Candice Lill and Tyler Jacobs secured their second stage victory of the 2024 FNB Wines2Whales Chardonnay race with another commanding performance on the Oak Valley Trails. Stage 2 suited the cross-country racers to perfection and they were able to add a further 4:57 onto their general classification advantage over their nearest rivals, Vera Looser and Sarah Hill.

Saturday’s singletrack packed stage on the trails of Oak Valley and Paul Cluver Wine Estates was tailor made for Tyler Jacobs and Candice Lill. SeattleCoffeeCo eFORT ALMAR continued their perfect ride through the 2024 FNB Wines2Whales, with victory on Stage 2. For the second day in a row, Efficient Infiniti Racing’s Vera Looser and Sarah Hill were their nearest rivals. The battle for the final podium place was more fiercely contested behind the top two, with e-FORT only distancing the Sani2C team in the closing kilometres. Though Margot Moschetti and Costanza Fasolis have time to make up on Stage 3 – on Sunday, 3 November – to seize third on the general classification.

The middle day of the Chardonnay race features perfect weather, with a fresh and cloudy morning giving way to a warm and sunny afternoon. The 66 kilometre course took in many of the Elgin Valley’s best trails, including Vissie’s Magic, Sound of Silence, Cow’s Trail, Witklipplies, Rietvlei Magic and the rebuilt Pofadder 4.0.  

“The start was a bit slow this morning nobody wanting to take the initiative,” Bianca Haw noted. “So I went to the front and pushed the tempo, mainly because I really don’t like the jostling in the big group.” This move proved prescient because there were two falls within the first 10 kilometres.  Nicola Walker lost her front wheel on a section of ball bearing like pebbles, but managed to roll through the worst of the crash. The Pretty Pedal rider finished the stage with a bruised hip, a bloodied elbow and a torn jersey. Paceline Racing’s Almari de Milander and Cymot Ladies Racing’s Monique du Plessis went down in a crash too, which left both unable to continue. That was not the end of the falls. Fortunately, Jacobs’ late off was minor.

First, she and Lill established a lead on the trails, however. Through the first 18 kilometres the e-FORT and Sani2C teams were able to keep the leaders and Efficient Infiniti Racing in sight. Then on the climb towards Witklippies SeattleCoffeeCo eFORT ALMAR began to edge away. First the teams contesting third on the trail were distanced, then Looser and Hill lost contact. By the 33 kilometre mark Jacobs and Lill held a 45 second advantage. Later, a minor crash in the singletracks left the 20-year-old with a bloodied left knee, but it did not slow her down.

By the finish line Jacobs and Lill had added a further 4 minutes and 57 seconds to their general classification lead. Looser and Hill were second, for the second day in a row, tightening their grip on that position overall. Behind, the day’s closest battle was for third.

Haw had made much of the racing for the first 55 kilometres but approaching the Paul Cluver Amphitheatre her teammate, Keep, began to struggle. With Haw lending Keep a hand on the climbs, Moschetti and Fasolis were able to gain a slight advantage. This was enough to hand e-FORT third on the day, by 30 seconds, over the Sani2C team. e-FORT 2 were fifth on the stage, and did enough to hang on to third on the general classification standings, by just 10 seconds. Elrika Harmzen-Pretorius and Felicitas Geiger will thus have a big day ahead of them on Stage 3, to maintain that spot.

Though first there is an incredible day of riding to reflect upon. “I loved it today, it’s always the nice singletrack day of FNB Wines2Whales,” Lill smiled. “But I always underestimate it too and find that it’s really hard towards the end. I think Tyler [Jacobs] and I just rode such a good pace from the beginning and didn’t go over the limit, so we were able to enjoy it all the way to the finish.”

“This day is so much fun, you forget it between editions, then when you come back you are remined how awesome these trails are. And how many trails there are,” Looser added. “It’s incredible!”

Sunday is the final stage of the Chardonnay race and the 64 kilometre route takes the teams from Oak Valley, in Elgin, to Benguela Cove, on the banks of the Botrivier Lagoon. After an undulating start the course drops, down the Katpas, to Botrivier, Wildekrans and Geneive MCC. The Karwyders Contour and Gaf se Bos gain elevation but the ascent to the Church trail is the longest of the day. From the summit it is effectively all downhill to Benguela Cove and Chardonnay celebrations.

To follow the action, as it unfolds, watch the race coverage on social media. Regular updates will be posted to the @wines_2_whales Instagram and Wines2Whales Facebook stories. Post-stage highlight videos will be uploaded to the Epic Series YouTube channel. For more information visit www.epic-series.com/wines2whales or download the Epics Series mobile application.

2024 FNB Wines2Whales Chardonnay Results:

Elite Women | Stage 2:

1. SeattleCoffeeCo eFORT ALMAR: Candice Lill & Tyler Jacobs (3:00:26)
2. Efficient Infiniti Racing: Vera Looser & Sarah Hill (3:05:23 | +4:57)
3. e-FORT: Margot Moschetti & Costanza Fasolis (3:10:22 | +9:56)
4. Sani2C: Tiffany Keep & Bianca Haw (3:10:53 | +10:26)
5. e-FORT 2: Elrika Harmzen-Pretorius & Felicitas Geiger (3:13:37 | +13:11)
6. Fortress Real Estate Investments: Ila Stow & Katie Lennard (3:18:20 | +17:54)
7. Bike Hub SHEovita: Kylie Hanekom & Rebecca van Huyssteen (3:26:55 | +26:29)
8. BELL EPT: Janice Venter & Hayley Smith (3:31:47 | +31:21)
9. Paceline Racing 1: Robyn Williams & Tarryn Povey (3:33:12 | +32:46)
10.  Pretty Pedal: Kate Slegrova & Nicola Walker (3:37:52 | +37:26)

Master’s Women | Stage 2:

1. Bodyandbike: Maureen Jordaan & Jenny Close (3:38:04)
2. Xpert Wealth: Chantelle Bosch & Martha Koekemoer (3:39:36 | +1:31)
3. Indlulamithi: Caroline Jack & Julia Westoby (3:58:50 | +20:45)
4. Die Stofstreep Sisters: Maria Elizabeth Cave & Lisette Roos (4:05:33 | +27:28)
5. Charlie & Lola: Sally Ferguson & Caren Maytham-Mills (4:07:47 | +29:42)

Grand Master’s Women | Stage 2:

1. Tiletoria Ladies: Jane Seggie & Michelle Lombardi (4:09:10)
2. Rola Motors: Fiona Austin & Comine Claasen (4:34:53 | +25:43)
3. AB Girls : Jane Fisher & Tracy Crowther (4:05:07 | +18:18)

Elite Women’s General Classification after Stage 2:

1. SeattleCoffeeCo eFORT ALMAR: Candice Lill & Tyler Jacobs (6:24:04)
2. Efficient Infiniti Racing: Vera Looser & Sarah Hill (36:36:00 | +11:55)
3. e-FORT 2: Elrika Harmzen-Pretorius & Felicitas Geiger (6:53:08 | +29:04)
4. e-FORT: Margot Moschetti & Costanza Fasolis (6:53:18 | +29:14)
5. Fortress Real Estate Investments: Ila Stow & Katie Lennard (7:05:36 | +41:31)

Master’s Women General Classification after Stage 2:

1. Bodyandbike: Maureen Jordaan & Jenny Close (7:47:34)
2. Xpert Wealth: Chantelle Bosch & Martha Koekemoer (7:58:29 +10:55)
3. Die Stofstreep Sisters: Maria Elizabeth Cave & Lisette Roos (8:41:19 | +53:45)
4. Charlie & Lola: Sally Ferguson & Caren Maytham-Mills (8:43:17 | +55:43)
5. Indlulamithi: Caroline Jack & Julia Westoby (8:59:18.2 | +1:11:43.9)

Grand Master’s Women’s General Classification after Stage 2:

1. Tiletoria Ladies: Jane Seggie & Michelle Lombardi (7:55:59)
2. Rola Motors: Fiona Austin & Comine Claasen (8:38:53 | +42:54)
3. One Earth: Marleen Lourens & Louise Ferreira (8:40:00 | +44:00)

For the full results from the FNB Wines2Whales Chardonnay click here.