Married couple in quest to defend Cape Epic title

Erik and Ariane Kleinhans of Team RE:CM are primed to defend their Mixed category title at the 2013 Cape Epic, which starts on Sunday.

Erik and Ariane Kleinhans of Team RE:CM are primed to defend their Mixed category title at the 2013 Cape Epic, which starts on Sunday. (Image credit: Jazz Kushcke)

South African Erik Kleinhans and his Swiss wife, Ariane, are the undisputed fastest married couple in the world of marathon mountain bike racing. Last year, they won the Cape Epic mixed category against a classy field and also claimed the mixed division titles at the 2012 Nedbank Sani2c, Old Mutual joBerg2c and Columbia Grape Escape stage races.