Cape Epic 2017: Stage 2 Results

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Jaroslav Kulhavy (Investec-Songo-Specialized) punches the air (Image credit: Michal Cervený)

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The Spur Songo Specialized team campervan (Image credit: Michal Cervený)

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Howard Grotts (Spur Songo Specialized) (Image credit: Michal Cervený)

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The TV camera gets footage of Jaroslav Kulhavy and Christoph Sauser (Investec-Songo-Specialized) bombing down the descent (Image credit: Michal Cervený)

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Jaroslav Kulhavy and Christoph Sauser (Investec-Songo-Specialized) going solo (Image credit: Michal Cervený)

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Jaroslav Kulhavy and Christoph Sauser (Investec-Songo-Specialized) (Image credit: Michal Cervený)

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Jaroslav Kulhavy and Christoph Sauser (Investec-Songo-Specialized) during the hot stage (Image credit: Michal Cervený)

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Jaroslav Kulhavy (Investec-Songo-Specialized) checks the distance before celebrating (Image credit: Michal Cervený)

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Christoph Sauser (Investec-Songo-Specialized) finishes the stage (Image credit: Michal Cervený)

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More beautiful light for Cape Epic (Image credit: Michal Cervený)

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Jaroslav Kulhavy and Christoph Sauser (Investec-Songo-Specialized) start to open up their lead (Image credit: Michal Cervený)

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Christoph Sauser (Investec-Songo-Specialized) exits the camper van (Image credit: Michal Cervený)

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Hot dry conditions for stage 2 (Image credit: Michal Cervený)

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A smiling Christoph Sauser (Investec-Songo-Specialized) (Image credit: Michal Cervený)

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Banana or watermelon? (Image credit: Michal Cervený)

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The hundreds of Cape Epic tents for the riders (Image credit: Michal Cervený)

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Cape Epic by night (Image credit: Michal Cervený)

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Stage 2 winners Jaroslav Kulhavy and Christoph Sauser (Investec-Songo-Specialized) (Image credit: Michal Cervený)

Extreme heat and humidity forced organisers of the Cape Epic to truncate stage 2, ending the race at the first water station at 62km. The stage had been scheduled to be 102km and finish in Greyton but race medics warned that a combination of heat and humidity on Tuesday could endanger the health of riders.

"This is a big decision for us and we have never done it before in 14 years of staging the race, but the safety of our riders is paramount," said Absa Cape Epic CEO Lynn Naudé.

"We made the call after extensive discussions with the medical team and key stakeholders. We considered various options but decided this was the fairest and safest option."

The shorter, less arduous stage still contained 1500m of vertical gain, down from 2350m on the original route. The top three men's teams finished within seconds of each other, with Christoph Sauser and Jaroslav Kulhavy taking the win over Nino Schurter and Matthias Stimermann. Race leaders Manuel Fumic and Henrique Avancini finished third.

Results

#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Christoph Sauser (Swi) / Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Investec-Songo-Specialized	2:33:16
2	Nino Schurter (Swi) / Matthias Stirnemann (Swi) SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing	0:00:01
3	Manuel Fumic (Ger) / Henrique Avancini (Bra) Cannondale Factory Racing XC	0:00:02
4	Hector Leonardo Paez Leon (Col) / Max Knox (RSA) Kansai Plascon	0:02:08
5	Nicola Rohrbach (Swi) / Daniel Geismayr (Aut) Centurion Vaude 2	0:02:57
6	Michiel Van der Heijden (Ned) / Andri Frischknecht (Swi) Scott-SRAM Young Guns	0:03:02
7	Philip Buys (RSA) / Matthys Beukes (RSA) PYGA Euro Steel	0:03:46
8	Jochen Kaess (Ger) / Markus Kaufmann (Ger) Centurion Vaude	0:04:30
8	Alban Lakata (Aut) / Kristian Hynek (Cze) Topeak Ergon Racing
10	Frans Claes (Bel) / Sebastien Carabin (Bel) Claes - Carabin	0:05:33

Women
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Esther Suss (Swi) / Jennie Stenerhag (Swe) Meerendal CBC	3:05:52
2	Sabine Spitz (Ger) / Robyn de Groot (RSA) Ascendis Health	0:00:06
3	Ariane Lüthi (Swi) / Adelheid Morath (Ger) Spur	0:05:03
4	Carmen Buchacher (RSA) / Michelle Vorster (Nam) Hollard-Velocity Sports Lab	0:07:04
5	Mariske Strauss (RSA) / Annie Last (GBr) Hansgrohe Cadence OMX Pro	0:08:10
6	Candice Lill (RSA) / Vera Adrian (Nam) DormaKaba SA	0:09:58
7	Jeannie Bomford (RSA) / Samantha Sanders (RSA) Merchants	0:10:09
8	Hielke Elferink (Ned) / Cornelia Hug (Swi) Meerendal CBC 2	0:18:00
9	Fienie Barnard (RSA) / Dalene van der Leek (RSA) LIVBeyond	0:19:32
10	Alice Pirard (Bel) / Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Spur Foundation	0:24:47

Masters
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Bart Brentjens (Ned) / Abraao Azevedo (Bra) CST Sandd American Eagle	2:57:02
2	Tomi Misser (Spa) / Ibon Zugasti (Spa) Orbea Factory	0:00:01
3	Cadel Evans (Aus) / George Hincapie (USA) BMC Absa Racing Team	0:00:03
4	Henrik Kirk (Den) / Thomas Noerup (Den) AGU-DESIGNYOUROWN.CC	0:06:28
5	Manuel Rojo Nieto (Spa) / Jorge Lopez Janeiro (Spa) GACOSUR IEDES CENTAURO	0:07:07
6	Thorsten Keller (Ger) / Max Friedrich (Ger) ROCKY MOUNTAIN - toMotion	0:07:42
7	Igna de Villiers (RSA) / Paul Theron (RSA) LGE Midas/Slender-Wonder	0:09:43
8	Fanie Venter (RSA) / Kobus Barnard (RSA) BusinessPrint	0:09:46
9	Christian Poos (Lux) / Franck Sertic (Fra) Asport Luxembourg	0:10:08
10	Michael Creedon (Irl) / Andrew Cairns (RSA) Oakhaven Capital	0:12:43

General classification Men
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Manuel Fumic (Ger) / Henrique Avancini (Bra) Cannondale Factory Racing XC	8:00:46
2	Christoph Sauser (Swi) / Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Investec-Songo-Specialized	0:02:40
3	Nino Schurter (Swi) / Matthias Stirnemann (Swi) SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing	0:05:23
4	Hector Leonardo Paez Leon (Col) / Max Knox (RSA) Kansai Plascon	0:09:32
5	Nicola Rohrbach (Swi) / Daniel Geismayr (Aut) Centurion Vaude 2	0:11:19
6	Jochen Kaess (Ger) / Markus Kaufmann (Ger) Centurion Vaude	0:12:13
7	Alban Lakata (Aut) / Kristian Hynek (Cze) Topeak Ergon Racing	0:14:16
8	Karl Platt (Ger) / Urs Huber (Swi) Bulls	0:14:41
9	Michiel Van der Heijden (Ned) / Andri Frischknecht (Swi) Scott-SRAM Young Guns	0:18:23
10	Philip Buys (RSA) / Matthys Beukes (RSA) PYGA Euro Steel	0:21:14

General classification Women
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Esther Suss (Swi) / Jennie Stenerhag (Swe) Meerendal CBC	9:32:02
2	Sabine Spitz (Ger) / Robyn de Groot (RSA) Ascendis Health	0:08:58
3	Mariske Strauss (RSA) / Annie Last (GBr) Hansgrohe Cadence OMX Pro	0:21:17
4	Ariane Lüthi (Swi) / Adelheid Morath (Ger) Spur	0:28:04
5	Candice Lill (RSA) / Vera Adrian (Nam) DormaKaba SA	0:41:24
6	Carmen Buchacher (RSA) / Michelle Vorster (Nam) Hollard-Velocity Sports Lab	0:49:37
7	Hielke Elferink (Ned) / Cornelia Hug (Swi) Meerendal CBC 2	0:50:18
8	Jeannie Bomford (RSA) / Samantha Sanders (RSA) Merchants	0:54:11
9	Alice Pirard (Bel) / Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Spur Foundation	1:25:02
10	Fienie Barnard (RSA) / Dalene van der Leek (RSA) LIVBeyond	1:29:14

General classification Masters
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Tomi Misser (Spa) / Ibon Zugasti (Spa) Orbea Factory	8:58:01
2	Bart Brentjens (Ned) / Abraao Azevedo (Bra) CST Sandd American Eagle	0:11:36
3	Cadel Evans (Aus) / George Hincapie (USA) BMC Absa Racing Team	0:18:39
4	Manuel Rojo Nieto (Spa) / Jorge Lopez Janeiro (Spa) GACOSUR IEDES CENTAURO	0:44:28
5	Henrik Kirk (Den) / Thomas Noerup (Den) AGU-DESIGNYOUROWN.CC	0:45:23
6	Igna de Villiers (RSA) / Paul Theron (RSA) LGE Midas/Slender-Wonder	0:50:36
7	Hannes Hanekom (RSA) / Ben Melt Swanepoel (RSA) @40	0:55:22
8	Thorsten Keller (Ger) / Max Friedrich (Ger) ROCKY MOUNTAIN - toMotion	0:55:41
9	Fanie Venter (RSA) / Kobus Barnard (RSA) BusinessPrint	0:56:13
10	Michael Creedon (Irl) Andrew Cairns (RSA) Oakhaven Capital	0:59:44