World Bicycle Relief (Nino Schurter and Sebastian Fini) and Ghost Factory Racing (Anne Terpstra and Nicole Koller) claimed the UCI Men’s and Aramex Women’s categories respectively at today’s Absa Cape Epic Prologue in Somerset West.

Starting, taking place within the confines and finishing at Lourensford Wine Estate, the 2024 Prologue provided the typical tests of tough climbs, dusty descents and ever-rising late-summer temperatures. Handling the challenges - and their bikes - best on the day were World Bicycle Relief in the UCI Men’s race and Ghost Factory Racing in the Aramex Women’s category. Both teams were remarkably cool and comfortable throughout the day’s racing.

Schurter, participating with Danish rider Sebastian Fini, seems to have finally met a partner who can match his enthusiasm and talent for trail riding. Fini was stuck like a child’s craft-set glitter to the multiple mountain bike World Champion, with the pair racing home in 1:02:38 for first place. Matt Beers and Howard Grotts (Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne) took second place in 1:03:29, with Hans Becking and Wout Alleman (Buff Megamo) rounding out the top three. Grotts, the 2018 Cape Epic winner, was reintroduced to the joys of cycling in South Africa when he was forced to bunny-hop over a puff adder at one point on the stage.

Sneaky snakes, aside, all three of the men’s top teams rode blemish-free Prologues, with Schurter and Fini having the edge on the steep climbs (though their descending was impressive too). Arguably, though, the ride of the day came from South African duo Marco Joubert and Wessel Botha (Imbuko).

Starting as the 18th-best team in the Prologue, Joubert and Botha scorched through the field and the route to finish in a time of 1:04:15 - this with Joubert crashing twice (first when he was looking at a spectator rather than the route and second just before the floating bridge).

For seven-time starter and former winner Schurter, this was only his second Prologue win at the Absa Cape Epic. “Coming here from Europe, I thought ‘Okay, it’s not too hot’ but it was brutal out there. On the climbs, the air was just standing still - so I think maybe we went too fast in the beginning and suffered towards the end, but still very happy with the result. Sebastian and I worked well together on that route. We have similar strengths and I think that showed in the racing today. Some long days are coming up. The competition will be tight, but that’s what I enjoy. That’s why I am here.”

In the Aramex Women’s category, Ghost Factory Racing and Cannondale Factory Racing (Candice Lill and Mona Mitterwallner) appeared to be neck-and-neck in the early stages, but the heat proved too much for Austrian rider Mitterwallner. Cannondale Factory Racing faded towards the end of the stage, allowing Ghost Factory Racing’s Terpstra and Koller to surge ahead.

“I struggled with the heat today,” said Mitterwallner on the finish line. “I think I got a heat stroke for the first time in my life. My heart rate was sitting at 195 and wouldn't get below 190, so I couldn't recover in the descents. Then I got cold and shaky. I was just trying to survive to the finish.”

Cannondale teammate Lill was happy with the second place, though, knowing that there’s a long, hard week of racing to come. “It’s always a shock to the system to start the week with such a hard effort, but I think we rode well. It’s always good to get the Prologue out the way, take some positivity into the week and focus on the racing.”

Terpstra and Koller were all focus, all morning, to claim their first stage win at their first attempt. Both riders are racing the Cape Epic for the first time and took to the trails like seasoned veterans. The team rode smoothly throughout the 27km stage, barely putting a pedal stroke wrong as they calmly navigated the course.

It was around the halfway point in the stage where Cannondale Factory Racing started to drop off the pace, allowing Ghost Factory Racing to spirit away the stage victory.

“We are very happy with a stage win,” said Terpstra. “We weren’t expecting that at all. We just wanted to ride at our own pace but then we started going nicely and getting faster. It was hot out there. And dusty. I am looking forward to a shower!”

2022 Aramex Women’s category winner Sofia Gomez Villafane, riding with Samara Sheppard (Toyota-Specialized-Ninetyone), finished third on the day, one minute and 11 seconds off the lead. 

Monday’s Stage 1 of the 2024 Absa Cape Epic will see riders tackle the tricky terrain of Tulbagh in an 88km ride featuring 2450m of climbing. As always at the Cape Epic, though, it could be the elements that have the final say.