For the first time since 2017, the Absa Cape Epic returned to the Meerendal Wine Estate for the Prologue on Sunday 19th March. The historic winery fittingly hosted the start of the 19th Untamed African MTB Race with Cape Town's iconic landmarks Table Mountain and Robben Island providing a sublime backdrop.
The first challenge of the 648km course in 2023 involved around 750 meters of elevation gain over 27km. South African Matt Beers and Christopher Blevins (Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne) got the better of the Scott team made up of the multiple XCO world champion Nino Schurter, riding together with Swiss partner Andri Frischknecht (SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing). Third place for the 2022 champions Georg Egger and Lukas Baum (Orbea x Leatt X Speed Company).
Good performances from the Wilier Pirelli Factory, 5th place with Fabian Rabensteiner and Wout Allemann, and 9th place for Samuele Porro and Vincenzo Nibali, registered in the Team as "Italian Friends" 🙂
In the women's category, defending champion Sofia Gomez Villafane and her new race partner Katerina Nash (NinetyOne-Songo-Specialized) finished first ahead of the all-African pairing of Namibia's Vera Looser and Mauritius' Kim le Court (Efficiente Infiniti ensures). Amy Wakefield and Candice Lill (e-FORT.net | SeattleCoffeeCo) took third place on the day.
MEN'S ELITE RANKING
| 1. | Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne | Matthew BEERS | Christopher BLEVINS | 01:03:01.9 |
| 2. | SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing | Nino SCHURTER | Andri FRISCHKNECHT | + 00: 00: 07.4 |
| 3. | ORBEA x Leatt x Speed Company | Georg EGGER | Lukas BAUM | + 00: 00: 45.2 |
| 4. | Canyon Northwave MTB | Andreas SEEWALD | Martin STOSHEK | + 00: 01: 02.2 |
| 5. | Wilier Pirelli Factory | Fabian RABENSTEINER | Wout ALLEMAN | + 00: 01: 41.7 |
| 6. | PYGA Euro Steel | Philip BUYS | Alexander MILLER | + 00: 01: 51.6 |
| 7. | Northwave Canyon | Petr VAKOC | Marc STUTZMANN | + 00: 02: 04.5 |
| 8. | BUFF Megamo | Hans Becking | José DIAS | + 00: 02: 07.4 |
| 9. | Italian Friends | Samuel PORRO | Vincenzo NIBALI | + 00: 02: 07.4 |
| 10 | BUFF Megamo 2 | Hugo DRECHOU | Enrique MORCILLO VERGARA | + 00: 02: 46.0 |
FEMALE ELITE RANKING
| 1 | NinetyOne-Songo-Specialized. | Sofia GOMEZ VILLAFANE | Katerina NASH | 01:18:57.5 |
| 2 | Efficient Infiniti Insure | Kim LE COURT | True LOOSER | + 00: 00: 07.0 |
| 3 | e-FORT.net : SeattleCoffeeCo | Amy WAKEFIELD | Candice LILL | + 00: 00: 30.2 |
| 4 | 8capital | Janka KESEG STEVKOVA | Martina KRAHULCOVA | + 00: 05: 34.8 |
| 5 | Valley Electrical | Tiffany KEEP | Hayley PREEN | + 00: 05: 58.9 |
| 6 | She untamed | Sarah HILL | Elrika HARMZEN-PRETORIUS | + 00: 07: 52.4 |
| 7 | Cannondale Vas Arabay. | Greet STEINBURG | Monica Yuliana CALDERON MARTINEZ | + 00: 08: 46.0 |
| 8 | Best performance | Steph WOHLTERS | Yolande DEVILLIERS | + 00: 10: 11.7 |
| 9 | Deeka I live life | Janice VENTER | Sophie JOHNSON | + 00: 13: 29.2 |
| 10 | Echo pentest | Tarryn POVEY | Kylie HANEKOM | + 00: 15: 01.6 |
