racing distance is 67km. More than 30km of that is pure singletrack, mostly through dramatic rock formations, which will make positioning essential for riders aiming for podium success.
For full results of all categories, visit www.tankwatrek.co.za
Source: Inside Line
