![\"Riders](\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/districtmailhelderberg\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/ACE25_S7_SamClark_53_20895-1024x683.jpg\")
Gomez Villafane was full of praise for her partner. “Annika has been suffering in silence since that crash. I don’t think I could have done what she has done this week, and it’s been my honour to be her partner and help her get that sixth title. I’m excited to get the title back too! After getting third for two years in a row, I wanted a partner that was strong enough to do this \u2013 they gave me the best one possible.” \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A shortened Stage 7 Grand Finale \u2013 due to severe overnight weather affecting the route \u2013 was won by Monica Yuliana Calderon Martinez and Tessa Kortekaas (Cannondale ISB Sport).\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The pair surged late in this year’s event and after two consecutive stage wins, now leave the Absa Cape Epic wondering what might have been. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Winning today and yesterday makes up for all the bad stuff earlier in the week,” said Kortekaas. “We raced hard from the start today and felt really good, so we are super happy with the last two days.” \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the UCI men’s category, Lucas Braidot and Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria) had it all to do on the 41 km shortened stage to close the 32-second gap on overall leaders Scott-Sram MTB Racing. Their efforts throughout the week finally caught up with them, though, and when Georg Egger and Lukas Baum (Orbea Leatt Speed Company) upped the pace at the front on the Grand Finale, it was only Schurter and Colombo who could respond. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Egger and Baum raced well on the closing kilometres to claim a stage win, with Schurter and Baum rolling over the line in second place a few seconds behind the Grand Finale winners.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It’s a little bonus to win today and makes us feel good to leave the event with a stage win,” said Baum. “We knew if we raced hard from the start today we could split the field and potentially get the win. We just went for it and got the reward.” \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nino Schurter, who last won the Absa Cape Epic in 2019 riding with Lars Forster, was delighted to claim his third crown. “That was hard racing all week and it carried on into the final day,” said Schurter. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“This is a very sweet victory. Going into the Grand Finale we found we were able to pace ourselves well and it all worked out for us on the day. It’s a very different type of racing to World Cup racing but winning here is always a career highlight. The team dynamic makes it so interesting and when you get the right partner it’s very satisfying.”\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Colombo, who looked exhausted as he crossed the line, simply added, “To be honest, it’s just a relief that it’s over! We have been through so much this week, so winning now is very special.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Nino Schurter and Filippo Colombo of Scott-Sram MTB Racing won the 2025 Absa Cape Epic, with Schurter claiming his third title and Colombo his first, while Annika Langvad and Sofia Gomez Villafana dominated the women’s race, with Langvad securing a record sixth 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