stakes, with a two-decade
difference between them, are
Christoph Sauser (43 in April)
and Simon Andreassen (22
in September). Andreassen’s
talent is undeniable and he will
soak up as much knowledge
as possible from his Investec-
Songo-Specialized partner
and mentor.
Similarly, the 2018 U23 MTB
World Cup rankings leader,
Petter Fagerhaug (21), will
be absorbing life and racing
experience while competing
alongside 2014 Absa Cape
Epic winner Kristian Hynek
(38). Hynek will be up against
his old teammate Lakata for
the first time. He made his
debut – winning alongside
Robert Mennen – after Lakata
withdrew shortly before the
event with an injury.
Two riders with no pressure
on them from their team, other
than to learn for 2020, are the
Specialized Foundation Spur
Schools League’s Alan Hatherly
and Sam Gaze. The duo both
boast U23 XCO world titles as
well as impeccable power and
technical skills.
The elite women’s field
features a stellar cast. None
of the 2018 top five are
returning to the race with
the same partners. The most
eye-catching, of course, is the
all-world champion combo
of Annika Langvad and Anna
van der Breggen. Other world
champs in the line-up include
Sabine Spitz (2003 XCO and a
number of other major titles)
pairing with Githa Michiels,
and Maja Włoszczowska (2010
XCO) teaming up with Ariane
Lüthi as Kross-Spur Racing.
The Summit team of
Candice Lill and Adelheid
Morath (2018 Wines2Whales
winners) will be ones to
watch. They were scheduled
to race the 2018 Absa Cape
Epic together before a broken
wrist, suffered in training, put
paid to Morath’s race. The
pairing of Mariske Strauss
and Jennie Stenerhag for
Silverback Fairtree (second
at the 2018 Wines2Whales),
is a promising one too.
Strauss is effervescent while
Stenerhag is one of the
calmest campaigners in the
field. How their strengths and
personalities will combine on
and off the bike over the eight
days remains to be seen.
KIT RULE CHANGE EXPLAINED
starts, three top 10 finishes
and 2014 third place finisher)
– a team at the peak of
their physical powers with
ample experience and
pedigree to beat their more
celebrated stablemates.
Another interesting pairing
is the Silverback team of Konny
Looser and Nicola Rohrbach
(two-time podium finisher in
three races). Looser’s results
have been more mixed, part
of the issue has been finding a
teammate of equal strength.
In Rohrbach he has arguably
his strongest partner since
he made his Absa Cape Epic
debut alongside Huber in 2011.
Three more particularly
noteworthy squads require a
mention. Winning the age gap
The Absa Cape Epic requires teammates to race in the
same kit. Not a problem for 90% of the field, but for the
elite riders, who have to represent their sponsors, it can
be problematic. Famously, this led Christoph Sauser to
co-found songo.info so that he could race with Burry
Stander, then sponsored by GT Bicycles.
When the UCI women’s category was launched the
rule was introduced that elite women could feature their
individual sponsors on their jerseys, as long as the kit
design still matched. The best example is Sabine Spitz’s
partnership with Robyn de Groot (pictured here in 2018)
– though Ascendis Health stepped in to sponsor Spitz
too, her European sponsors remained, with WIAWIS Bikes
receiving prominent space on her jersey.
From the 2019 race onwards, elite men will now also be
able to represent different sponsors – as long as they too
ride in matching kit. Take the DSV-SCOTT-SRAM team of
Gert Heyns and Lars Forster as an example – the SA/Swiss
combo is facilitated by their mutual bike sponsors, SCOTT.
The Untamed African MTB Race | MTB | 59