Buys/Beukes surprise on stalemate day in Cape Epic
Kleinhans/Langvad pile on time over women's field
South Africans Philip Buys and Matthys Beukes (Scott Factory Racing) gave the host country its first stage win of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic with an audacious early attack that managed to succeed as the top hitters watched each other on the 111km stage.
Christoph Sauser and Jaroslav Kulhavy, and rivals Kristian Hynek and Alban Lakata finished together, giving up 3:31 to the stage winners, who are seventh overall.
Buys said the attack was a “long shot ”that paid off. “We went hard from the start,” he said. “I said to Matthys that I couldn’t hold the pace for another three hours, so we backed off.”
“But then I started feeling better and the gap just kept growing. Towards the end we controlled it … accelerating when we felt good,” said Buys.
The pair held a six minute lead on the chasing quartet at one point, but the leaders almost halved the gap over the three closing “Skyscraper” climbs.
Sauser and Kulhavy remain in the lead with 7:22 on Hynek and Lakata, with Jose Hermida and Rudi van Houts (Multivan Merida) in third. Karl Platt and Urs Huber are fourth conceded another 1:18 to the overall leaders, and are fourth at 14:50.
Annika Langvad and Ariane Kleinhands strengthened their grip on the orange leader's jersey in the women's category with another powerhouse display on the 111km loop of the Worcester countryside. They finished more than 20 minutes ahead of the second placed team, Jennie Stenerhag and Robyn Lee de Groot (Ascendis Health), and now have almost half an hour on the pair in the overall standings.
“It was really sandy again, and so rocky at the start,” said Kleinhans. “It was also real Karoo riding out there today, so you had to watch for thorns and sharp stones.” The pair are riding slightly heavier and thicker tyres than normal, and it’s a strategy that appears to be paying off.
“They are only slightly heavier than our usual tyres,” said Kleinhans, “but it really gives you the confidence to push on, especially when you are slightly tired towards the end of the day and you aren’t able to dodge obstacles quickly. With these you can go over stones feeling confident that you won’t puncture.”
Results
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Philip Buys (RSA) / Matthys Beukes (RSA) Scott Factory Racing | 4:19:19 |
2 | Kristian Hynek (Cze) / Alban Lakata (Aut) Topeak Ergon | 0:03:31 |
3 | Christoph Sauser (Swi) / Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Investec-Songo-Specialized | 0:03:32 |
4 | Karl Platt (Ger) / Urs Huber (Swi) Bulls | 0:04:49 |
5 | Robert Mennen (Ger) / Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Topeak Ergon 2 | 0:05:24 |
6 | Jose Hermida (Spa) / Rudi van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida | 0:05:25 |
7 | Rourke Croeser (RSA) / Travis Walker (RSA) USN #1 | 0:08:23 |
8 | Darren Lill (RSA) / Waylon Woolcock (RSA) RED-E Blend | 0:08:33 |
9 | Jochen Kaess (Ger) / Daniel Geismayr (Aut) Meerendal Centurion Vaude | 0:08:45 |
10 | Gawie Combrinck (RSA) / Johann Rabie (RSA) EAI South Africa | 0:10:03 |
11 | Martin Gujan (Swi) / Fabian Giger (Swi) Novus OMX Pro | 0:13:32 |
12 | Jan Jobanek (Cze) / Filip Adel (Cze) Mitas Superior | 0:14:46 |
13 | Nic Lamond (RSA) / Carl Pasio (RSA) RSAWEB Biogen | 0:20:29 |
14 | Lars Granberg (Nor) / Soren Nissen (Den) iHUS | 0:24:16 |
15 | Dariusz Miroslaw (Pol) / Andrzej Kaiser (Pol) Specialized Martombike | 0:24:39 |
16 | Renay Groustra (RSA) / Jurgens Uys (RSA) Novus Pro | 0:29:37 |
17 | Simeon Niederer (Swi) / Florian Bolt (Swi) Sherpa Tensing - Pedalerie | 0:31:25 |
18 | Shaun Lewis (Aus) / Andrew Blair (Aus) Enduro Mag/Specialized | 0:32:37 |
19 | Gert Heyns (RSA) / Arno Du Toit (RSA) Scott Factory Racing 2 | 0:32:48 |
20 | Bradley Stroberg (RSA) / Guylin van den Berg (RSA) IXU Cycling | 0:33:17 |
21 | Oliver Munnik (RSA) / Charles Keey (RSA) Novus Pinners | 0:34:58 |
22 | Rick Reimann (Swi) / Louis Wolf (Ger) CUBE Factory Racing | 0:35:12 |
23 | Xavier Carnicer Roig (Spa) / Christian Vazquez Guerrero (Spa) CANSA Tarraco 1 | 0:37:02 |
24 | Craig Boyes (RSA) / Wolfgang Krenn (Aut) Asrin | 0:38:00 |
25 | Michiel van Aelbroeck (Bel) / Robby De Bock (Bel) Meerendal Rocky Mountain | 0:40:27 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Christoph Sauser (Swi) / Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Investec-Songo-Specialized | 19:05:20 |
2 | Kristian Hynek (Cze) / Alban Lakata (Aut) Topeak Ergon | 0:07:22 |
3 | Jose Hermida (Spa) / Rudi van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida | 0:12:46 |
4 | Karl Platt (Ger) / Urs Huber (Swi) Bulls | 0:14:50 |
5 | Martin Gujan (Swi) / Fabian Giger (Swi) Novus OMX Pro | 0:44:11 |
6 | Jochen Kaess (Ger) / Daniel Geismayr (Aut) Meerendal Centurion Vaude | 0:47:28 |
7 | Philip Buys (RSA) / Matthys Beukes (RSA) Scott Factory Racing | 0:47:49 |
8 | Darren Lill (RSA) / Waylon Woolcock (RSA) RED-E Blend | 0:49:54 |
9 | Rourke Croeser (RSA) / Travis Walker (RSA) USN #1 | 0:57:47 |
10 | Gawie Combrinck (RSA) / Johann Rabie (RSA) EAI South Africa | 1:02:48 |
11 | Lars Granberg (Nor) / Soren Nissen (Den) iHUS | 1:22:01 |
12 | Jan Jobanek (Cze) / Filip Adel (Cze) Mitas Superior | 1:26:53 |
13 | Robert Mennen (Ger) / Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Topeak Ergon 2 | 2:04:31 |
14 | Gert Heyns (RSA) / Arno Du Toit (RSA) Scott Factory Racing 2 | 2:09:07 |
15 | Stefan Sahm (Ger) / Timo Cooper (RSA) JAG Foundation | 2:09:25 |
16 | Dariusz Miroslaw (Pol) / Andrzej Kaiser (Pol) Specialized Martombike | 2:24:04 |
17 | Kevin Evans (RSA) / Max Knox (RSA) Biogen-Volcan | 2:27:39 |
18 | Michiel van Aelbroeck (Bel) / Robby De Bock (Bel) Meerendal Rocky Mountain | 2:32:08 |
19 | Shaun Lewis (Aus) / Andrew Blair (Aus) Enduro Mag/Specialized | 2:39:44 |
20 | Craig Boyes (RSA) / Wolfgang Krenn (Aut) Asrin | 2:42:35 |
21 | Nic Lamond (RSA) / Carl Pasio (RSA) RSAWEB Biogen | 2:45:00 |
22 | Oliver Munnik (RSA) / Charles Keey (RSA) Novus Pinners | 2:49:35 |
23 | Michael Posthumus (RSA) / Derrin Smith (RSA) William Simpson A | 3:16:54 |
24 | Erik Kleinhans (RSA) / Nico Bell (RSA) RECM | 3:21:33 |
25 | Xavier Carnicer Roig (Spa) / Christian Vazquez Guerrero (Spa) CANSA Tarraco 1 | 3:25:05 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Ariane Kleinhans (Swi) / Annika Langvad (Den) RECM Specialized | 4:55:57 |
2 | Jennie Stenerhag (Swe) / Robyn Lee de Groot (RSA) Ascendis Health | 0:20:36 |
3 | Esther Suss (Swi) / Alice Pirard (Bel) Meerendal Wheeler | 0:23:27 |
4 | Theresa Ralph (RSA) / Jeannie Bomford (RSA) RBS | 0:24:15 |
5 | Yolande de Villiers (RSA) / Janka Keseg Stevkova (Svk) SasolRacing | 0:28:22 |
6 | Mariske Strauss (RSA) / Cherie Vale (RSA) Novus OMX Pro | 0:41:44 |
7 | Leana de Jager (RSA) / Yolandi du Toit (RSA) SasolRacing 2 | 0:51:28 |
8 | Ann Harrison (RSA) / Marleen Lourens (RSA) Dawn Wing/Momsen | 1:09:44 |
9 | Genevieve Weber (RSA) / Wanda Tattersall (Nam) Central Family Practice | 1:25:32 |
10 | Sanne van Paassen (Ned) / Jolien Janssen (Ned) Lovechock Specialized | 1:39:41 |
11 | Joanie Kift (RSA) / Samantha Oosthuizen (RSA) Fresh to Go | 1:59:31 |
12 | Debra Doss (USA) / Melissa Ross (USA) Bitty Bitty | 2:18:41 |
13 | Giuliana Massarotto (Ita) / Elena Perin (Ita) Titanium | 2:33:05 |
14 | Kathrin Muller (Ger) / Maud Golsteyn (Ned) Skinfit | 2:35:23 |
15 | Sandra Aaden (Swe) / Britta Alstad (Swe) SPIF OffRoad | 3:05:38 |
16 | Minione Lategan (RSA) / Sue Lategan (RSA) SAC trucks 2 | 3:16:02 |
17 | Danielle Nagaoka (Bra) / Juliana Cozzi (Bra) Legionárias Brasil AKSA | 3:20:27 |
18 | Elizma Kock (RSA) / Marelise Wilson (RSA) Ruwacon | 3:27:40 |
19 | Teresa Coetzee (RSA) / Lulu Ceronio (RSA) Beeld/Lipco | 3:31:13 |
# | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
---|---|---|
1 | Ariane Kleinhans (Swi) / Annika Langvad (Den) RECM Specialized | 22:59:08 |
2 | Jennie Stenerhag (Swe) / Robyn Lee de Groot (RSA) Ascendis Health | 0:29:55 |
3 | Esther Suss (Swi) / Alice Pirard (Bel) Meerendal Wheeler | 0:37:47 |
4 | Yolande de Villiers (RSA) / Janka Keseg Stevkova (Svk) SasolRacing | 1:09:44 |
5 | Theresa Ralph (RSA) / Jeannie Bomford (RSA) RBS | 1:13:22 |
6 | Mariske Strauss (RSA) / Cherie Vale (RSA) Novus OMX Pro | 2:44:33 |
7 | Leana de Jager (RSA) / Yolandi du Toit (RSA) SasolRacing 2 | 3:09:29 |
8 | Sanne van Paassen (Ned) / Jolien Janssen (Ned) Lovechock Specialized | 4:32:52 |
9 | Ann Harrison (RSA) / Marleen Lourens (RSA) Dawn Wing/Momsen | 4:44:15 |
10 | Genevieve Weber (RSA) / Wanda Tattersall (Nam) Central Family Practice | 6:37:55 |
11 | Kathrin Muller (Ger) / Maud Golsteyn (Ned) Skinfit | 6:41:56 |
12 | Joanie Kift (RSA) / Samantha Oosthuizen (RSA) Fresh to Go | 8:25:23 |
13 | Debra Doss (USA) / Melissa Ross (USA) Bitty Bitty | 9:44:48 |
14 | Giuliana Massarotto (Ita) / Elena Perin (Ita) Titanium | 11:08:34 |
15 | Elizma Kock (RSA) / Marelise Wilson (RSA) Ruwacon | 12:18:49 |
16 | Sandra Aaden (Swe) / Britta Alstad (Swe) SPIF OffRoad | 12:33:33 |
17 | Teresa Coetzee (RSA) / Lulu Ceronio (RSA) Beeld/Lipco | 12:33:39 |
18 | Minione Lategan (RSA) / Sue Lategan (RSA) SAC trucks 2 | 12:44:18 |
19 | Danielle Nagaoka (Bra) / Juliana Cozzi (Bra) Legionárias Brasil AKSA | 13:08:06 |
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