Memories From A Melting Pot - The Unforgettable Queen Stage of the 2024 Absa Cape Epic
The Queen Stage of the 2024 Absa Cape Epic was shortened due to extreme temperatures but that did nothing to detract from what is undoubtedly the most iconic stage of this year’s race.
With temperatures soaring in the Boland all week long, race organisers enacted the official Extreme Weather Protocols on Wednesday evening after Stage 3, reducing the initial 88km Stage 4 to 73km. The alteration to the route led to a reduction of approximately 400m of climbing. Despite this, the Queen Stage still presented a challenging course with four arduous climbs and the tricky, yet spectacularly beautiful Cliffhanger switchback descent near the end, which was also the day’s Toyota Tough Section to the finish line.
Although the changes provided some very welcome relief, the stage remained an intense test of physical and mental endurance. So much so that UCI Marathon World Champ, Mona Mitterwallner of Cannondale Factory Racing, called it ‘one of the hardest stages’ of her life. Mitterwallner, with South African partner Candice Lill, finished third on the day but remain in second on the GC, only two-and-a-half minutes behind the overall leaders. Lill and Mitterwallner finished in a time of 4:08:52, most other riders spent a lot more time out there.
As Grand Master David Kinsey who crossed the line in a very respectable 06:03:07, said, “This is Wellington in - the heat was extreme, as we expected, so thank goodness they shortened it.” According to Kinsey, the climb to the Cliffhanger was incredible. “It was just so hot though, and only in the shade, did we have a little relief. But then, this is the Cape Epic, it's not meant to be easy.”
Here is how the overall GC in the various categories stands after Stage 4:
MIXED CATEGORY
e-FORT Mix (Elrika Harmzen-Pretorius and Alexander) continue their charge up the GC and are now in second. They still trail Toyota Gazoo Racing with Resicon in third.
AMATEUR CATEGORY
The standings remain unchanged at the top with Latvian wannabe pro cyclists still in first and Alilililili in second, but Stage 4 sees Portugal - Tres Piñas (Christopher Portugal and Renato Tapia Landa) move into third.
AMATEUR WOMEN'S CATEGORY
As in the women’s amateur category, Ar&Co (Paula Lopez and Alejandra Cristina Tattenbach Arias) still hold a commanding lead over RoadexEMU, while the AbsasheUntamed outfit of Carli Cooke and Mikayla Benkenstein move into third.
NTT MASTERS CATEGORY
The Bulls Masters (Karl Platt and Tomás Misser) continued their charge with yet another stage win, to consolidate their GC lead. Unimed/fourlab remain in second and CzechRocket & SwissDiesel are in third.
MASTERS WOMEN'S CATEGORY
Asterix & Cleopatra maintained their lead after Stage 4, followed by Absa LastLioness, while ILoveBoobies #FortyFour moved up from fourth to third place.
GRAND MASTERS MEN'S CATEGORY
In the Grand Masters Men's Category, the standings remain unchanged from Stage 3. Pedal Project is in first, with LGE Midas in second and Truls & Vidar (Vidar Olsen and Truls Veslum) in third. ,
GRAND MASTERS WOMEN'S CATEGORY
There were no changes to the overnight GC in this category, with Toyota Memory Keepers in the lead, Absolutely SheUntamed in second place and Rola Motor Group (Comine Claassen and Fiona Austin) in third.
GREAT GRAND MASTERS CATEGORY
The situation in the overall GC remains unchanged after Stage 4, with Multiple Absa Cape Epic category winner Barti Bucher with Meerendal teammate Peter Furrer, holding onto a commanding lead ahead of Toshiba Namibia and Forestiére & C&C.
SPECIAL JERSEYS
ABSA AFRICAN SPECIAL JERSEY
Philip Buys and Pieter Du Toit (PYGA Euro Stee) have a commanding lead in the red leader’s jerseys, while Marco Joubert and Wessel Botha of Imbuko A remain in second ahead of Alexander Miller and Johan Van Zyl of Toyota-Specialized. In the women’s race, Efficient Infiniti Insure (Steph Wohlters and Danielle Strydom) remain in the lead ahead of #SheUntamed (Sarah Hill and Hayley Smith), with Cape Classic (Tarryn Povey and Kylie Hanekom) now sitting in third.
EXXARO SPECIAL JERSEY
After big moves on Stage 3, the situation remains unchanged after the Queen Stage, with The Coopetto (Halalisani Njabulo Ndebele and Siyanda Gumede) in the lead ahead of Fairtree DPworld Cannondale (Kusaselihle Ngidi and Damon Terblanche).