Sauser/Kulhavy surge to Cape Epic lead
Kleinhans/Langvad extend lead in women's race















Chrisophe Sauser and Jaroslav Kulhavy overcame a mid-stage puncture to surge to the lead in the 2015 Cape Epic as the defending champions Kristian Hynek and Alban Lakata fell further behind thanks to double flats in the opening full stage.
Karl Platt and Urs Huber were second on the stage, and now trail Sauser and Kulhavy by 51 seconds, with Jose Hermida and Rudi van Houts moving up into third overall. Lakata and Hynek rallied to finish fourth on the day.
Prologue winners Fabian Giger and Martin Gujan dropped back to fifth place after taking the questionable decision to ride a hardtail, making the descent off the Groenlandberg very rough. “Towards the end the course wasn’t so bumpy, so it got better,” Giger said.
“It’s cool being in yellow zebra jersey after the first stage,” said Sauser. “It was my first real test of the season and everything went well. My legs were good today and we were able to put the Bulls under pressure at times.”
“I felt under pressure today because I didn’t have a good prologue. I felt super comfortable going over Groenlandberg (the major climb of the day). I was in control.” Soon, however, Sauser would suffer a cut in his sidewall that forced his team to stop for a quick repair. While working they were passed by Platt and Huber, but quickly caught back up.
“Fortunately we caught them, recovered and attacked,” Sauser said. “I’m glad to be riding with Jaro again. He’s a powerhouse.”
Results
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| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christoph Sauser (Swi) / Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Investec-Songo-Specialized | 4:47:40 |
| 2 | Karl Platt (Ger) / Urs Huber (Swi) Bulls | 0:00:51 |
| 3 | Jose Hermida (Spa) / Rudi van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida | 0:01:15 |
| 4 | Kristian Hynek (Cze) / Alban Lakata (Aut) Topeak Ergon | 0:04:10 |
| 5 | Martin Gujan (Swi) / Fabian Giger (Swi) Novus OMX Pro | 0:11:10 |
| 6 | Jochen Kaess (Ger) / Daniel Geismayr (Aut) Meerendal Centurion Vaude | 0:15:17 |
| 7 | Rourke Croeser (RSA) / Travis Walker (RSA) USN #1 | 0:15:55 |
| 8 | Gawie Combrinck (RSA) / Johann Rabie (RSA) EAI South Africa | 0:17:43 |
| 9 | Tim Boehme (Ger) / Simon Stiebjahn (Ger) Bulls 2 | 0:19:54 |
| 10 | Jan Jobanek (Cze) / Filip Adel (Cze) Mitas Superior | 0:19:54 |
| 11 | Philip Buys (RSA) / Matthys Beukes (RSA) Scott Factory Racing | 0:20:02 |
| 11 | Gert Heyns (RSA) / Arno Du Toit (RSA) Scott Factory Racing 2 | Row 11 - Cell 2 |
| 13 | Lars Granberg (Nor) / Soren Nissen (Den) iHUS | 0:20:20 |
| 14 | Hermann Pernsteiner (Aut) / Matthias Pfrommer (Ger) Meerendal Centurion Vaude 2 | 0:20:22 |
| 15 | Darren Lill (RSA) / Waylon Woolcock (RSA) RED-E Blend | 0:21:42 |
| 16 | Kevin Evans (RSA) / Max Knox (RSA) Biogen-Volcan | 0:24:10 |
| 17 | Stefan Sahm (Ger) / Timo Cooper (RSA) JAG Foundation | 0:25:01 |
| 18 | Dariusz Miroslaw (Pol) / Andrzej Kaiser (Pol) Specialized Martombike | 0:27:55 |
| 19 | Erik Kleinhans (RSA) / Nico Bell (RSA) RECM | 0:30:18 |
| 20 | Greg Saw (Aus) / Ola Kjøren (Nor) iHUS 2 | 0:30:18 |
| 20 | Shaun Lewis (Aus) / Andrew Blair (Aus) Enduro Mag/Specialized | Row 20 - Cell 2 |
| 22 | Michiel van Aelbroeck (Bel) / Robby De Bock (Bel) Meerendal Rocky Mountain | 0:36:35 |
| 23 | Robert Mennen (Ger) / Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Topeak Ergon 2 | 0:39:04 |
| 24 | Lucien Besancon (Swi) / Konny Looser (Swi) Meerendal Wheeler 2 | 0:39:21 |
| 25 | Rick Reimann (Swi) / Louis Wolf (Ger) CUBE Factory Racing | 0:45:36 |
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christoph Sauser (Swi) / Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Investec-Songo-Specialized | 5:34:22 |
| 2 | Karl Platt (Ger) / Urs Huber (Swi) Bulls | 0:00:46 |
| 3 | Jose Hermida (Spa) / Rudi van Houts (Ned) Multivan Merida | 0:01:33 |
| 4 | Kristian Hynek (Cze) / Alban Lakata (Aut) Topeak Ergon | 0:04:38 |
| 5 | Martin Gujan (Swi) / Fabian Giger (Swi) Novus OMX Pro | 0:10:46 |
| 6 | Rourke Croeser (RSA) / Travis Walker (RSA) USN #1 | 0:16:21 |
| 7 | Jochen Kaess (Ger) / Daniel Geismayr (Aut) Meerendal Centurion Vaude | 0:16:47 |
| 8 | Gawie Combrinck (RSA) / Johann Rabie (RSA) EAI South Africa | 0:19:42 |
| 9 | Philip Buys (RSA) / Matthys Beukes (RSA) Scott Factory Racing | 0:21:09 |
| 10 | Jan Jobanek (Cze) / Filip Adel (Cze) Mitas Superior | 0:21:55 |
| 11 | Darren Lill (RSA) / Waylon Woolcock (RSA) RED-E Blend | 0:22:11 |
| 12 | Hermann Pernsteiner (Aut) / Matthias Pfrommer (Ger) Meerendal Centurion Vaude 2 | 0:23:19 |
| 13 | Lars Granberg (Nor) / Soren Nissen (Den) iHUS | 0:24:07 |
| 14 | Gert Heyns (RSA) / Arno Du Toit (RSA) Scott Factory Racing 2 | 0:24:21 |
| 15 | Kevin Evans (RSA) / Max Knox (RSA) Biogen-Volcan | 0:27:09 |
| 16 | Stefan Sahm (Ger) / Timo Cooper (RSA) JAG Foundation | 0:28:55 |
| 17 | Tim Boehme (Ger) / Simon Stiebjahn (Ger) Bulls 2 | 0:30:45 |
| 18 | Erik Kleinhans (RSA) / Nico Bell (RSA) RECM | 0:32:06 |
| 19 | Dariusz Miroslaw (Pol) / Andrzej Kaiser (Pol) Specialized Martombike | 0:32:37 |
| 20 | Greg Saw (Aus) / Ola Kjøren (Nor) iHUS 2 | 0:33:12 |
| 21 | Shaun Lewis (Aus) / Andrew Blair (Aus) Enduro Mag/Specialized | 0:35:14 |
| 22 | Robert Mennen (Ger) / Jeremiah Bishop (USA) Topeak Ergon 2 | 0:40:02 |
| 23 | Michiel van Aelbroeck (Bel) / Robby De Bock (Bel) Meerendal Rocky Mountain | 0:42:01 |
| 24 | Lucien Besancon (Swi) / Konny Looser (Swi) Meerendal Wheeler 2 | 0:44:11 |
| 25 | Rick Reimann (Swi) / Louis Wolf (Ger) CUBE Factory Racing | 0:50:45 |
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ariane Kleinhans (Swi) / Annika Langvad (Den) RECM Specialized | 5:32:01 |
| 2 | Jennie Stenerhag (Swe) / Robyn Lee de Groot (RSA) Ascendis Health | 0:17:39 |
| 3 | Esther Suss (Swi) / Alice Pirard (Bel) Meerendal Wheeler | 0:21:16 |
| 4 | Yolande de Villiers (RSA) / Janka Keseg Stevkova (Svk) SasolRacing | 0:31:57 |
| 5 | Sally Bigham (GBr) / Christina Kollmann (Aut) Sellaronda Hero | 0:34:24 |
| 6 | Theresa Ralph (RSA) / Jeannie Bomford (RSA) RBS | 0:39:31 |
| 7 | Milena Landtwing (Swi) / Hielke Elferink (Ned) Meerendal Wheeler C'dale | 0:42:04 |
| 8 | Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesja (Nor) / Kathrin Stirnemann (Swi) World Bicycle Relief | 0:51:26 |
| 9 | Leana de Jager (RSA) / Yolandi du Toit (RSA) SasolRacing 2 | 0:56:16 |
| 10 | Mariske Strauss (RSA) / Cherie Vale (RSA) Novus OMX Pro | 1:04:20 |
| 11 | Sanne van Paassen (Ned) / Jolien Janssen (Ned) Lovechock Specialized | 1:22:26 |
| 12 | Ann Harrison (RSA) / Marleen Lourens (RSA) Dawn Wing/Momsen | 1:27:41 |
| 13 | Kathrin Muller (Ger) / Maud Golsteyn (Ned) Skinfit | 1:53:26 |
| 14 | Genevieve Weber (RSA) / Wanda Tattersall (Nam) Central Family Practice | 2:06:02 |
| 15 | Joanie Kift (RSA) / Samantha Oosthuizen (RSA) Fresh to Go | 2:28:18 |
| 16 | Debra Doss (USA) / Melissa Ross (USA) Bitty Bitty | 2:32:43 |
| # | Rider Name (Country) Team | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ariane Kleinhans (Swi) / Annika Langvad (Den) RECM Specialized | 6:25:39 |
| 2 | Jennie Stenerhag (Swe) / Robyn Lee de Groot (RSA) Ascendis Health | 0:21:15 |
| 3 | Esther Suss (Swi) / Alice Pirard (Bel) Meerendal Wheeler | 0:26:01 |
| 4 | Yolande de Villiers (RSA) / Janka Keseg Stevkova (Svk) SasolRacing | 0:37:29 |
| 5 | Sally Bigham (GBr) / Christina Kollmann (Aut) Sellaronda Hero | 0:40:00 |
| 6 | Milena Landtwing (Swi) / Hielke Elferink (Ned) Meerendal Wheeler C'dale | 0:45:52 |
| 7 | Theresa Ralph (RSA) / Jeannie Bomford (RSA) RBS | 0:47:07 |
| 8 | Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesja (Nor) / Kathrin Stirnemann (Swi) World Bicycle Relief | 0:58:05 |
| 9 | Leana de Jager (RSA) / Yolandi du Toit (RSA) SasolRacing 2 | 1:05:15 |
| 10 | Mariske Strauss (RSA) / Cherie Vale (RSA) Novus OMX Pro | 1:12:17 |
| 11 | Sanne van Paassen (Ned) / Jolien Janssen (Ned) Lovechock Specialized | 1:29:59 |
| 12 | Ann Harrison (RSA) / Marleen Lourens (RSA) Dawn Wing/Momsen | 1:40:29 |
| 13 | Kathrin Muller (Ger) / Maud Golsteyn (Ned) Skinfit | 2:09:08 |
| 14 | Genevieve Weber (RSA) / Wanda Tattersall (Nam) Central Family Practice | 2:22:49 |
| 15 | Debra Doss (USA) / Melissa Ross (USA) Bitty Bitty | 2:51:38 |
| 16 | Joanie Kift (RSA) / Samantha Oosthuizen (RSA) Fresh to Go | 2:52:32 |
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