HIGHLIGHTS | STAGE 1 | 2025 Absa Cape Epic

Nino Schurter and Filippo Viero Colombo sprint into Yellow on Absa Cape Epic Stage 1

Annika Langvad and Sofia Gomez Villafane extend lead in Aramex UCI Women’s Category race
 
Nino Schurter and Filippo Colombo (SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing) timed their attack to perfection late on Stage 1 of the 2025 Absa Cape Epic to claim the stage victory and move into the overall lead of the men’s race.
 
In the Aramex UCI Women’s Category race, Annika Langvad and Sofia Gomez Villafane (Toyota | Specialized) took control midway through the day’s racing to win Stage 1 more than five minutes ahead of second-placed Vera Looser and Alexis Skarda (Efficient Infiniti SCB SRAM). They now lead the Aramex UCI Women’s Category overall by seven minutes. 
 
The theme of the day was wind, climbing and more wind. And sometimes climbing with wind. In the men’s race, that meant the main bunch stayed together for the first third of the race. At about 58km into the 96km stage, nine teams, including Prologue winners WILIER-VITTORIA (Luca Braidot and Simone Avondetto), ORBEA Leatt Speed Company (Lukas Baum and Georg Egger) and SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing were all together.
 
“That was a hard day,” said Schurter. “Some bits were fun but that was flat-out racing. It was hard from the start and I found the flat sections quite difficult. I really don’t like the flat stuff. I prefer when we go into the mountains!” 


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