Image 1 of 4

The young guns celebrate their victory (Image credit: Cape Epic)

Image 2 of 4

The riders on a rare flat section of the course (Image credit: Cape Epic)

Image 3 of 4

There was some lush scenery along the way (Image credit: Cape Epic)

Image 4 of 4

Candice Lill (RSA) and Vera Adrian (Nam) of the DormaKaba SA team (Image credit: Cape Epic)

Race debutants Andri Frischknecht and Michiel Van der Heijden took a surprise victory for the Scott-SRAM Young Guns team, out-sprinting their elder counterparts Nino Schurter and partner Matthias Stirnemann (SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing).

Christoph Sauser: This is far from over

"We never ride with a plan - we just like to ride," said Schurter. "Today it worked out very well for both our teams, so that's fantastic. The last big climb was terrible, very sandy, but both our teams seemed to manage it best and we were able to get away."

Manuel Fumic and Henrique Avancini claimed third place on the day to keep hold on their lead in the overall classification while double stage winners Christoph Sauser and Jaroslav Kulhavy battled with mechanical issues and finished fourth.

In the women's competition Esther Suss and Jennie Stenerhag were back on the top step of the podium, padding out their already comfortable lead in the overall standings. Cadel Evans and George Hincapie took their second win in a row in the masters competition, but it is still Tomi Misser and Ibon Zugasti (Orbea Factory) that still lead overall, despite losing some time.

Results

#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Michiel Van der Heijden (Ned) / Andri Frischknecht (Swi) Scott-SRAM Young Guns	4:10:00
2	Nino Schurter (Swi) / Matthias Stirnemann (Swi) SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing
3	Manuel Fumic (Ger) / Henrique Avancini (Bra) Cannondale Factory Racing XC	0:02:36
4	Christoph Sauser (Swi) / Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Investec-Songo-Specialized	0:03:17
5	Hector Leonardo Paez Leon (Col) / Max Knox (RSA) Kansai Plascon	0:04:22
6	Nicola Rohrbach (Swi) / Daniel Geismayr (Aut) Centurion Vaude 2	0:04:57
7	Karl Platt (Ger)/ Urs Huber (Sui) Bulls	0:05:16
8	Alban Lakata (Aut) / Kristian Hynek (Cze) Topeak Ergon Racing	0:06:38
9	Nico Bell (RSA) / Gawie Combrinck (RSA) NAD Pro MTB	0:06:39
10	Frans Claes (Bel)/ Sebastien Carabin (RSA) Claes-Carabin	0:06:45

Women
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Esther Suss (Swi) / Jennie Stenerhag (Swe) Hansgrohe Cadence OMX Pro	5:05:58
2	Mariske Strauss (RSA) / Annie Last (GBr) Hansgrohe Cadence OMX Pro	0:03:02
3	Sabine Spitz (Ger) / Robyn De Groot (RSA) Ascendis Health	0:03:42
4	Ariane Luthi (Swi) / Adelheid Morath (Ger) Spur	0:07:37
5	Candice Lill (RSA) / Vera Adrian (Nam) DormaKaba SA	0:08:44
6	Carmen Bachacher (Aut) / Michelle Vorster ( Nam) Hollard-Velocity SportLab	0:08:48
7	Hielke Elferink (Ned) / Cornelia Hug (Swi) Meerendal CBC 2	0:12:05
8	Jeannie Bomford (RSA) / Samantha Sanders (RSA) Merchants	0:16:08
9	Fienie Bernard (RSA) / Dalene Van der Leek (RSA) LIVBeyond	0:23:37
10	Alice Pirard (Bel) / Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Spur Foundation	0:30:11

Masters
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Cadel Evans (Aus) / George Hincapie (USA) BMC Absa Racing Team	4:38:28
2	Bart Brentjens (Ned) / Abraao Azevedo (Bra) CST Sandd American Eagle	0:00:45
3	Tomi Misser (Spa) / Ibon Zugasti (Spa) Orbea Factory	0:02:32
4	Thorsten Keller (Ger) / Friedrich Max (Ger) Rocky Mountain - toMotion	0:22:35
5	Igna De Villiers (RSA) / Paul Theron (RSA) LGE Midas/Slender-Wonder	0:23:32
6	Michael Creedon (Irl) / Andrew Cairns (RSA) Oakhaven Capital	0:23:56
7	Hannes Hanekom (RSA) / Ben Melt Swanepoel (RSA) @40	0:24:01
8	Fanie Venter (RSA) / Kobus Barnard (RSA) BusinessPrint	0:25:21
9	Nic Lamond (RSA) / Simon Lamond (RSA) Podium Sports	0:31:02
10	Richard Laurie (RSA) / Brent Russel (RSA) Eurocasa Gaggenau	0:31:35

General Classification men
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Manuel Fumic (Ger) / Henrique Avancini (Bra) Cannondale Factory Racing XC	15:18:13
2	Nino Schurter (Swi) / Matthias Stirnemann (Swi) SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing	0:01:42
3	Christoph Sauser (Swi) / Jaroslav Kulhavy (Cze) Investec-Songo-Specialized	0:02:15
4	Hector Leonardo Paez Leon (Col) / Max Knox (RSA) Kansai Plascon	0:11:33
5	Nicola Rohrbach (Swi) / Daniel Geismayr (Aut) Centurion Vaude 2	0:12:44
6	Karl Platt (Ger)/ Urs Huber (Sui) Bulls	0:18:50
7	Michiel Van der Heijden (Ned) / Andri Frischknecht (Swi) Scott-SRAM Young Guns	0:22:13
8	Alban Lakata (Aut) / Kristian Hynek (Cze) Topeak Ergon Racing	0:25:10
9	Jochen Kaess (Ger) / Markus Kaufmann (Ger) Centurion Vaude	0:27:27
10	Frans Claes (Bel)/ Sebastien Carabin (RSA) Claes-Carabin	0:34:47

General Classification women
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Esther Suss (Swi) / Jennie Stenerhag (Swe) Hansgrohe Cadence OMX Pro	18:19:21
2	Sabine Spitz (Ger) / Robyn De Groot (RSA) Ascendis Health	0:12:40
3	Mariske Strauss (RSA) / Annie Last (GBr) Hansgrohe Cadence OMX Pro	0:27:24
4	Ariane Luthi (Swi) / Adelheid Morath (Ger) Spur	0:50:49
5	Candice Lill (RSA) / Vera Adrian (Nam) DormaKaba SA	0:56:12
6	Carmen Bachacher (Aut) / Michelle Vorster ( Nam) Hollard-Velocity SportLab	1:09:44
7	Hielke Elferink (Ned) / Cornelia Hug (Swi) Meerendal CBC 2	1:14:14
8	Jeannie Bomford (RSA) / Samantha Sanders (RSA) Merchants	1:23:00
9	Fienie Bernard (RSA) / Dalene Van der Leek (RSA) LIVBeyond	2:19:14
10	Alice Pirard (Bel) / Sabrina Enaux (Fra) Spur Foundation	2:20:02

General Classification masters
#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Tomi Misser (Spa) / Ibon Zugasti (Spa) Orbea Factory	17:09:17
2	Bart Brentjens (Ned) / Abraao Azevedo (Bra) CST Sandd American Eagle	0:03:23
3	Cadel Evans (Aus) / George Hincapie (USA) BMC Absa Racing Team	0:09:23
4	Thorsten Keller (Ger) / Friedrich Max (Ger) Rocky Mountain - toMotion	1:23:32
5	Manuel Rojo Nieto (Spa) / Jorge Lopez Janeiro (Spa) Gacosur Iedes Centauro	1:26:44
6	Igna De Villiers (RSA) / Paul Theron (RSA) LGE Midas/Slender-Wonder	1:28:47
7	Hannes Hanekom (RSA) / Ben Melt Swanepoel (RSA) @40	1:32:25
8	Richard Laurie (RSA) / Brent Russel (RSA) Eurocasa Gaggenau	1:54:09
9	Nic Lamond (RSA) / Simon Lamond (RSA) Podium Sports
10	Michael Creedon (Irl) / Andrew Cairns (RSA) Oakhaven Capital	2:08:07