Cape Epic - S2

South Africa, March 24-31, 2007

2006 results Schedule Preview Start List Past winners

Schedule

Stage 1 - March 24: Knysna - Uniondale, 101km
Stage 2 - March 25: Uniondale - Oudtshoorn, 132km
Stage 3 - March 26: Oudtshoorn - Ladismith, 128km
Stage 4 - March 27: Ladismith - Barrydale, 121km
Stage 5 - March 28: Barrydale - Montagu, 102km
Stage 6 - March 29: Montagu - Villiersdorp, 111km
Stage 7 - March 30: Villiersdorp - Kleinmond, 116km
Stage 8 - March 31: Kleinmond - Lourensford, 75km

Preview

Christoph Sauser (Swizterland)
Photo ©: Mikkeli Godfree

The Cape Epic off road stage celebrates its fourth edition. Racers from 42 nations will contest the eight-stage, 886km course from Knysna on Saturday, March 24 to Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset West on March 31. They will compete in teams of two in one of four categories -- Men, Ladies, Mixed, and Masters -- and will climb 15,045 meters. A new route is designated every year.

This year's edition will see the participation of Olympic gold medallists, world champions, and reigning UCI World Cup champions, in part because this stage race awards UCI points and in part because of its timing, three weeks before the first cross country World Cup. The pros can race, but still squeeze in a rest period before the World Cup.

Every one of the previous six winners has entered again this year. Pros Christoph Sauser, Ralph Naef, Bart Brentjens, Greg Minnaar and Thomas Frischknecht will be competing. Sauser is back to defend his 2006 win. Seventeen-time World Cup winner and Olympic medalist Thomas Frischknecht will be partnering with mountain biking legend Tom Ritchey, founder of Ritchey Logic. Frischknecht will not be competing to win, but is partnering with Ritchey to promote Project Rwanda, Ritchey's own initiative which is structured to benefit the coffee growers in Rwanda by providing them with specially modified bikes for the transportation of their goods.

Bart Brentjens, the 2005 winner of the Absa Cape Epic, Olympic gold medalist with four World Cup wins and the title of Overall World Cup Winner in 1994 will partner with fellow Dutch rider Rudy van Houts. Ralph Naef, reigning UCI world marathon champion will ride with Spaniard and Multivan Meridan teammate Jose Hermida.

An unexpected entry is Greg Minnaar, South Africa's own downhill star. Minnaar will be competing in the Mixed classification with Hannele Steyn-Kotze, one of South Africa's top female racers.

Cyclingnews' diarist Myriam Saugy will also be competing. Stay tuned to Cyclingnews for complete daily race updates and regular diary entries chronicalling her experience in the race.

Start list

Top seeded teams going into the race:


Men

Christoph Sauser (Swi) / Johannes Pallhuber (Ita) Specialized
Silvio Bundi (Swi) / Gion Manetsch (Swi) Giant/athleticum
Johannes Sickmueller (Ger) / René Birkenfeld (Ger) Stevens
Karl Platt (Ger) / Stefan Sahm (Ger) Team bulls
Bart Brentjens (Ned) / Rudi Van houts (Ned) Dolphin mountainbike team
Roel Paulissen (Bel) / Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Cannondalredestein
Ralph Naef (Swi) / Jose Hermida (Spa) Multivan merida biking team
Kevin Evans (RSA) / Brandon Stewart (RSA) Raleigh mtn energade
Mannie Heymans (Nam) / Melt Swanepoel (RSA) Raleigh mtn energade
Thomas Zahnd (Swi) / Sandro Spaeth (Swi) Team texnetoeckli
Moritz Milatz (Ger) / Tim Boehme (Ger) Multivan merida biking team
Kashi Leuchs (NZl) /  Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Cannondalredestein
Shan Wilson (RSA) / Jacques Rossouw (RSA) Team adidas/william simpson/epic bike shop
Thomas Frischknecht (Swi) / Tom Ritchey (USA) Project rwanda
David Kinjah njau (Ken) /  Davidson Kamau kihagi (Ken) Absa africa
Alban Lakata (Aus) / Roman Peter (Swi) Trek volkswagen racing
David George (RSA) / Rupert Rheeder (RSA) Road riders
Jürgen Pamminger (Aus) / Martin Pitschmann (Aus) Botschnpicka xxteam
Filip Claes (Bel) /  Dirk Rossignol (Bel) Capespacarabee
Adrian Enthoven (RSA) / 7] Gary Marescia (RSA) Spier / cycle lab
Paul Boyce (RSA) / Jan Schutte (RSA) Giant sa
Johan Labuschagne (RSA) / David Labuschagne (RSA) Cyclelab brothers
Radu Dragomirescu (Aus) / Markus Hahn (Aus) Hahn racing team
Martin Gerber (Swi) / Hendrik Steytler (RSA) Falke
Dennis Du toit (RSA) / Chris Smit (RSA) Huguenote cycles
Renier Grobler (RSA) / Peter Viljoen (Ken) Unknown's
Ilan Edelson (ISR) /  Gal Tsachor (ISR) City cycling club
Ben Van niekerk (RSA) / Karl Schubert (RSA) Energade bfb
Yannick Lincoln (MRI) / Arnaud De commarmond (MRI) Mauritian high landers
Hendrik De kock (RSA) / Franso Steyn (RSA) Scott/sa chiro
Gavin Wood (RSA) / Anton Butler (RSA) Reuters
Nicholas Cloete (RSA) / Stephen Cloete (RSA) Team vinyard car hire
Tobias Nestle (Ger) / Marc Faude (Swi) Team trek bikes europe
Roland Danner (Ger) / Marcus Wallmeyer (Ger) Supernovrbea/fuji bikes
Louis Van der berg (RSA) / Gerhard Seyffert (RSA) Olmatt seniors
Dane Walsh (RSA) / Julian Conrad (RSA) Tall and skinny
Alex Le roux (RSA) / Douglas Retief (RSA) Hoerikwaggo hillbillies
Christophe Desimpeleare (Den) /  Laurent Sillon (Spa)Csc la santa bike power
Jonas Vuille (Swi) / Vullioud Philippe (Swi) Texnemcqiris
Ryan Draper (Can) /  Hazen Simson (Can) Team canmore

Ladies 

Kathy Pruitt (USA) / Anka Martin (USA) African american
Kerstin Brachtendorf (Ger) / Daniele Troesch (Fra) Adidas fiat rotwild
Anke Erlank (RSA) / Yolandè De villiers (RSA) Duravit

Masters

Linus Van onselen (RSA) / Doug Brown (RSA) Absa 
Todd Cassan (USA) / Chris Mears (USA) Rocinante
Gary Hill (GBr) / Antony Green (GBr) Uk double dutch pancake bar
Hendrik Van huyssteen (RSA) / Leon Olivier (RSA) Energas
Marcel Hoksbergen (USA) / 9] Rob Barel (Ned) Binnenvaarerida
Francois Du toit (RSA) / Albert Coetzee (RSA) Team albertos
Jacques Malan (RSA) / Schuiling Bobby (RSA) Miles for marrow
Tony Conlon (RSA) / Lieb Loots (RSA) Marsilio projects
Ennis Venter (RSA) / Andrew johan Cillie (RSA) Gossouw,harding&waterloo
Mc Franken (RSA) / Fred Coleske (RSA) Red mongoose
Corrie Muller (RSA) / Ergee Du toit (RSA) Sand
Trever Bushnell (USA) / Art Macfarland (USA) Baja racers
Nick Bester (RSA) / Bryan Strauss (RSA) Harmony
Chris Fick (RSA) / Rudi De wet (RSA) Mongoosspen docs
Jannie Van der berg (RSA) / Michael james Thomson (RSA) Olmatt masters
Rudi Donckers (Bel) / Jos Kerkhofs (Bel) Ticket team
Andrew Mclean (RSA) / Damian Booth (RSA) Cycle lab
Neil Frazer (RSA) / Greg Anderson (RSA) Energade masters

Mixed

Greg Minnaar (RSA) / Hannele Steyotze (RSA) Adidas
Markus Pielenz (Ger) / Sandra Sumerauer (Ger) Medsport checker pig
Ivonne Kraft (Ger) / Nico Pfitzenmaier (Ger) Malojts time for travel
Brian Tear (GBr) / Martine Verweij (GBr) Mi racing/double dutch
Yolande Speedy (RSA) / Paul Cordes (RSA) Imc/mongoose
Andreas Mühlbacher (Aus) / Anita Waiss (Aus) Peak vienna
Evan Price (RSA) / Tatum Prins (RSA) Tension structures
Fourie Kotze (RSA) / Jeannie Bomford (RSA) Adidas
Virginie Souchon (Fra) / Julien Sauvigné (Fra) Cmt
Geddan Ruddock (RSA) / Jean ann Mckirdy (Can) Absa pro mixed

Past winners

2006 Men: Christopher Sauser (Swi) / Silvio Bundi (Swi) (Specialized)
2006 Women: Sabine Grona (Ger) / Kerstin Brachtendorf (Ger) (Addidas-Fiat-Rotwild)
2006 Mixed: Dolores Maechler (Swi) / Severin Rupp (Swi) (Radys.com)


2005 Men: Roel Paulissen/Bart Brentjens (Giant)
2005 Women: Hannele Steyn-Kotze/Zoe Frost (Fiat/Bianchi/Adidas 2)
2005 Mixed: Nic White/Anke Erlank (Team Microsoft)


2004 Men: Mannie Heymans/Karl Platt (Focus/Rocky Mountain)
2004 Women: Hanlie Booyens/Sharon Laws (Yellow Jacket)
2004 Mixed: Kirsten Rösel/Robert Eder (HAI-Bike / Scott)