Christoph Sauser and Burry Stander fix and early
morning flat on a day with many mechanicals during stage four of the
Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike Stage Race held in Greyton on the 25 March
2009 in the Western Cape, South Africa.
Photo by Sven Martin /SPORTZPICS
morning flat on a day with many mechanicals during stage four of the
Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike Stage Race held in Greyton on the 25 March
2009 in the Western Cape, South Africa.
Photo by Sven Martin /SPORTZPICS
The spirit of the legendary Magical and Untamed African Mountain Bike Race again came to life today when South African rider, Max Knox, in a gesture of true sportsmanship, gave Burry Stander of Songo.info his bike.
South Africa’s Stander severely damaged his front wheel and could not continue riding. Knox, who also hails from Kwazulu-Natal (as does Stander), was in 25th position overall yesterday with team mate Brandon Stewart (DCM Chrome). They decided it was more important for the Songo.info team not to lose too much time as they were not in the running for a place on the podium.
Knox then got a new wheel at the vantage point, repaired Stander’s bike, and gave it back to him again at the next water point, where Songo.info waited for them. This cost the leading team in the first 3 stages more than 20 minutes. Songo.info finished in 9th place today (04:43:30), but are in the second place overall (17:30:06), 4 minutes and 29 seconds behind the Bulls.
The UCI commissaries will decide this evening after having spoken to the marshals who are still out in the field, if there has been any outside assistance involved with regards to the Songo.info drama. Their decision will determine whether a time penalty will be give to Christoph Sauser and Burry Stander. If they do receive a time penalty, which can be up to an hour, it will affect their overall position. However, Songo.info can still compete and even win daily stages. Heroic Knox and Stewart (DCM Chrome) will most likely also receive a time penalty if they broke one of the race rules while helping.
Today’s stage was extremely challenging as the leading teams, who have now lost Songo.info along the way, were using this opportunity to vie for top honours. They arrived at the finish line exhausted and covered in a (thin) layer of brown dust.
Men’s Category
Stage winners Karl Platt and Stefan Sahm during
stage four of the Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike Stage Race held in
Greyton on the 25 March 2009 in the Western Cape, South Africa.
Photo by Sven Martin /SPORTZPICS
stage four of the Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike Stage Race held in
Greyton on the 25 March 2009 in the Western Cape, South Africa.
Photo by Sven Martin /SPORTZPICS
The Bulls, Karl Platt and Stefan Sahm, capitalised on the opportunity to take the lead and won their first stage in this year’s Absa Cape Epic (04:32:09). They will wear the Yellow Leader jersey out of Greyton for Stage 5 of this year’s race and are also now the leaders overall (17:25:37). The Bulls were closely followed by Emil Lindgren and Andreas Kugler (Felt Factory 2) in a time of 04:32:23, placing them in 4th position overall. Finishing in third place was the Bulls 2 team, Thomas Dietsch and Tim Boehme in 04:32:35. They are now in 12th place overall, having moved up from the 24th position.
The Flückiger brothers, Mathias and Lukas, finished in fourth place (04:36:04) and they are now in 8th position overall, moving up one position. Trek-Brentjens, Bart Brentjens and Chris Jongewaard, finished in 04:37:36, maintaining their third position overall (17:35:13). The South African team Kevin Evans and David George (MTN Energade) finished 6th today in 04:39:24, and moved from 4th to 5th position overall (17:45:56).
Karl Platt, of the Bulls team, dislocated his shoulder again (as during the Prologue) around 2km from the finish. He screamed in agony. His team mate, Stefan Sahm then reduced it back into its socket.
Says Sahm: “We’re very happy that we can wear the yellow leader jersey again. We fought so hard last year and it didn’t work, so we’re stoked that we could make it work this year.” He jokingly adds that he is now also Platt’s physio. The team’s physiotherapist showed Sahm what to do when Karl’s shoulder dislocates again. “He said Karl must relax so that I can reduce the shoulder in again. I’ll always do whatever’s necessary. We ride together, we’ll die together.”
The Bulls team only learnt at the 2nd water point that Songo.info was 20 minutes behind them, but did not ride much faster to conserve energy. For them, the hard part started in the last technical sections when the MTN Energade team started attacking and the Bulls decided to stay with them.
Says Platt: “We’re super happy about our overall success. I actually can’t show my joy so much right now. My shoulder hurts a lot and I’m already thinking about tomorrow. When I dislocated my shoulder, I first couldn't pop it back in. Then Stefan helped me – he had secretly asked our physio what to do in such a situation. Today was a really hard stage. It started hectic with lots of rocks and sand and everyone wanting to ride in front. At first we didn't notice that Burry had a problem, but on this technical terrain, you can be hit hard by bad luck - a ditch or big rock can hide behind every bush. At the second water point they told us that Songo.info was 20 minutes behind.” Adds Sahm: “Karl and I decided to conserve energy for the last stretch. Bart was going hard, though. They wanted to catch up and didn’t even stop at the watering point.”
Sahm continues: “We then attacked on the third last uphill and managed to take the lead to the finish, despite Karl’s shoulder.” Platt comments that he is afraid of tomorrow. “Now it's becoming a massacre. I’m sure Christoph and Burry are disappointed and will race hard to get the yellow jersey back, but we’re happy that we could claim the leader jersey for at least one day and have a stage win behind our name.”
Says Sahm: “There will never be an easy Cape Epic. This terrain is unforgiving. If you make the slightest mistake or aren't focused for a second, you can be lying on the ground the next moment. You have to stay focused on every single meter of the race. For us the Absa Cape Epic has become one of the most important races of the season. It was the first race that we ever rode together as a team and won (in 2007). We feel at home in South Africa and want to give spectators and followers an exciting race.”
The Flückiger brothers, Mathias and Lukas, finished in fourth place (04:36:04) and they are now in 8th position overall, moving up one position. Trek-Brentjens, Bart Brentjens and Chris Jongewaard, finished in 04:37:36, maintaining their third position overall (17:35:13). The South African team Kevin Evans and David George (MTN Energade) finished 6th today in 04:39:24, and moved from 4th to 5th position overall (17:45:56).
Karl Platt, of the Bulls team, dislocated his shoulder again (as during the Prologue) around 2km from the finish. He screamed in agony. His team mate, Stefan Sahm then reduced it back into its socket.
Says Sahm: “We’re very happy that we can wear the yellow leader jersey again. We fought so hard last year and it didn’t work, so we’re stoked that we could make it work this year.” He jokingly adds that he is now also Platt’s physio. The team’s physiotherapist showed Sahm what to do when Karl’s shoulder dislocates again. “He said Karl must relax so that I can reduce the shoulder in again. I’ll always do whatever’s necessary. We ride together, we’ll die together.”
The Bulls team only learnt at the 2nd water point that Songo.info was 20 minutes behind them, but did not ride much faster to conserve energy. For them, the hard part started in the last technical sections when the MTN Energade team started attacking and the Bulls decided to stay with them.
Says Platt: “We’re super happy about our overall success. I actually can’t show my joy so much right now. My shoulder hurts a lot and I’m already thinking about tomorrow. When I dislocated my shoulder, I first couldn't pop it back in. Then Stefan helped me – he had secretly asked our physio what to do in such a situation. Today was a really hard stage. It started hectic with lots of rocks and sand and everyone wanting to ride in front. At first we didn't notice that Burry had a problem, but on this technical terrain, you can be hit hard by bad luck - a ditch or big rock can hide behind every bush. At the second water point they told us that Songo.info was 20 minutes behind.” Adds Sahm: “Karl and I decided to conserve energy for the last stretch. Bart was going hard, though. They wanted to catch up and didn’t even stop at the watering point.”
Sahm continues: “We then attacked on the third last uphill and managed to take the lead to the finish, despite Karl’s shoulder.” Platt comments that he is afraid of tomorrow. “Now it's becoming a massacre. I’m sure Christoph and Burry are disappointed and will race hard to get the yellow jersey back, but we’re happy that we could claim the leader jersey for at least one day and have a stage win behind our name.”
Says Sahm: “There will never be an easy Cape Epic. This terrain is unforgiving. If you make the slightest mistake or aren't focused for a second, you can be lying on the ground the next moment. You have to stay focused on every single meter of the race. For us the Absa Cape Epic has become one of the most important races of the season. It was the first race that we ever rode together as a team and won (in 2007). We feel at home in South Africa and want to give spectators and followers an exciting race.”
The lead group during stage four of the Absa
Cape Epic Mountain Bike Stage Race held in Greyton on the 25 March 2009
in the Western Cape, South Africa.
Photo by Sven Martin /SPORTZPICS
Cape Epic Mountain Bike Stage Race held in Greyton on the 25 March 2009
in the Western Cape, South Africa.
Photo by Sven Martin /SPORTZPICS
Burry Stander, who has been in the lead since the start of the race (Sunday, 22 March 2009) with team mate Christoph Sauser (Songo.info), was very upset today, “I hit a tree, my wheel went sideways and the rim broke. Max Knox wanted to give me his front wheel, but our forks didn’t match. That’s why we exchanged bikes. Perhaps I’ve risked a bit too much. However, I’m still feeling great although we were pushing very hard to catch up.”
Tinker Juarez and team mate Johnny Kritzinger (DCM/Monavie-Cannodale) finished 17th on the day with a time of 5.09.07. They are sitting comfortably in 15th place on the GC.
Ladies Category
Absa ladies Hanlie Booyens and Sharon Laws finished in first place for the fifth day in a row (05:57:08), and remain in the overall lead (23:18:53) in their category. They were again followed by Robyn Adendorff and Sarah van Heerden (WSP – Jeep Girls) in a time of 06:32:31, placing them second overall as well (26:44:35). The Tread Magazine Ladies, Nolene Saunders and Sarah Wielopolska, secured their third podium finish in a time of 06:45:47, placing them in third position for this stage and overall (27:24:09).
Robyn Adendorff of the WSP – Jeep Girls says: “Sarah’s 15 years older than I am. We’ve known each other for 8 or 9 years. We came to ride the Absa Cape Epic to enjoy it and to finish, and are very surprised that we’re doing so well – it’s a real bonus. We’re definitely in the running of a podium finish and now that the real ‘racing’ has started, we want to defend our second place overall in our category.”
Her partner Sarah Van Heerden, who has been mountain biking for 5 years, is a former tennis pro and played in the doubles at Wimbledon. She also completed 9 Comrades. Van Heerden has done one Absa Cape Epic before, but for Adendorff it’s her first. Says Adendorff: “I’m loving it, but it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” Adendorff is a former pro triathlete and the 1999 Under 24 World Duathlon Champion. She has only been mountain biking for 3 years.
As the third team in the ladies division, Nolene Saunders and Sarah Wielopolska (Tread Magazines Ladies) crossed the finish line, their team manager Marc Jackson welcomed them with a Chip Twister (a salty fried potato swirl) and the girls loved it (they were craving something salty). Saunders is the creative director of Tread magazine and is riding her first Absa Cape Epic. Wielopolska participated in last year’s race with her sister, but it was slightly disastrous as she crashed on the last day and was one of the backenders to the finish due to her injuries.
Says Saunders: “We’re both rather surprised that we’re doing so well. We were hoping to ride in the top half of the field. It was truly a magical moment for us when we crossed the finish line of Stage 2 in second place.” Wielopolska continues: “We both cried because we were so overwhelmed. We learnt the hard way that you need to go at your own pace because during Stage 1 we wanted to catch up with the 2nd placed ladies, and were pushing too hard, only to regret it the next day.” Adds Saunders: “Now we ignore the others, ride at our own pace and hope that this is fast enough.” Both these riders feel that they are perfectly matched. Says Adendorff: “Sarah is the stronger one, so she takes the lead on the flat stretches, and I’m a good technical rider and can stay with the men on the climbs.” Both felt great today and Stage 4 of this year’s race went well for them.
Mixed Category
Mixed team winner Alison Sydor during stage four
of the Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike Stage Race held in Greyton on the 25
March 2009 in the Western Cape, South Africa.
Photo by Sven Martin /SPORTZPICS
of the Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike Stage Race held in Greyton on the 25
March 2009 in the Western Cape, South Africa.
Photo by Sven Martin /SPORTZPICS
There were no surprises in the Mixed category today, with Nico Pfitzenmaier and Alison Sydor (Adidas Big Tree) still hanging on to their lead. They finished in a time of 05:13:27 (overall time – 19:51:36). They were again followed by Marcel Bartholet and Esther Süss (Wheeler – IXS Pro) in a time of 05:13:31 with only a 4-second gap between them. They maintain their overall 2nd position (20:30:51). In third place today were Lukas Kubis and Ivonne Kraft (Haibike – VMT Afripex) in a time of 05:22:00 (4th place overall in 21:21:49). Paul Cordes and Yolande Speedy (IMC/ Momentum GT/ Activeworx) are still in the third place overall (21:00:23), but finished in fourth place today (05:27:12). U.S. riders Rebecca Rusch and Matt Weatherley-White (Specialized/Red Bull) finished 6th today and currently sit in 5th on the GC.
Nico Pfitzenmaier (Adidas Big Tree) says: “After the false start I lost my nutrition bottle, so I wasn’t consuming enough calories. We were riding well and then I had a puncture. My tyre was ripped at the side so I had to put in a tube, which had a creeping flat. I had to stop all the time to pump it up again. So we were speeding ahead to gain time, and then stopped to pump. In the riverbed towards the end there was no air left, so I had to ride the last 2 km to the finish on my rim. I can really feel that in my legs now.”
Stage 5
Tomorrow, the towering ancient trees wave goodbye to the riders as they head out of Greyton. Early on in Stage 5, which is 111km and 2 233m of climbing, is a 4km rocky affair. A fast downhill brings the field to the ‘Noordekloof’ climb - another 2km of demanding climbing on rough surfaces. Respite comes soon after with the beautiful flowing dual tracks alongside the railway line all the way to Botriver. As Elgin/ Grabouw appear on the horizon, riders see the beautiful orchards ahead. After another visit to a Cape Nature Conservation area there are still more steep climbs along the way. Their efforts on the steep rises will not be in vain, however. Several kilometers of swooping forest single-track lie in wait. Even the most tired competitor will be smiling, and just as they pop out of the forest, they’re home in Oak Valley, Elgin / Grabouw.
Visit www.cape-epic.com for more details and to see where the riders are online during the race.
Nico Pfitzenmaier (Adidas Big Tree) says: “After the false start I lost my nutrition bottle, so I wasn’t consuming enough calories. We were riding well and then I had a puncture. My tyre was ripped at the side so I had to put in a tube, which had a creeping flat. I had to stop all the time to pump it up again. So we were speeding ahead to gain time, and then stopped to pump. In the riverbed towards the end there was no air left, so I had to ride the last 2 km to the finish on my rim. I can really feel that in my legs now.”
Stage 5
Tomorrow, the towering ancient trees wave goodbye to the riders as they head out of Greyton. Early on in Stage 5, which is 111km and 2 233m of climbing, is a 4km rocky affair. A fast downhill brings the field to the ‘Noordekloof’ climb - another 2km of demanding climbing on rough surfaces. Respite comes soon after with the beautiful flowing dual tracks alongside the railway line all the way to Botriver. As Elgin/ Grabouw appear on the horizon, riders see the beautiful orchards ahead. After another visit to a Cape Nature Conservation area there are still more steep climbs along the way. Their efforts on the steep rises will not be in vain, however. Several kilometers of swooping forest single-track lie in wait. Even the most tired competitor will be smiling, and just as they pop out of the forest, they’re home in Oak Valley, Elgin / Grabouw.
Visit www.cape-epic.com for more details and to see where the riders are online during the race.
