LIVE | STAGE 6 | 2024 Absa Cape Epic

[Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] n [Music] welcome to the start and finish of stage number five in Wellington the maret and down on the start line plenty of tension with three days left to race and just less than 2 minutes in the men and 2 and a half minutes in women's race there's so much to race [Music] for [Music] [Music] get [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] the [Music] the 20th edition of the apps is the most competitive ever the world's Premier Moun bike State race has seen the men's leaders jersey change hands three times and just two in a half minutes separates the top two women's teams this twers 8-day stage race traverses South Africa's Western Cape the landscape is as spectacular as it is rugged the bespoke 605 km course climbs 16,50 M through rough Rocky Trails rolling Vineyards and manicured single track today is stage five and we have Olympic Champions gunning for a win today is one of the shorter stages and at 70 km it is likely to suit the cross country Specialists it's a loop out of Wellington through the wild Bo Trails there are technical climbs and wild roller coaster downhills plenty of opportunity for the teams to make a break over the 1750 M of climbing the Highlight will be the Toyota tough section known as the Golden Mile currently in third in the overall we have buff Meo hunts becking and V alaman just over five minutes off the pace after a difficult day yesterday just 2 minutes off the lead we have World bicycle relief Nino shter and Sebastian finny and in the yellow leaders jersey for the first time this race we have 2018 winner Howard grz and defending Champion Matthew beers for Toyota specialized 91 with almost 16 hours of racing in their legs the men's Elite teams head out of Wellington for the last time there have been five main contenders for each of the Winds so far but there is a stack field of talent that are all hungry for a win today is slightly cooler and with a shorter distance it's going to be an exciting day of racing 2016 Olympic champion Nino sheres leading the charge today he and teammate Sebastian finny need to put pressure on Toyota specialized 91 in yellow if they to have any chance of chipping away at the 2-minute Gap in the overall by the halfway point they have been averaging 27 km an hour World bicycle relief Toyota specialized 91 and Canyon City are at the sharp end with Bulls Mavericks Simon schnella and 2016 Cape epic winner huba sh has been pushing the pace for the whole race but hasn't realized that his partner finny is having a bad day he didn't recover well from yesterday and it's his turn to break on the last climb sha has to drop back they keep calm and don't overstretch themselves there are still two days to go and these two Riders know the trails Inside Out Toyota specialized night 1 and Canyon City leave World bicycle relief and it's not long before Canyon City also drop off the pace sealt went too hard too early and can't maintain the pace it's time for Toyota specialized 91 to take advantage of the weakness they charge through the farmland and along the flats there is no way the other teams can catch them with beers at the helm the yellow leaders cross the Willington Finish Line in 2 hours and 46 minutes it's the first win for beers and grots of this year's Cape epic and all the more special in the yellow Jersey second across the line is Canyon City 12 seconds later and in third is World bicycle relief 57 seconds off today's Pace the stage five Podium has World bicycle relief in third now almost 3 minutes off the GC in second is Canyon City fourth in the GC and today's winners Toyota specialized 91 Matthew beers and Howard grotz they retain the yellow zebra Jersey going into the penultimate stage six tomorrow in the ARX Elite women's category third place sits with Toyota specialized 91 Samara shefford and Sophia Gomez vfan second our canel Factory racing with Mona mavala and Candace Lil and just over 2 and a half minutes in the lead is Ghost Factory racing Anna turra and nickl ker the gun goes on stage five and it's all to play for with these top three teams they have over an hour to the defending Champion ver lossa and partner Alexa Scara for efficient Infinity SCB Ram in fifth place the teams head out onto the thrilling Loop through the wild board Trails of Wellington the three Usual Suspects Toyota specialized 91 canadel Factory racing and ghost Factory racing are at the sharp end Gomez vfan sets the blistering Pace she is desperate to disrupt the race and put pressure on the other two teams unfortunately her partner Shephard doesn't have the legs today she has been getting stronger and stronger on her first Cape epic but today has already taken its toll a fall behind and lose over a minute and a half by the time they reach the 50 km Mark next it's the turn of canadale factory racing to put the pressure on the orange leaders L has been the stronger rider in the team thus far but today World Marathon Champion Mna has found form and the 22-year-old is displaying her class as the temperature rises in South Africa's Western Cape ghost Factory racing sense a weakness in canadale Factory racing they gradually drop mitala and Lil turer the nine times Dutch cross country champion and cola the 2022 Road team time trial mixed relay world champion they crossed the Finish Line in almost 3 hours and 22 minutes and take their sixth consecutive stage Victory it's a clean sweep for the Dutch Swiss pairs so far canondale Factory racing take another second place just 20 seconds behind consolidating their second place in GC third place goes to Toyota specialized 91 3 minutes and 43 seconds behind today's winners the 20th abser Cape epic stage ARX Podium sees Toyota specialized 91 take third canadel Factory racing are second and ghost Factory racing having a perfect event with six out of six wins the orange leaders jerseys stay with ghost Factory racing ahead of the pen altimate stage six tomorrow hosted in [Music] stellos after 6 days of racing this is how it stands a ener classification headed by the Toyota specialized 91 team the defending Champion team with one half of that winning team last year Matt beers partnering up for the 2018 winner Howard grz they are 2 minutes and 57 seconds ahead of the world bicycle relief pair world champion Eno Sher and Sebastian finny HP kingat alaman who wore the yellow jerseys for two days they now in third place and coming up coming under increasing pressure From the Canyon City pair who are getting stronger as the week progresses Andrea seal and Mark stutzman now just 11 minutes and 48 but around 3 minutes behind becking and alaman edar and Bal are losing time hand over first 20 minutes behind are the 2022 Champions will Victoria Factory also struggling to keep the pace of the top three in the aramax women's category and turso Nicole cola have been utterly dominant they've won every stage so far yet the lead is still just under 3 minutes 251 over M Baler and the four time second place finish at theic Candace still sopia Gomez vfun and Samar sheeper hang on to third place and they are comfortably in that position Dela jro and Haley F who've improved as the week has got on they're now in fourth place defending Champion Vera lossa and her American partner Alexa Scara are an hour and 20 minutes behind the race leaders welcome to the weekend it is stage number six this is hard looks on the Toyota mixed category ran vman and Samantha Sanders lead that category quite comfortably at this stage for Toyota Gazo mixed hello and welcome to the weekend this is the first of two days of the final weekend the 20th edition of the Absa epic fittingly concluding in the second oldest town in South Africa stellos which is the town that hosted the first grand finale of the original amsic Cape epic back in 2004 cooler weather but the racing is likely to be absolutely searingly hot today Less Than 3 minutes separates the top two teams in the two Elite categories the men and the women we're looking forward to an utterly fascinating day on the trails of stellos it is a beautiful setting unfortunately for certain reasons the clouds have come down the rain has arrived not in in a heavy fashion but there's enough moisture around to to create a little bit of slipperiness on the trails Neil Gardner alongside me Neil that's Guru the man who knows all about the history of this event this is a great day of racing ahead of us thanks Gerald it's going to be another epic day for sure and uh we did see some uh the weather forecast last night predicted cooler temperatures and as we were made our way to the race Village this morning in stellos we did encounter some drizzle as the Riders would as well and uh that's a good thing uh gives a bit of uh relief from the respite from the heat we've been seeing in the past few days and also for the trails there's a little bit more grip in certain sections but of course as you just said it can be slippery in others especially over those routy bits and uh the temperature may be low which actually does it kind of levels the playing field when it comes to the output of the top Riders at the end at the high end of the field uh where the larger Riders are affected more by the uh by the heat larger Riders meaning Riders like the likes of Matt Bez as you saw it might not be a coincidence that it was his first stage whenn yesterday when just when the temperat coincidentally just when the temperatures uh started to come off the high of around about 40° that we've been experiencing during the week talking about the racing um the racing is certainly not cooling off at all it's red hot and we're going to be hearing from the Riders down on the ground in just a moment yes uh the race is preparing for two very very intriguing days of racing and we get to be hearing from the major protagonists we will be chatting to Bart branches down in the start time but before then let's hear from our two bulls media eikers who are going to give us a weather update from up on the trails good six on this abic 2024 weather report slightly different situation than um the previous days it's gorillas in the fog or in the Mist actually so yeah it's uh at least it's no dust but uh some part are really dangerous it's really slippery and um yeah it's clouds not really a good wether to go for a ride but I mean we are here and we will go uh some parts are hero dirt some parts are like like ice so the the dust on the hard pack like it's like a soapy layer where you can really quickly slip and we we slipped on the on the on the uphill already so the downhills are even more treacherous but it is what it is welcome to Africa rain is a blessing s good morning how do you feeling a little bit out of balance right now it's been another early morning um but otherwise I'm glad it's much cooler temperature so looking forward to today different conditions uh that's for sure it's drizzling a little bit it's around maybe below 20° also they expect not that warm today does that help for a better Race For Better performance I think so I think I'm a person that doesn't work so well in the heat so for me it's definitely a good thing um but I think it's not raining too much so the trails will just be perfect and also probably the terrain uh is able to absorb the water what's coming down now yes exactly it will just settle the dust and then it's going to be good riding out there and your expectations for today what are the tactics oh it's still another hard day um it's like a shark teeth it's up and down the whole time I don't actually know this stage really well so but I hear it's good riding so I'm looking forward to it I think the racing is still going to be hot especially in the front um so yeah excited to and a lot of single track today involved I think so um we'll see I mean single track is great great but it also makes it quite hard it makes it more difficult to find your position especially with your teammate riding together yeah I think we don't have that big of problem for that because we women we're not that many but yeah it's definitely more un rythmical riding that makes it hot it must be a nice stage if I look to the profile it goes up and down in the wholeway but it's going to be a hard one a lot of climbing also yeah there's quite a bit of climbing I think it's going to be a proper day out good luck for today thanks good morning good morning too Dutch weather Belgium weather rain yeah it was a ni surprise when we wake up we don't have to have the cool Fest we didn't have to think about extreme temperatures so it's it's a I hope a better day for us uh on paper looks a very nice stage it goes up and down the hallway 88 kilm 2,400 meters of climbing it's a hard one um what are the tactics uh first we have to see how are the legs today uh but I think it will be a really nice stage for us some really technical uh terrain and uh we really like it also the climbs will be not so long today like the other days uh so I think we will have to follow and then wait until uh until the good moment is there if we still have the the legs how is the feeling morning Samuel Fabian how you feeling yeah I feel quite good also yesterday for me was a really good day also s feel better so we do a nice stage in recovery we start a little bit slower but then we can catch up some couples today different conditions it has been extremely hot in the last few days but today it's nice and cool little bit of drizzling does that help for better race for better performance yeah but for everyone's the same I mean but no it was needed I I think today looks like the perfect condition for riding here in South Africa with the Sandy trails and also the the track looks really good really nice and uh demanding so we see the second last day and uh hopefully we'll have some uh some energy I see the error do you know something from this stage the terrain have you been uh riding here have you been training here I think I've probably ridden most of the trails in the past but not that I remember it too much now um but I know this area so I I should recognize it as we riding it's uh on paper Le at least it looks like a hard stage 88 kilm a lot of climbing inol uh it's also marked as four and a half wheels is it going to be that hard um yeah I think the profile is literally up down the entire time um think's going to be hard we've got some fatigue in the legs obviously too so yeah and I mean tomorrow's also not the easiest stage it's shorter but yeah it's stage six and I think we're tired so it will be hard how wet is it when you go out on the trails or on the road uh the road is a bit wet but the trails and the and the gr road is fine because I think it just helps a bit because it's not going to be that Dusty and also for the trails I think it's it's good that it's a bit bit of the rain yeah so a Clear Vision today when you're riding in the group yeah yeah finally I hope yeah for a clean Vision yeah what PH good morning how you feeling morning yeah it's a chilly morning here in St B but uh yeah I think the fact that we on the way home now and uh you know it's only today and tomorrow uh yeah warms up the heart at least you know you know close to the finish and uh I think uh on the weekend here in Stalin bch also it will pull some good crowds regardless of the weather so I think we're in for a nice day today that will mat beers Howard how you feeling yeah good um obviously a big change in the weather it's a lot cooler um so yeah I think um it's going to be a lot tougher racing today everyone feels a lot better in the cool so but yeah it's a hard stage how do the ls feel this early morning feel the same as any other day um I guess we'll see when we it starts going up um but there's quite a hard kick at the beginning so yeah it'll warm the body up quick steevie good morning walking around with the umbrella yeah it's raining right now a little bit uh actually not too bad um but I think it affects the race quite a bit because uh settled down the the dust and everything so the vision is more clear and um so I'm looking forward to it so with these cooler conditions many riders love to ride in it because it have been extremely hot a few days ago and and also the last few days yeah I mean it was 35 5° in Wellington now it's 17 so half the temperature quite extreme but um I like it quite well in this colder conditions and um so that's why I'm also more excited to to hit the trails here on Sandos it's going to be a Infinity good morning you had a nice preparation yesterday yeah yeah we came here uh quite fast and uh good recovery and and good sleep so I think uh I feel and good fun I mean coming here by helicopter yeah that was good that was good uh checked out a bit the courses on the way so uh yeah it was cool Danish weather today it's definitely more dous than it's been the previous day so uh yeah hopefully we can benefit a little bit this also H good morning how you feeling yeah like the feeling on the bike is actually pretty good still and I'm I'm surprised how good it is um maybe we will see how it is when we are start racing but until now it's good and the smile of you both is is there every morning yeah of course we are wearing these jerseys uh we're still having fun we're still excited of course also tired uh like everybody is but we can still enjoy what we're doing here and uh that's nice today a really nice stage if you look to the profile to on paper but a hard one four and a half wheels awarded this one a lot of climbing involved maybe the queen stage even because we the shorten stage a few days ago uh but also a lot of single tacks does that suit you well I think so uh I think for sure it will be a hard stage uh today is the last super long one uh but also tomorrow will still be very hard so I think both days can uh can be like uh hard days for us uh but it can also be uh good days if it's hard for the others so we'll see I wish you good luck for today you have to go and line up there's not that much time left sorry thank you so much good cautious optimism excitement at the change in the weather conditions as the Riders rolled away this morning at 7:00 and the UCI men taking the lead here and leaving this beautiful kenberg playing field and the race Village they'll return here after 87 km and 2,400 M today's stage heading out towards the simonb Conservancy with a lot of lovely trails in that part of the world around the morati wine farm and then heading back towards the finish here by Ida Valley botas cop and a little turn up and on the B to kenberg so this is the images from earlier today as they left the uh kenberg fields and that little kicker just getting the legs warmed up on a morning like today getting those legs warmed up you might just need it Sabine Spitz is alongside us once again Sabine good morning good good morning Gerald and also good morning Neil yeah happy to be back and I'm also expecting that we get maybe some changes on uh with the little rain we had this morning uh would be definitely also for the race would be good yeah I mean these conditions uh it's such stark contrast to what we what you experience what the riders experien in tulbach and and and Wellington I mean how how does that as a racer would this get you excited about this this type of weather you prefer this going um I actually prefer the hot conditions but uh I guess also with um racing all the year in all kind of uh environment so I also got used to these conditions and of course it's also like your mindset plays quite into into the game I I have a question for you Sabine you're used to you your background is cross country where it'll be a 90 a 90minut effort and perhaps um further back maybe 120 minute effort and you could say that the weather for that effort would be more or less consistent whereas at the absap Epic during one stage the temperatures can range from perhaps even four or 5° right up into 30° how did you deal with that yes so I always yeah I mean speaking in general that's a personal thing I mean how you can actually also deal with um temperature changes and uh but I mean if you let's say it's it's an colder start you have you maybe you just start with arm warmers and you just get rid of that uh later in the in the stage um or if it's the other way around um as a as a pro yeah we we had our stuff on the on the route and then you also you could maybe get like a a rain Gile also if you think you need that um and uh but I guess also for the amateur Riders you just need to look that you have like maybe layers and that you that you have the option also to during it day or during the stage that you can just take something off or put something on no layers on these Riders the elite women the ARX racing category heading off alongside the cricket field and then out of kenberg today just under 3 minutes in both the men's and women's races today as I said the temperatures are marketly lower below 20° at the start may rise a little bit later but it looks as though this this cloud cover is going to stay around for a little bit of the morning and maybe the entire morning whil these elad races are riding so not much in it and uh now we are going straight to our live images of the elite men's race still out on the beautiful morati wine farm where there are hundreds and hundreds maybe thousands of Spectators you may well see them later on lining the rout and at the two water points and it's a maze of single Track and Trail that these Riders are getting to enjoy here hunt becking sitting on the back here the Dutch Champion well the Riders are about to reach the uh the fifth the 47 km Mark that's at the morati water point But at the first water point at morati there were nine teams in the mix at the front Toyota specialized 91 World bicycle relief Scot calab bandida Canyon CD buff megao willia Victoria Factory willia topado and the Spanish pairing of Boom Martin and Munoz Moreno along with singer racing Steve John and Hartman we heard from Steve John earlier former stage winner he likes the uh the more miserable conditions uh well he certainly seems to perform well in the miserable miserable conditions um this is his territory for sure we behind the Dutch Champion hunts backing at the moment they had a great first three days great showing the prolog third spot and then won the following stage getting into uh getting into they won the fourth stage yes apologies the the third stage and uh taking over the leaders jerseys from the pairing of shter and fosta lots of Blu gum Forest here the foresty trails here a real maze in you lose sight of the Riders very quickly here not only from our perspective but also from the Riders perspective Canyon City uh the Andre Cal Mark stutzman combination have been getting stronger and stronger strong all weak yeah and especially yeah you you mentioned the maze at the morati trails and it's really it's really difficult in a way um if you if a team can just make a little bit of Gap it's so quickly out of s side and can pull away and uh also a bit still the unknown factor is um we heard earlier um the comment from Stefan S and thas te so uh my experience is also like it it really depends on how much rain it got or this little drizzle uh if it could just bind um the the the the dust or it um created like a slippery layer because that I also remember from 2016 we also had um here when we went into the morati trails and it got quite slippery but but it was uh definitely a bit more rain than we had this morning yeah there had we didn't have Copus amount of rain and you'll probably see dust later on on today cuz it hasn't really been that heavy this rain but just as interesting the canyon on the front there Canyon City their motivation is to try and get onto the podium because B Meo 843 behind the leaders but just 3 minutes behind them are Canyon City so that's why Andre silol and spitman are chasing for all they worth because they get the idea that buff Meo are under a bit of pressure today well buff megao are in the mix there and uh I have to correct myself buff 1 stage 2 of the 2024 hsic epic just a few days ago it seems like a lifetime ago for them and they've gone through highs and the lows but Back In Contention right now this is the Toyota tough section methusa it's called around 1.3 km of incredible Trail most of these Trails today are the handiwork of a man somewhat of The Godfather of Trail building in these parts Moran he runs to Topia up there at morati which is the trail Center and you can go and explore these Trails on morati Via dotopia but Methuselah is the trail that has been designated the Toyota tough section today uh methusa lived until he was 969 um some may say that barant has been around that long because he's some of these trials oh a little Wrong Turn there by one of the canyon men so he just lost a position and mattz goes into second position on the trails here this is the lead group enjoying the Toyota tough section well Matt Beer's not letting uh schutzman in at all because they saw the early aggression the aggressive Pace just set by there was a bit of a gap caused by um or created by Canyon uh cidi and uh that's uh certainly plays into the hands of hunt becking and vout Alman vout Alan and Hunt becking losing time overall yesterday to the uh to the German and the Swiss Rider they are sitting Canyon CD sitting in fourth overall just over 3 minutes behind the Dutch Belgian pairing but we could see quite clearly in the in this corner it's still quite Dusty so um yeah so it's I think it's uh we don't have we we don't have the risk that the Riders are crashing because of the slippery surface and uh um but it was just the the rid like also that other Riders uh um um mentioned earlier that just the vision is clearer you don't you don't ride in the dust of others uh and uh it helps a bit maybe also just with P Vision they're closing in on water Point number two here there's that that water is not as a result of last night's rain that is for sure and this is the water po there they close in right into it there it is our second water point at 47 km into today's 87 km stage they they flash through there and perhaps a bottle snatched as they headed out but yes you it is cooler today but uh drinking and eating still vital to the riders today to keep fueled up because they're expending huge amounts of energy and that very in mind they've had uh six big days behind them as well so they have to keep that going how a GRS just tucking in nicely there the American teammate of Matt beers and they are the men who won yesterday stage and have the yellow Jersey today by 2 minutes and 57 seconds from World bicycle relief can Nino sh and Sebastian finny engineer some way of thr back time today SE do you foresee that at all yeah Sebastian he looked tired yesterday also he really had uh um problems in a way to keep Nino's wheel or or stay on Nino's wheel um and um yeah we just saw he probably also just hope that uh the the shorter stage and having a bit more recovery more rest that uh that helped in way for the the final two days because also today and tomorrow it's it's going to be a tough one it's not an easy rolling on the gr finale stage um yeah it's going to it's going to be still tough well let's just will tell you how far they are much of the trail there they a tough section just passed through morati and heading for noruk and then morganoff new trails there and then on their way out over rustenberg again and to idas Valley Trails bma's cor is the sting in the tail and Down The Sensational doctor single track towards stalos and a little kicker just before they get to kenberg here which will will not be too much of an issue for these Riders but it'll certainly give those further back in the field much cause for pain because they'll be able to see and almost hear the Finish just below them before coming around to the finish this packed lead group charging away from morati and into the 8K trails and really led by B alaman on the front here trying to perhaps just look after his teammate hunts back who's further back in the pack of this lead group and in that lead group if we were to list all the teams uh if you can if you can just uh cast your go down the list here there is one major team missing from this list and that is the Oria lead speed company team we just heard from down on the trail that Lucas Bal has retired from the race he said he was suffering from a stomach bug over the last day or so and trying to push through through but unable to put down any kind of significant to he's allowed his partner G Gaga to continue without him so bad news for the Oria leot speed company team the 2022 Champions they are now out of the race and leaving it to Toyota specialized 91 Canyon CD willia Victoria Factory World bicycle relief team KMC buff meamo and willia topado the pairing of Daniel gasma the Austrian and the I Jakob doron few nude names in this and of course that withdrawal will mean that will Victor move up a position at this stage in the general classification to fourth place so the fighting down below not just at the sharp at the very sharp end but minor placings plenty of competition there and hence these teams really not letting each other go at all as they race flat out here holding nothing back on this penultimate day in celos in the men's category we've got the really a race between first and second and then a race between fourth and third and fourth and third race consists of the two teams in the mix are Canyon CD and buff mega mo three three minutes between them with buff mega mo still holding on to third spot this is our second group on the road here Scott cabina and the clti team they are just a few seconds probably about 18 20 seconds behind this Le Elite group of racers the yellow jerseys in Prime position and in the position to defend that Tok now the figure of hunt becking goes to the front of the Dutch Champions Jersey and good showing from the Italian pair fa ravenstein and samore you heard them pre-race saying that they are feeling better and better this is a stage have done well in in the past but alaman comes on the outside as well that's becking partner in the European Champions Jersey they are targeting a stage win here and also of course looking to defend their position on General classification from Canyon City that's the race within a race here on stage number six of the ABS teic Austrian champion Daniel gesma first sighting of Daniel gesma an epic Legend and a man who has performed wonders at this event in the past he's riding with yakob doron the Italian at this year's race for willia topado great support for the willia Victoria Factory team as well so under the trees here we may well be trying to find our leading women and indeed we have in the ARX women's category and this is a familiar picture that we've seen pretty much throughout this week the pair of canadale factory racing Candace Lil and Mona mavala and just behind them the race leaders ghost Factory racing and an turra and ni ker who've looked said Untouchable in this race despite the fact that it's less than 3 minutes between them but they've not shown any in their arm at all this week's yeah and earlier where was by at the last um um checkpoint or uh split time there was also still the uh Toyota specialized 91 team Sophia Gomez V and uh Samar Shepard with these two teams uh but now it seems like we yeah we dropped back and uh yeah so the Candace is now here just in the lead and in actual fact they need to make a move it's they are under pressure if we want to still make a change we have to put pressure onto the ghost ladies um um anra and ni col well the New Zealander Samara sheeper looks to be suffering just a little bit here as Sophia Gomez vfan looks over her shoulder and encourages her and they made a bit of an attack early earlier but that is a telling sign Gomez bfr giving Samara sheeper a push up this climb and that tells tells you a story the fatigue over the last five or six days has taken a toll on Shepherd and uh yeah it's a first absap Epic Journey for her and uh this is what the the race does it saps your energy every day yeah and it's also you during these eight days uh you can have a a weak day and Samara actually got bit stronger in between but now it seems like that she had today also a bad day earlier in the in the day in this stage just before that first water point there was a bit of an attack from this pair they tried to put the leading to Under Pressure didn't last too long and they were hunted down and caught on the next little gradient that went uphill so it's going to be a long battle for this pair their position on the general classification is Rock Solid they're well they are the next team behind the E4 private clients are an hour and 13 behind the leaders on the right hand side GES Factory racing the race leaders of an turst and Nico Cola alongside them canadale Factory racing Candace Lil and Mona mitala the first and second place finishes of the World Marathon championships last year and they are chasing the Lil midal the combination a possible win here in the Absa epic they started today 2 minutes and 51 seconds behind the race leaders in the orange jerseys doesn't sound like a lot but the dominance that turr and Co have shown this week suggest that it's going to take something very very special from Lil and mital if they to win this race on paper Gerald this is still the closest race we've seen in the women's category so far but uh that says that doesn't speak about the as you said the dominance the fact that there almost zero in the armor of the ghost Factory racing team as we saw mono meal there's just a slight Gap there we just uh keep an eye on that just to uh watch Mona M carefully to see if there are any signs of weakness the pairing of her and Candace Lil they have vowed every single day to keep fighting and keep putting pressure on ghost Factory racing and hoping for just any sign of weakness if they smell blood they're going to capitalize as as much as they can and try to get to eat into that deficit and uh get some more get some time on their Rivals ghost Factory racing Nicole K the former Junior world champion in the cross country Olympic discipline and also a uh Road world champion in the team time trial mixed relay discipline that was in 20122 and her partner Anna tster winner of two World Cups and and a multiple national champion of the Netherlands but we also had um in in previous years um still changes of the leader Tre Jersey um on the second last or the last day so and a two minutes or close to 3 minutes Gap um it can get eaten away very very quickly yes as comfortable as those jerseys have been on turer and cola throughout the week they know only too well um they would have done their homework and knew what happened last year the lead changed hands in a dramatic pen ultimate day in lenf when rain mud and hectic weather conditions played played a big role so yep they are Vigilant and weary of the threat posed by canadale Factory racing Cana still knows these Trails extremely well they all do they've spent a lot of time all these women training and preparing for their cross country years in the past and they know what they're in for here here today as they head into these beautiful trails around morati and this greater simburg Conservancy area spectacular this is to the north west of stalos so they are exploring those Trails on the final day they'll be exploring the trails on a completely different direction in the Y Valley of switch back climb as they are heading up into the conservancy and the pace being set by ni K here very very comfortable she has looked in a maiden as has a combination that has da worked and a combination that haven't written this deep into a race before they they've performed well on other state races not us over over eight days but they have looked very very comfortable indeed there are Master leaders call that and Tommy misser and just in front of them Samara shepher and way ahead of her is sopia Gomez via fun it's a difficult situation when one Rider is trying to flag and the other is feeling so strong you have to temper the urge and the desire to to push hard and and drive ahead patience is required an understanding of your partner's difficulties Gap is opening back to third place but no gaps here midal is the last Rider in this this group so for Mona definitely also was an advantage that that the rain of his little drizzle had settled bit of dust she was very cautious in the downhill so riding behind the others with the dust uh for her vision is very um important and uh Vigilant Tommy Miss and call plat just getting past Samara Shephard here and making their way up this Trail they'll do so only when it is Express that they can without causing any any issues yeah the uh they are bound by the rules of the race to not interfere with women's racing in any way at all and even by overtaking them and letting the the women or the women then could potentially sit on their wheels and benefit from the but the rules of the race do dictate that two two different categories are not committed to be riding together and uh plat will know very well obviously the sportsmanship of the sport theader of the sport will also oblige them to or they they'll be compelled by their sportsmanship not to interfere overtake at an appropriate time back with the front they'll be not too long closing in on on this group of riders Cola Lil turra and mital we when we say we haven't seen a single sign of weakness from Ghost Factory racing we really mean that there has never been a single almost no daylight between the two teams and between the two Riders of ghost Factory racing except when when we what we see now with canvas little getting between the two Riders and they have defended that they have in fact we've seen in the past few days Nicole Cola in fact edging out the any kind of moves and holding their ground they've seen any attacks from the likes of mon Mona mavala so trying to get a good position on the trail and the call CER accelerated and keeping her out of that position making sure that they hit that last section of trail yesterday fact we saw that was pivotal in their Victory and they were ghost Factory racing Riders were together and they could use their cross country skills to their benefit and create just a bit of a gap on the downhill and that made all the difference yeah and we see you picture that uh Sophia V yeah she also pulled a little bit away from Samara shepher um and uh Jesse Nixon our ebike camera woman behind Samara Shephard um you could see normally also in the riding style like if a Riders getting more tired so with the tendance to actually ride bigger gears that the Cadence comes down and that's that's definitely a signal or a sign um of tiredness and we could see definitely with the with the ghost woman with the that they still they still have a nice they're trying to keep also a nice pedal stroke a high Cadence and also for maybe also for our EMP Riders out there it's um yeah if you keep like a higher Cadence it also help helps you in the long shot even if you start if you remind yourself at the early stages in the early days try try always to keep like a little bit higher Cadence it helps saves your legs it helps you um um on the on the later days or the later days in the week and you're saying pushing the lower gears uh if you are in a if you're on the back foot and you're pushing lower gears it starts to compound the fatigue going into the later days absolutely and we don't we we I would say um very few people have um um have legs like Nino shter who can push a 38 chain blade absolutely well the difference is that nino sha can push a 38 chain blade and still keep a a high Cadence here he is on the front Nino shter Sebastian finny is the man behind him and for you just lost him there as we got a an image of Nino shter uh on the uh front there and a look over his shoulder by Daniel gmar looking for his partner Jacob doron said looks as though this group has splintered a little as they've been climbing away from the morganoff trails and so the gaps are starting to appear in the men's race Thomas ditch and Stefan Sam the two men I think they've separated into following those two groups and now we are back in the Beautiful morati wine farmer the methusa trail methusa in this sense refers to the size of a champagne bottle methusa is a 6 L bottle they've done Nebuchadnezzar as well the Nebuchadnezzar is a 15 L bottle another name of a trail here but methusa is the Toyota tough section and these Riders are flowing down this beautiful Trail in and out of the forest it's a maze of trails here in in the morati wine farm which incidentally is not quite as old as methusa was at 339 years uh but it was established by lorrence ker and andella F deab and those two names Adorn their flagships Reds and whites at this beautiful car we certainly are in wine country and in mountain biking country and the two are inextricably linked in the Western Cape with many of the wine Farmers being cyclists and uh building and helping and contributing to the amazing Trail Network that we that we see today and in fact the entire week yeah I mean the M family have ownership of this Farm now Ronnie M had since 1987 in fact the first milk owned the farm in 1763 um but now rake mil is the man uh uh the owner of the farm now and he loves riding his bike around here he calls his his favorite ride the doctor's Ward round around 27ks 800 M of climbing and no doubt incorpor Ates a visit to methusa as well we're just about to see the Riders approach the morganoff Contour another wine farm and uh expect them they're well past the 50 km Mark and when they hit morganoff that is a usn Hydra point will be after The karok Descent and Morgan Hoff marks the 60 km Mark and we'll be looking keeping an eye on just how the Riders are doing and what the uh what the time checks are we can see there down below the Willer Factory racing team the Willer voria team and we are going to be keeping an eye on Nina shter we do not see the red Danish national championships Jersey of Sebastian finny where is he we'll keep we'll keep you updated as soon as we know more yeah becking alaman on the front here buff Mega then will Victoria then the yellow jerseys it's sketchy stuff as they charging down here and just keeping it steady and if you're second third fourth wheel there perhaps is sh as they come out of the trees we just missed them there it may have been them flashing down not too far off the back you can rest assured he won't be too far behind the pace here will Nino shter this is a hard day out and we heard Vera talking about that Jagged tooth profile that shark tooth profile just they are seemingly endless just endless sharp Rises and tricky technical climbs and sharp climbs all the way through the race we look we take things when we look at it we look at it more of a a macro point of view but out on the trails there are some very steep little sections that might not be obvious on the profile that could create that all important Gap that the Front Runners are looking for the advantage over their Rivals any sign of weakness any bad moment will be capitalized on and there will be absolutely no mercy in this Final in the last weekend the weekend in SOS 32 km to go for aite men and that's Sebastian Finny in the red jersey and ahead of him his partner Nino shter the world cross country champion and chasing for all their worth now because they've lost ground on that lead group of four teams and most importantly for them the yellow jerseys in that behind them Sergio manticon and his partner Peter vot so they are chasing chasing hard beg Parton not vot is manon's partner but they are chasing for all their worth here to try and close the gap Canyon CI had a great day yesterday with then and also made full use of their backup team their backup team helping them more like more or less like Road tactics guide them to the front of the race so they could make their move and cause a decisive split and just a recap on Toyota 91 Toyota specialized 91 have a 2-minute and 57 second Gap over their nearest Rivals World bicycle release on the overall General classification going into stage five and now very much in the thick of the action of stage five we see Sebastian and N shter falling off the group and Hunt becking and vout alaman very much in that group along with Canyon CD or a lead speed company going into the stage with an advantage but uh obviously really having them withdrawn it makes it uh it makes it more wide open and we're back with the women yes that was uh the the leading women so the two teams with the master men who have now caught them in the blue entity data Master jerseys the orange aramax leaders jerseys just up ahead of them and perhaps an opportunity now for the open road for the Masters to try and get past them there not many opportunities here there's so much single track yeah so we but we already try in a way to to pause the the the ladies um before heading actually here into the Toyota technical Teran section so up they go into the forest we'll lose sight of them sight of them briefly as they make their way onto these trails in morati tster and Kaa with mital and uh Lil and there's the blue jerseys that got themselves in the middle of thatp there um mon is now a bit stuck I wouldn't say stuck uh but uh actually got um uh yeah like separated from the other two um teams or from her team uh from kendis Lil and uh the ghost Factory racing team well this is yeah down into the uh the uh methusa Toyota tough section this isn't a great situation for Candice Lil and Mona mitala with the Masters there uh you feel they may have just given it a moment to wait until they can get past them on a on a wider section they would try to get past their Carl plat and Tommy Misa but ni Cola and and tstrip have candas still in between them as they go down methusa M mital they're just on the back of the screw is one of the uh difficulties I mean it's always a tricky situation yeah when you have like uh the the different categories um if they caught up to each other and uh um you don't know you're also seeing it from side from the side from car plot okay you don't want to interfere actually with the woman's race but on the other hand also you also don't want to lose time uh for for your own race for that competition um but in general he's uh very fair and not in a way um risks or takes risk with overtaking uh the the women's well they've got past them on the the new Trail so miss who is a downhiller and was a worldclass downhiller he and Carl Platt plat K Platt as well in his Junior years yeah absolutely um using the skills and off they go and getting themselves out of the uh the way blue jerseys The Entity Masters leaders and you know this is a just a a very small uh little example of why the the uh UCI Mak UCI women's have their own start group but no it wasn't always the case at the ABS I guess also um with uh the UCI status that that you also haveen um in all the races like that that you have like um own or that the the wom's really also have their own their own race um and uh yeah and also what is also not lot that um womans can now take a a draft or can can sit on the Wheel from man but also the other way around so the categories need to stay clean they need to they need they they just allow to race within the category and not using other categories well it's good to see that the women the top two women's team are together again and they're watching the water point and that is that the 47 km Mark and they are very much uh just looking at the time they're they're um 9:30 so after an hour and a half or two and a half hours of racing they reach the morati water point and now it's all about looking back to see what the Gap is between them and Toyota specialized 91 was quite sizable as they leave that water Point perhaps a bottle snatched and away they go of course as we've been saying all week in the wine farms it is uh Peak Harvest Time here and ham gilas is the man on Mora's estate he's in his 10th Harvest on the farm it's a busy busy time and thanks to the land owners and these Farmers for allowing their the race to Traverse through such their lands and at such a busy time and uh seeing the top two women's teams in the race and the women's women cycling has come on has developed hugely in the last few years certainly is hugely in the time that I've been at the race and starting one of the big big moments in women's cycling was equal prize money and uh the ABS one of the first events to uh spearhead that and since then there' have been some tremendous developments the ghost Factory racing team is an all women team there are no there is a factory racing team with no men it's an allw women team and some other great movements in cycling we've seen earlier some of the uh some of the Riders are riding the Liv brand and Liv is also an exclusively women brand women only women work on the live brand live is part of the giant stable of Brands Giant bicycles one of the biggest brands in the world in fact the biggest brand in the world and uh great to see the uh the sport developing as it has they through the usn hydro point the leading men now at just on 61 km there and thereabouts and hunts backing and V alaman are looking as though they are putting their names in lights today alaman the European champion in front becking in the Dutch Champions Jersey they were in front as they went through the morati Section and we don't see anyone behind them here except our Bulls media ebike the either there's a big gap there we go there we see that buff meamar are highly motivated there they had an amazing first three days in the race and uh so can't forget that they had a couple of bad days after it so they had a day in yellow which was a good day for them another day in yellow a very bad day where they lost that yellow Jersey to Toyota specialized 91 but today looks like they're pretty good we're down with Stefan S on the Bulls media ebike and we're hoping to get some information from him down on the trails Stefan hey Neil how are you yeah lots lots happening now we have a breakway HS backing and VA they tried it in the single track looks like it's coming back the heat from behind you there stepan I need to find so the Gap been closed and you now at the tail end some new faces and New Riders in this group ston connection with Stan is just not as we would like so we can't hear exactly what he's saying they're going through the the Morgan off trails this is Tim swinger T Raa the CC pair who have put themelves in that lead group there so they're going very very nicely and this is pav baras and Sergio manticon they are a little bit off the back of that group now significantly y there is Sebastian finy and uh his part sh well there second place on overall um going into the stage two minutes and 57 a disadvantage or deficit to Toyota specialized 91 and bu Meo at 8:43 and that time Gap is uh looks like it's under threat again and the gap between buff Mega Mo and World bicycle relief is around about 5 minutes 5 minutes and 25 seconds so bu me team will be looking to eat into that deficit of 5 minutes 25 buff megao 823 back on Toyota specialized 91 team of beers and gr look uh look like the pendulum is swinging in their favor but pendulum certainly not swinging in the favor of Nino shter and Sebastian fi they are leaving Morgan Hoff one of the many wine farms that pass through to day and uh this is the gap to the leaders Thomas D is with Nino Shir and Sebastian fin Stefan S as we just saw there he's with that lead group so that Gap is it's it's yo-yoing but Nino sh and Sebastian fin really cannot afford to let it get any bigger they going to be coming under some pressure buff mega mo clearly on a good day today hun backing yeah maybe also like the the cooler temperature plat also in their favor and uh I mean V he had very strong he was very strong at the beginning and then he had in between two days where he was definitely suffering and maybe also like just a cooler temperature for the for the for the Dutch uh Belgian pairing um um that's that's uh good that's any good this is the lead group the blue blue jerseys unfamiliar at this stage of the uh at this part of the race this week have made an appearance that is a r and smer Tim sming and T Raa the KC pair so they are enjoying a very very good day and Pa looking to uh snatch stage win whilst the GC races The GC teams fight it out Canyon City Andre sealt and Mark stutzman still in the mix here they've also got stronger and stronger will be ruing a slow start to the week likewise Fab ravenstein and Sam poro well the race certainly is heating up as they pass through the escalator section the escalator part of the trails today and that the local Riders will know the escalator section and they'll know exactly what the challenges it it poses and how much of a selection it can create in the uh in this race at this point we are well past the 60 km Mark and approaching the Idis Valley Trails and very soon we'll be catching glimpse of the iris Valley Dam and as they head towards the last main Obstacle of the day botman cop and uh the uh technical Trail down the doctor if the trail names are always programmed then an escalator is better than an elevator oh yes there's PNY look at the Gap there PNY and Sh fantastic visuals here we can really get a sense of what is happening in the racing it's quite rare with this densely packed network of trails we saw on the map concentration on the on this particular area around morati and heading out of the morati area is very dense and it allows the visuals to really get a sense of where the Riders are out on the trail and the time gaps are one thing but when you can see the Riders it just gives us a real sense of the uh of the pace set by Buff megao at the front hunts backing in his national championships jersey and Alan will be in close attendance in his European championships Jersey and uh also right there where the action is the yellow jerseys in close attendance watching closely couldn't say riding defensively because they are really at the very front of Affairs but uh you're going to be keeping an eye on uh the canyon CD team they have so become good throughout the week they had a disappointing first couple of days and Andreas seal did mention that he made a few mistakes and there is uh it looks like Mark there where is his partner where is his partner and there's only one KMC Rider in this little group here the yellow jerseys quite happy to let becking and alaman do the work here sharp hairin here for the Dutchman and the Belgian to get on all of them finally they get on there we come and they they join linking up with them tight tight turns here as they make their way up for the escalator and uh there is how GRS SE just pulling through there and uh yeah just sealt having to just work a little bit harder here they did a winner stage early this week in TB lenberg Valley Stage so they are getting stronger and stronger all the way through the week KMC team very much in touch as well and credit to them it looks like uh just like we saw yesterday with the Bulls team the Bulls Mavericks team of uber and Simon stj they picked yesterday as their stage and KMC looks like they have picked today but they've got some big rivals to contend with if they do make it all the way into the start finish shoot if there is a Sprint finish they've got some big names to overcome so a big job to do and also there is the climb of bmop still to surmount and there is a bit of distance in the trails right now bit of distance between the Riders now that's not necessarily a sign but they will be in the mix in the in the absolute finale and as things really start to ramp up and definitely looking on form again buff Mega resurgent buff Mega off a disappointing couple of days for them Alan and baking pairing are back on the front of Affairs well they uh they're just under 6 minutes behind World bicycle relief on General classification uh so unless things are unraveling spectacularly for finny and Shir it's unlikely that they're going to take all that time back today but if they stay where they are and they're going as strongly as they are now they going to eat into that six-minute deficit and close in on the second place team World bicycle leite B Mega remember wore the yellow jerseys for two days in this race after they took them from shter and Finny on stage one in now we just s a glimpse earlier of Matt Bez looking back to his partner Howard grz and uh just maybe a little bit of a gap there we're going to catch some visuals hopefully we'll get a chance to see a little bit of a wider shot just how Matt be and uh this pardon Howard GRS are doing but it looks like they're still very much in touch with the sharp end of the field and uh as they approach they're almost at the Isis Valley Trails now and we'll see the dam in a moment and just after that section they'll be cutting through a a cool tunnel you'll be able to see them riding through a tunnel a few it's about 100 m also the the tunnel with the the light at the end of the tunnel it's almost in complete darkness and uh they'll be popping out the other side and then it'll be the ascent up BM BOS cop and we've talked about the doctor the trail down she'll be no problem for these top professionals but bu megao looking dominant at the front both teams at the both members of the team at the front and this is a steep climb you can see from the Cadence and the speed and what we can't see is the power but we can be assured that that power that is going down on those pedals is considerable considering the gaps that we've seen form back behind the very head of the field for the Toyota specialized 91 pair they uh with that situation is actually is pretty pretty good for them buff Mega on the front have motivation to try and close a gap to World bicycle Rel but they're 8 minutes and 43 behind Toyota specializ so they don't need to worry too much because their closest rivals are losing time behind them will bicycle relief so they're in a good position uh right now but my word this is deep this is deep good position for the yellow jerseys they have the luxury of being able to benefit from the agendas and the well fought agendas and well represented agendas of the other teams and Hans becking and uh the and the Dutchman the U Belgian VA alaman they'll be looking to put time into Nina shter hoping to get into second spot Nina shter and Sebastian FY just a bit of pressure on them and uh all that beers and grots have to do is Mark that and then that that will help them also put time into finny and shter so benefiting from this certainly are the yellow jerseys and also looking for perhaps another stage when becking and alaman yeah the first Rider from the KMC team who is sitting here behind V Alman and hun becking uh he better also just takes care that he doesn't pull away too much from his partner I think it's in the lead that must be uh Tim sming yeah still haven't seen him come around the corner this could be bad sign for the uh for the pairing for the KMC team you need to keep an eye out he is obliged by the rules of the race to wait but uh there he is with the canyon CD team they have slipped off the front Canyon C struggling on the day but still they uh they were just around about 3 minutes off the back on overall General classification off above mega mode breathing down their necks the pendulum looked like it was swinging in their favor but uh not to be today becking and alaman are back in the action at the head of Affairs and putting time into Canyon CD so Canyon CD hoping for that Podium on overall as they wanted to stay on the podium for overall General class ification at the Grand Finale in stos and uh one day in one day to go looks like it could be under threat that that dream of standing on the podium is uh is not looking good at the moment glance over his shoulder there um by Tim smer looking for his partner he better make sure that his partner is also with him he's backing him to catch him isn't he cuz he's staying with this group and saying well he he he'll come back to me I'm sure he'll come back to me yeah but you you also I mean it can also be be just uh if if there is a mechanical and he had his partner has to stop I mean the Riders we are not allowed to be actually more than 2 minutes apart and especially if it comes to another um um split time or like check point so which are the Riders don't know where these meds are so you have to make sure that you always stay in in touch with your with your partner it looked like he was in still in touch certainly within the two-minute rule but when it's uh the Riders go out of sight it can be under threat you never know what might happen and uh if like you said saine if there's a mechanical you just you just don't know and if you carry on there's a significant risk and and um I mean it's like you have a lot of Corners you get into the woods like I mean um if his partner would just now on the left hand side from the from the picture would have um a technical and he would just carry on and it's he wouldn't know over absolutely it's a risky strategy by the KMC team right now sealt and stutzman opted to both drop back and find themselves uh together on the trail that's not a problem because at one stage there was a separation there but uh front it is all about becking and alaman trying to bring their their race back together again after a tough middle portion of this year's absap epic for the Dutchman and the Belgium and becking looking as though he's found his legs this week uh today and just loving these trials how dare we say it but Becky and alaman may want to be putting pressure on Toyota specialized 91 on the final climb on the botas botas cop climb and uh it have not left the front they are putting down the power and they know they've distanced their Rivals Victoria willia Victoria Factory World bicycle relief KMC and they'll be looking to just hopefully see a in the armor of Matt beers and Howard GRS so far not so far we've seen GRS match Matt be's High Pace high power pedal stroke for pedal stroke and uh in all of this all of the efforts of uh Team buff megao they have managed to get rid of the team of Canyon CD and most importantly the for them anyway The Bu the world B score relief team Nino sh and Sebastian finny losing time hand over fist on the day just uh to repeat that or Le speed company you might be wondering where they are unfortunately Lucas B withdrew at the first water point due to stomach ailment he was suffering with it yesterday and so G gag is on his own in the race now but Lucas Bal and goa's hopes of repeating their 20 22 Victory or even second place they achieved last year are gone sadly for the speed lead company PIR they were in fifth place going into today's stage 20 minutes behind the leaders but no longer as a combination smer keeps looking behind his shoulder to see where his partner is at this stage I think they are on the upper reaches of renberg Farm at the moment as they make their way down to the road crossing and then into the ERS Valley Trails and high speed down here they'll be coming out very shortly there is shter and Finny andove in front of him pav baras and ser manticon shter and are losing time they are under pressure at this stage 257 behind specialized but now megao up front leading the race are building on a lead and trying to eat into the second place of world bicycle I can you now we just see from the map we see Thomas ditch is approaching the five the sorry the 65 k Mark and Thomas D the Bulls media ebike Rider means that he is with the uh the main field can't see if he's with the main field but he's certainly close to the front of the race so we should see the race reaching the 65 km mark and that is quite close to the 10ks to go and then we'll catch a glimpse of the uh of the idas dam as they hit the Idis Valley Trails and then they will be heading through the hells work to cot and the final Ascent of the day finy on the front here and Sh obviously finny is the man who is battling a little bit shter doing the right thing as the slightly stronger man letting the the man who's feeling the pain just set the pace go to his Pace sure oh that a PO the right hand side there you can see mud and dirt on the right hand side of the of sure to say is that might not be sh to there this is the chase group highspeed racing and drama on this sixth stage of the absap Epic flying through the farmyards and the race is on quite right the shter has crashed so that's their their position that what's happened this week for for will bicycle relief they won the prologue second on stages one and two to becking and alaman and then to the Canyon City pair disappointing stage three the transition stage from tach to Wellington and then they won the queen stage so put themselves right back in the frame there change in the guard up front in the lead group this is Matt beer and Howard grz who've gone to the front of the race now starting to open the Gap perhaps as well to Nino Sher and Sebastian finny who look like they going to be the losers today the big losers today amongst the major contenders on the podium behind Toyota specialized 91 are the pair of v alaman and Hunt becking with Tim smer of Team KMC sitting on his own here his partner to Raa is off the back of this group and struggling to regain contact with his KMC partner here that's a risky scenario for KMC he doesn't want to incur a two-minute time penalty apart from anything and uh also the other issues of his partner inuring a mechanical there and finding himself marooned on his own so those are the risks Happening Here meanwhile the yellow jerseys have got the bit between their teeth Yeah Tim sming definitely has a bit like here takes the ride and uh drive to sit here um on this wheel but uh he really has to has to be careful um that or maybe what we don't see how far back um his partner um chy Ro is um hopefully not too far and that he also managed to catch up with his partner again well beers knows where they're heading now and uh with him is his partner Howard gr who has fitted seamlessly into this Toyota specialized 91 team this week what a what a huge Bank of preparation that Howard grz has uh has put in to be able to ride with a defending champion and ride at the very head of a field showing almost no weakness in contrast to many of the other teams who have shown a day of weakness Howard grz has shown almost none whatsoever in the 2018 Champion riding of kavy I guess it's fair to say he knew what he was in for riding the uh riding the race with the very powerful partner he knew he had to get into shape and uh cred all credit goes to him and uh how he's prepared himself for this race because he has matched Matt beer pretty much pedal strike for pedal strike showing almost no weakness they're on to the uh Idis Valley Trail section now and uh GRS there sitting just off the wheel of beers with becking and alaman going back to the front and sing still hanging with this group there's a bit of climbing to be done here as they make their way up deep into these Ida Valley Trail Idis Valley Trails this is the front of the race on stage six they're around about 73 km into the stage today today and it is the yellow jerseys Matt beers and Howard GRS there of Toyota specialized 91 who are coming good late in the race when it matters most and they hold the advantage here with buff Meo on the front of this race but beers and grz looking to nail this one down and the defending Champion Matt beers GRS won in 2018 and they've got stronger and stronger as a combination won their first stage yesterday uh in Wellington been fin second third fourth second and second so it was a great achievement in the yellow jerseys to win the stage and the Riders we should be actually now able to have a look back because uh to see also how far back the chasing group is and also for um for the KMC Rider where is my partner yes absolutely he doesn't want to get too far ahead of him they'll head onto a little section of Trail here this the isas valley Trail section part of the Idis Valley Community Trail started in 2020 during Co by a group of men among them Mayon Hendrick Trails here built by Kim Lord and the Idis Valley Trails Community uh to try and encourage the community to get involved with the trails and encourage tourism and people to come and ride here and they've cleaned it up it really is a wonderful part of the broader stellos Trail Network it's part of of the windlands trail Network which is a massive Network stretching from CAU all the way out to par and Robertson and the like it's one big network of trails and uh ridable by most of them are ridable by the general public um with a permit and uh we saw some dramatic images of the uh of the Cliffhanger which is we could say um Gerald it's more or less open to the public people can ride it but there is a certain Arrangement that has to be made to be able to ride it and uh right now we're still at the we're at the front of the field with the top two teams we do see Team KMC he is missing a teammate really hoping desperately that his teammate can catch up and have a chance at a stage win or a some Podium time for the KMC team they have earmarked the stage and he's dropping back he's letting the Bulls meia ebike Rider follow the top two teams Howard grz and Matt be we saw earlier the results of the stages pretty much a list of all their results for the 2024 all the stages and highly consistent have been the Toyota specialized 91 and that's what it takes to wear the yellow Jersey in this day and age in the 20th edition of the race it takes consistency barely off the podium for a single day they were off the podium for a single day and uh here we are that's the proof of that proof of that consistency is the Y Jersey catching back on but in in this group it's just actually like seal and stutzman and uh it's still like U yeah NOC Tim yeah so he his partner is still foric rer T raer is the man he's looking for and Canon City and willia Victoria have gone past him and he's going to have to soft pedal I mean from a from a Rider's perspective from a team you know you're feeling really strong quite frustrating in a way I suppose yeah but also I mean you you have to support your partner and um and I mean um it's better in a way like to come earlier back and trying to pull your partner with like a like a maybe a little bit you know to pull him like with a speed back to the or like to to also motivate him and and uh I mean if he's his partner is now by himself it also doesn't help um Tim uh Tim to to for his own performance or it's the team result which counts the support makes a big difference there's nothing worse than been sit sitting in no man's land alone trying to chase back and it's all about that partner that camaraderie that's necessary a bad moment that his Partners having that's when he needs his uh that's when he needs his companion the most in those times of difficulty and no difficulty for these two teams Toyota specialized 91 and hun becking and B alaman T buff meamo or back to where they were in the first three days of the race and uh after some difficulties they seem to have put those difficulties behind them and now they're in the hunt for another stage win perhaps not the overall General classification we see Toyota specialized 91 marking them pedal stroke for pedal stroke to hunt becking clearly the one on the front we've seen him on the front most of the uh the middle section of the race since we joined live we've seen hunt becking at the very front pushing the pace and we can see the damage he has caused we have a gap back to the canyon CD team and the willia VOR team who are breathing down their necks there's not a huge gap back to them perhaps even just a lull on the pace might allow them to catch back up but there four teams in the mix for three spots on the podium today the yellow Jersey seems even more cemented than before than yesterday with the travails of Nino sh and Sebastian finy we saw some dirt on the side of Nino sha clearly indicating that there was some kind of an incident some kind of a crash and that just a small mistake like that has got big consequences as they lose time to the leaders jerseys the chibita leaders yellow jerseys are looking dominant again at the very front of the field so if it comes to a Sprint finish so it's a complete different finish uh to the previous days so it's not that you have a long stretch where it's like open and wide so it's actually just the last 100 MERS when they when the Riders is hitting the the the back here actually the fields there it's like open and and flat but um so before that it's off camber it's slippery it's like like locks which get created as steps so it's actually the approach of the Finish is is uh quite challenging you've got to position yourself well there coming off the B Trail off the St the kenberg dam you have to be positioned well to get into that trail first and it's yeah so actually it's like really a sharp turn to the right to get into to get into that trail and the team which is actually in that in the first position at that section that would make the win and it's going to be a tricky one for the buff megao team who are very much in the hunt for the uh for the stage and for some time gained on overall and we're back with the women's team again the top two women's team almost a carbon copy of the men's the top two women uh on the stage and also on General classification the ghost factory factory racing team led down the trail by Candace Lil with Mona mavala in close attendance on the back wheels of the ghost Factory racing team canis Hill spent a lot of the first three or four days in the front of this group just doing a lot of the paac making and Mona mitala found herself either second third or fourth wheel but uh yesterday she was a little bit stronger and Candice uh was not quite the strength perhaps paying a price just suffering a little bit after the uh travails of the first few days and the hard work she's put in that's what this this uh event does yeah if you um in the team like the the the the the the driver or who is actually like put a lot of effort in also to to make the pace and uh to close gaps so then of course it uh that takes uh it's tall and uh she had yesterday situation that she was like yeah like had a bit she was falling back and uh MOA was then a bit helping or trying to to pull her back to the leading woman and uh but now um it's again like the other the other way around uh Candace uh has her in her um position and trying in a way just to also make the pace here and uh ideal would be that of course Mona would be on her wheel and they could maybe then also try when it gets back into some other Trails U that wave could maybe also can try to break away but uh ghost ladyes way sitting very comfortable and um yeah looking very composed very in control indeed and we can see them head down this section get a glimpse of what their what the time check is and we're are looking at uh the they have already been through the 47 km Mark and they had a 52 2 second advantage over the Toyota specialized 91 team of vilana and Shephard with Lina jro and Haley PR 7 minutes and 20 down riding together almost together in fact just a just a short Gap to AA Loa and Alexa Scaro well this is the elite group the top two teams amona mitala is just 22 they're coming to the US usn Hydro point will get a split on them there uh and know what the Gap is back to the the specialized team very very shortly they are around about 62 km at morganoff Farm Mera and chardonay they won't be serving that at the usn order point but they do produce 40,000 cases of WI a year so they are very very prolific and this spare this spare teams getting up the climb here Mona mital just on her I mean as a as a young athlete she is quite extraordinary I mean she went through a year of winning every single under 23 uh 2021 every single under 23 world cup plus the world championships and then the marathon world championships all in the same year yeah and uh also in the World Cup it's actually that the U23 Riders they have their own category but she decided or she actually opted to um to skip that and um uh race with the um Elite or in the elite category because um this is where she sees her big goals also to win World Cup races within the elite category and uh to perform in this category and also as her buildup to the Olympics that would have helped her too and Olympics would be one of her big Peaks the Riders they've got to it's a it's a difficult campaign the 2024 year because they have the Olympics which will be for any athlete any any athlete in the world that'll be their main focus but also they have their trade team's obligations of performing at the World Cup cir and of course at the ABS pepic too the images of these Riders OBM around the world um and in no small way thanks to the Bulls media ebikes where we can get a Rider's eye view a unique ey view of uh of what the Riders are going through on the trails at the ABS epic all week so Jesse Nixon is on the Bulls media ebike Jesse riding behind a world champion I know it's quite the [Laughter] expense what's it looking like there Jesse the the pace what what's it feel there is quite a quite a steady Pace going at the moment um but interesting to see how it lasts we we looking at Mona mital at the back of this group here um what is what's what does she look like she she drifting off every night and again um relatively comfortable there is I think everyone's having their moments um their bad moments uh but everyone's h on at the moment we we talked about the conditions today the rain doesn't look as though the rain has made a huge difference to the the trail surface what is it what's it like not a mess to do some D um but is very mixed um to layer of the sound still a little bit D but under is just dust okay thanks very much to Jesse Nixon keeping an eye on the elite women the front end of the ARX women's category being led at the moment by Candice Lil with the ghost Factory racing the dominant team in this year's race in the chv orange jerseys tucked in as a team they've hardly left each other's wheel at any stage this week and then it is Mona mitala in the world champion the marathon world champions Jersey just behind Anna turra there the head of Jesse here is the chase group of Samara sheeper at the back the Oceana Champion that's the jersey she's wearing she's from New Zealand although based in Australia former runner in fact started out as a runner picked up some injuries and decided cycling would be the way to go and she's made a career out of that and ahead of her is Sophia Gomez viaan the Argentine based in California they have lost time that's for sure to the leading pair y Zara today definitely battled a bit um we saw earlier that uh sopia vfan had to um push Samara to give her like just to help a bit and trying to don't lose too much time but you also have to you can't push your partner on the whole stage and just also hoping that uh maybe it was just a bad moment and that Samar just recovers and finds her legs back and eating eating taking on a gel it looks like they're constantly difficult today so many trails so many single tracks to to you know feed regularly and consistently as much as you need to Big climb coming up now yeah always ideal to find maybe more flatter section um if it's too steep because like the jails you also have to actually to wash down so it means like first the jail then you also need to grab your bottle and if it gets too Steep and it's also can be can be a challenge yeah to swallow everything down wash it down still image there of our Leading Men and that tells you that becking and alaman are still in there the yellow jerseys still there the idas Valley Trails is where they are riding right now the dam below them on their right hand side they'll do a loop around the dam and get back onto the old Hells to pass and uh head up to that storm water drain which will take them underneath the new hell to pass and then onto the botus cop trials I mean that that tunnel it's oh you said it's a storm water that's a massive one it's a very big one yeah it it's been used before um and yeah it's it's an amazing feeling to ride through it uh it's pit it was pitch dark quite but they may have lit it put lights in there they've done that before in races and as you come out you see the uh the massive of the botas cop up there and you know where you going right you you you it's like yeah you actually ride in and it's it just it just lifted up and you you ask yourself where do I have to ride here is is there any way out of this other than up there yes and there isn't for these Riders they are heading up there a little bit further back our leading women's combinations here Lil just looking very steady smooth pedal Strokes by these top Riders well now if the uh if canadel Factory racing team want to keep their hopes alive a move by the we would expect a move by Mona mavala to overtake the ghost Factory racing team we've seen the ghost Factory racing team defending their positions on the trails firmly you could say and Mona meta really needs to get in front of them to if they want to put any kind of time into the into the we've said it many times before but what looks like the dominant pairing and very much in control and uh one thing that's ominous about a team that's totally in control and not on the limit is they make fewer mistakes and we know how catastrophic one mistake can be and if they've been able to to reduce the possibility of Mistakes by being in control just uh does send a big message to their Rivals and uh forall it would it would be great if uh if Nicole CER or anat toster showed any kind of weakness but so far nothing but I mean also for the ghost uh Factory racing team it just also we you know um if one of the uh the Canon the canale factory racing team um rers is in front of them and then behind them there's no way that anything would happen so they are yeah have to it's a controlled situation if MOA would yeah it would be definitely also helping uh if Mona would just trying also to make the move and get directly behind Candace L you you almost feel I mean that that 2 minutes and 51 we've got to climb up to the top of the bot of scope climb and then down the doctor you want to say there's your chance have a go your time is running out here we've got one more stage tomorrow um you you don't want to get to the end of the race and say well maybe if we yes I'm not feeling great but just have a go look it's it's also easy to say from here isn't it it's absolutely and I also just now thought I mean we don't know exactly how Mona felt this morning so she could still felt quite good yesterday but I mean it's another another day in in this long stage racing um and everybody everybody gets gets more tired and if you from your riding style if you put extra effort in with closing gaps and you you fall you drop a bit back and then you have to actually catch up again these are this is just extra loss in in in power or like where you lose your you say uh losing like little little grains or like you you just you you have to put in extra work and and extra power and they' just uh they just gone through the escalator section as they just get on to one of the more flatter sections as they approach the uh they going to head towards the 50 let's have a look here around about the 60 km Mark they should be they should be out it it it's just get the feeling that maybe Candace is keeping looking at that Tempo very sort of relative L comfortable Tempo in order to give Mona every opportunity to uh to stay with the group and stay at this face but also I mean it's uh the way we're riding now I mean it's also for Candace very difficult to communicate with Mona or just if it's like small you know just to to to get a a fe a feeling how she feels to get an idea of that and uh so she's in a way now just riding a pace and she she also doesn't know really could she maybe ride a bit harder uh because Mona is just back and uh yeah this is it's like I said if if Mona would be directly behind her then the two could in little bit of communication 27ks to go in the women's race yeah just over 60k bad news for the canyon CD team uh the team that are currently fourth place overall in general classification and a mechanical and perhaps a disastrous one we see the Frantic movements of riders that know that the head of the field is tearing up the trails and away from them as Nino shter pass by no that's uh becking that's becking Alan we have to understand they have they have been in the lead becking alaman were in the lead group and now uh and sealt and stman were off the back and uh so that is very uh like mechan mechanical are affecting everyone we'll need to get back to the front end of the field soon to see where the yellow jerseys are but in our estimation the yellow jerseys would be alone if that's the case if we saw the third place team on the stage was the Canyon City team they had issues and they've just been passed by Buff meamo we didn't catch exactly what happened it means that those are the top three teams on the stage and looks like they've got their work cut out for them if they want to chase back and get back in touch with the yellow jerseys who by our understanding right now on the trails they could well be in the lead of the stage and looking for another stage when mattf and Howard GRS just uh above the idas valley Dam there on a little bit of single track there's they they're riding a very short sector of of single track above the Idis Valley Dam there and that's looks like where that mechanical happened for one of first SE TOS so we're coming also very soon to um to the water point at um the old H sof road so where we definitely also would then um get a bit better idea um what happened or or how far actually they got thrown back so this is a look back at the terrain over morati Farm lots of people there now we're on the old Hells who to pass sector a short sector here and then they will be through that storm water drain unfortunately we are finding it difficult to bring you consistent pictures from out on the route in these conditions we appreciate very very difficult that is Simmons BG Mountain on the in the picture there and that with the cloud over it tells you that uh it is pretty tricky here to bring you regular and consistent uh images it is the 20th edition of the absap Epic and we've be reflecting back on previous editions this in 2012 the slopes of miral and the finish of the prol at the very top of the mountain what an opportunity live broadcast from the top of the mountain views for days and images that roll back the years this is a Kristoff salza bar ster together in 2012 the scenes from the mirelle time trial the prologue and uh the dustiness characterizing the region in durbanville and the conditions Fierce as they tackled uh the trails on the way and in this Edition they visited the uh the town of Robertson Caden Oak Valley and finishing in the lenford wi State C Modo there Dawning the exaro Jersey you saw the rider throwing his bike at the fence he had famously been uh missed a Time cut off and uh deeply frustrated through his bike at the the gate which had been closed after him exaro were introduced and made a huge impact and they are still with us here it is fantastic EST suus and S bigam were dominant in this stage race saw them in their red jerseys the leaders red jerseys as they uh really showed almost no weakness throughout the week that's uh 2012's women's Podium and Carl plat will he play second fiddle to the late great bar ster and Kristoff saza Bart Brenin winning the Masters and there's the mix and the great images of ster and SAA second Victory and s's third what a combination sadly that was to be bar st's last at K epic went on to finish fifth at the Olympic Games in that year this is stos and kenberg Fields awaiting the leaders in stage number six which is proving to be another dramatic one we've seen a mechanical it happened on the trail to the uh Canyon City pair and with them are the pair of buff megao hunt becking and V alaman now this is the pair making their way along the little section of the Goddess Trail they're coming going to emerge from it now and they are in fact Bing becking and alaman someway off the leaders there they are so it looks like rabensteiner and poro are now in the lead with the the yellow jerseys well there's been a real change through that idas Valley section something has turned this race on its head so ravenstein and poro of the willia Victoria team and for the yellow jerseys uh well that's the split time at 76 kilm Canyon City 47 seconds back together with buff Mega KC Mega KC now 148 with we saw that happening when Roa and swinger lost contact with each other they've rolled back to ride together at Canyon City with the mechanical and buff meamo are riding 47 seconds behind this lead group and making their way up the botos cor climb which will take them to the start of a trail they're heading into a single track now in past years they would turn left and head straight up that road very very steep climb but since uh the last time they went up there they've built this wonderful Trail the goddess Trail they're on it now so Raven Steiner and porro well they've found their legs when it matters most at the end of the week it looks like it and uh we'll have to see exactly what happened down on the trails when we hear speak to the riders in the interviews after they've finished get an idea of what happened over those vus those Idis Valley Trails but they will be getting very soon into the cvet it looks like they've already they've gone through the they through that g through the CV and now they're on the B time yeah so just to uh if we we don't know what happened down in the idas valley but we do have of course our daily highlights U show every night and every you can see that and we have cameras out on the root that are recording um images that are not you're not seeing live so they may well have captured uh what happened out there and you'll able to see that tonight in our highlight show obviously the Riders will explain at the end of the stage as well but a good day so far for willia Victoria Victoria racing here and just behind them Howard grz and uh Matthew beers well they'll be delighted with the way that's panning out right now because will Victoria are they virtually in fifth place on this stage on the on in the race at the moment because orer were lying ahead of them they out of the race so will in fifth place but they were over 27 minutes a drift of the yellow jerseys so no threat to the yellow jerseys in terms of General classification no threat indeed and uh with the willia Victoria team riding with them at the very front and Matt beers and Howard gr similar position just letting just defending that position on the trail and keeping the willia Victoria team well under control riding 47 seconds back off the pace today on the trail is Canyon City and there cooperating cooperating with buff megao hunts Bing and V alaman even though that third spot in the overall GC is very much up for grabs with just around about 3 minutes in that between the two teams and fifth on the trail KMC one minute 48 seconds and looking a bit down the trail where we really where our eyes really want to go is to is to find out where World bicycle relief are and they have lost just under 4 minutes 3 minutes and 57 seconds to to the front of the field which means that if we look at the buff meamo and the canyon CD if you're looking at the second and third spot on the overall Podium they are losing time for them so that second spot on the podium for World bicycle relief looks under threat and just those incidents that we didn't quite catch on C we didn't catch on camera I'd be able to give you information as to exactly what happened and uh we got a clue of what happened earlier in the stage the cause of that Gap Nino shter with some dirt on his right side small mistake and a crash but also these two um V Alan and H becking there must also have been some something must have happened because um they also have been a bit ahead so and but now we also could manage uh because we we have been with Andrea seal and with Mark stutzman together and now we pulled away from the two they're obviously strong on the day and they'll be looking to uh erased that disadvantage whatever happened to them whether it was mechanical it's going to be you telling we're going to look on their jerseys luckily they're wearing white jerseys or luckily for us they wearing more or less light colored jerseys were able to see if they have indeed had a crash and if not it could well have been another mechanical and panning back to the trail to Canyon cidd Andreas sealt Mark schutzman the former world champion Andreas sealt wearing the colors of Germany denoting the national championships of Jersey we've got the rainbow bands on his sleeves as a former world champion and Mark schutzman winner of the 2023 Swiss epic great performance from Mark schutzman and he's wearing the Swiss national championships Jersey and Willer Victoria Factory team are on the charge rabensteiner and poro well-known exponents of the race we've seen them year after year coming back in various states of Livery and this year they're riding under the banner of willia Victoria Factory same trade team and the Italian very much an Italian team although we have seen likes of Daniel GM riding with him Daniel GM was at the front of the field earlier on in the day riding with his partner yakob doragon key moment here because they're coming up to a section of single track and uh from now on pretty much single track all the way uh until the bottom of the mountain so uh this is they want to get ahead I can tell you what the specialized team but they haven't been able to get past the willia team so rabensteiner and porro are on this single track there's a brief section of road at the end of this piece of single track but it's going to be a single track climb all the way to the top of the doctor and rabensteiner who's in his eighth absap epic and poro in his sixth they've got rich experience here and well The Man Behind is the very very impressive Howard GRS a three time uh winner of the Leadville 100 one of the great races in the United States and uh behind him is Matt beers very experienced campaigner on the mountain bike circuit and now on the gravel circuit Howard GRS and very much in touch with uh with the lead and uh able to control the pace of of willia Victoria and back we saw the Frantic chasing of hunts becking and Bart alaman and shortly behind them Andreas celt and Mark schutzman Matt Bez just keeping an eye on Affairs as well just on this climb this climb isn't particularly steep does reach gradients of around about 12 133% but mainly around about 6 or 7% and not completely not totally challenging for the Riders couple of uh tricky technical sections um some rough sections uh I happened to ride this section last night and uh it's all completely surmountable and uh the larger Riders should have no problem keeping up with the with the pure climbers the pure climber of course and the larger Rider I'm referring to happen to be on the same trade team and they happen to be on the same team at the moment in the race they are riding in fantastic combination two different styles of riders or types of riders one a climber you could say and the other a very powerful Rider would be at home on the flats they have found their group and they coordinating brilliantly and we get a glimpse of hping and about alement down the trails they are looking to close that 47 second Gap behind them are Canyon City meanwhile up ahead it's Willie Victoria going up the the cork screw section there a dozen switch backs here as they make their way up at the side of the mountain stalos trail fund have done an incredible job in building these Trails on BOS cop over the years they've really put time effort and money into creating a playground here and the Riders can come and enjoy these Trails anytime just get a permit and uh come and join you can get a winelands mounted by Club permit just for this region if you want or for the entire winelands region which will cover you fromo all the way out to Pal tilb and Wellington and you can ride every single Trail there this is a lovely piece of Trail we can see the Gap there that the Mega team have already put into the canyon CD team there are four teams in contention for a stage win and uh the it looks like those top three spots on the podium are going to go to willia Victoria Factory resurgent in the latter half of the race ravenstein and porro as has typified their campaigns in previous years and Toyota specialized 91 second on the trails right now right in touch with the Italians and buff Meo third little section of Trail here and ravenstein and poro doing a grand job here and keeping themselves at the sharp end there's not much opportunity once they get to the top of this Trail a couple of meters and they hook very sharp right down into the uh trail that is the doctor and that'll be plummeting down to the base of this mountain I at botos cop in two 300 years ago boatman's head it uh is called or was named after they used to post sentries on the top of this mountain and look for boats coming in a table Bay that is the doctor the entrance to the doctor section Trail now very very tight corner there and uh while they were able to get in the willia Victoria Factory to head down is named after uh the man who started the stos trail fund Dr Richard dilas who created the stos trail fund initially just to tidy up and create a trail down the Yer River in town but it is has grown incredibly under his guidance initially and now under the guidance of os and Holden Marshall and it is about hiking walking and mountain biking creating spaces for safe spaces for the people who come to Stell Bosch and the residents to enjoy and these trails are certainly part of them sadly Dr Richard dilas passed away in 2022 at the fearfully young age of 55 and then the Riders hit actually the trail um Howard GRS tried to actually get in between the devilious Victoria team um but yeah didn't manag to so the two uh Italians are here in the lead and chasing down this Trail I did a quick and formal time check and these aren't official of course but uh the buff megao team are around about 35 seconds back as they hit the top section of that trail on this downhill section the doctor section it's a single track part of the trail and uh not particularly challenging couple of uh corrugations as they head down with one or two slightly Rocky sections but nothing to worry about for the top mountain bikers in the world as they head down the trails and uh looks like the Willer Victoria team are highly motivated perhaps taking just the odd risk on the downhill section they are lying way further back than the uh the team that has all to lose including the yellow jerseys and uh so Toyota specialized 91 have a 27 minute and 24 second advantage over ravenstein and poro so they'll be content to let them take the risks even if it means sacrificing a stage win they'd rather preserve the bigger prize the bigger prize being those yellow jerseys the yellow ch to Le his jerseys and that is the primary objective going into the race going into race week and also the primary objective today we see a bit of a gap developing between por rabensteiner pairing and Matt beers and Howard GS Matt beers at the back of this head the lead the lead group the front of the field and just uh riding conserv taking the conservative because even though these trails are not necessarily the most technical that they have encountered just a bit of extra speed speed or a bit too much speed around any of these Corners a slip could mean a disastrous mechanical or disastrous injury so the Toyota specialized 91 team would be best just played safe played conservative and look keep their eyes on the bigger prize it's a lovely long descent rehabed recently by the Ace of Spades Bennett Nell and uh plenty of cooperation and help from other Trail build builders in the area uh the likes of Cory Miller and Conrad stals and many others so they really upgraded something special it's given a new lease on life to botas Corp which for many years was an area that wasn't really explored on the on the bikes flying down they get into the so just before they head into the suburbs of Stella Bosch they'll turn left at the park and then onto the to roads and we are really close to the Finish now this is getting very very close to the Finish but a little kicker a little bit of a kicker just before the Finish as they come in towards kenberg will be an opportunity for perhaps a team to put some uh put a drive in here is Will Victoria thir specialized 91 on the trails down this is the lowest section of the uh doctor Trail right to the bottom and then they'll hook a left drag up and one more little bit of fun to be had in the forest at the top of the uh uni [Music] park there they are it looks like that Gap is very much under control just the speed always uh gives a bit of an illusion of a gap developing mat and Howard GRS look like they could well be uh in contention for that stage after all and still their objective remains is the overall prize and if they see the Italians just getting a little bit too exuberant on the trails a little bit too many risks they will certainly back off the maturity of the uh two-time champion in fact the defending Champion Matt beer he knows what it takes to win this race and it's not uh not moments of Glory necessarily he will rather foro that for uh for the overall prize that to say they are on the gas completely and and willia voria are putting maximum pressure down they can smell another stage win Raven Steiner would be looking for his fourth stage win at the ABS epic and uh unfortunately for him he is a one down off Ravens of porro stage win record from by our records I am in fact I'm incorrect Samuel por is only won one stage and Raven has won three stages so between them they will uh they are looking very much to win yet put another one on their palarz becking this is becking and alement and they go they actually close the gap quite a bit huh they are they're going becking and becking and alaman they're coming to the bottom of the trail now and uh yeah it's one of those sort of trails you just want to go fast on it and uh you just saw becking just unting for a moment there so 1 minute and 4 seconds at 82 k as we close in on the finish of this stage number six here in stalos and becking looking to push Alan let's get to the top of this another little descent coming and then onto the tar roads across the bridge that they the the river that they crossed when they left selos this morning and closing in on the home straight but very technical finish as Sabine has alluded to that will demand some clever positioning by the races as they move to the Finish yeah in this case definitely it's worth to have also look for the Finish to know what what comes um especially if you're um if it's also a new place like um we moved yesterday from Wellington here to stellies and um it definitely is worth to look have a look close look for the Finish beers and gr having a chat look at this Trail this is the handywork of uh a man called Conrad stals an eight-time exteror world champion the caveman Trails recently built here he lives just a road away from these trails and he's created some real fun jumps and burms for locals to enjoy and for the very best in the world right under Conrad's Digger and they hooked left here and the head for the t Road beautiful stuff nice way to finish the trail section of today's stage stage number six so so the Riders elect for a beline there just it's all about taking no risks the uh for many of these Riders it's these trails are unseen and that is one of the Arts of M of marathon stage racing especially mountain bike especially stage racing is that many trails are un scene and not like very much unlike the cross country Riders who get a chance to wcky the course and almost have the entire course memorized and we get a a chance to ride with the Riders get another great Riders eye view what it's like to tackle these trails around St but we definitely know that noo sh has done these Trails also what what he what we just saw now and uh he knows also if there's a gap jump how to clear or how much speed he needs to get over these jumps getting down to the end of BOS and Dal Road this is and back onto the dirt shortly this is the way they came out they know where they're going now Ravin Diner and por been caught by the yellow jerseys they had a little bit of a gap no longer beers and grots have hatched a plan they had a quick chat as they hit the to Road there they've got a plan here to see if they can claim another stage win and you can bet they want the stage win this is River Cross yep the river crossing now it's going to be a little bit of a climb a Switchback climb over the river this is also the way they came out but it's uh it's yeah it's it's still quite quite steep um uh the finish uh before it actually gets in this very tricky single track uh directly in um in front of the Finish they'll be climbing from this section just as they cross over they climb up and then they'll take a left turn up another steep climb a couple hundred meters nothing for these uh for these professionals and so just a tiny blip on the profile but this could be the point at which there could be a slight weakness we saw the team of willia Victoria and yes indeed the team of the yellow Jersey where is the strongest team in the race so far as is proven by their Chita leaders jerseys and they have created a big gap back to a back to the Victoria so of course it's the the team of Raven Steiner and Samuel aoro just get a bit glimpse of which of them is I falling back poros with the the the two men up front in the yellow jerseys and I think this is rabensteiner who's battling up there it's a steep little kicker and then another one as they go they'll get to the crest of this little Hill they'll turn left now and head up this as you said Neil a couple hundred meters of open dirt road but that's renin ravenstein it is ravenstein so he por behind so that is uh disappointment for the willia Victoria pair have they got it in them to close the gap well there's a steep section here and then they do turn left so there's more steep CL more of a steep climb to come as we said just a small blip on the profile but significant when it comes to uh racing at this end of the field well race stage defining just in terms of winning this stage it looks like here for Toyota specialized 91 ravenstein has rolled back to get give poro his wheel to try and measure the their efforts up here it doesn't look far good team good teamwork from these two these guys are they well known for their morale and there is symbiosis in fact there are four team members in the team and you could trade any of them out at any time depending on their form and they would work all work together as or equally well but uh proving that the best team combination the strongest team and the strongest Riders of the race are Matt beers and Howard grotz at the very front of the field they pushed on the pedals and almost in moments they created a gap back to willia Victoria Factory and they are on track for their second stage win their first stage win was yesterday and they are certainly showing their dominance in the race and a minute down on the stage vout alaman and Hans becking fantastic day out if we were to look at the Jersey of hunt becking he is slightly dirty we have to just see what happened out there in the trails that could just be uh we completely unsure but just seeing some dirt on his back might give us a clue as to what happened to them on the Idis Valley Trails well they hanging in they've dug deep today they made a lot of the pace early on so did they Raven Steiner and poro they still climbing up that little section of dirt road the Finish they could they they no doubt can hear the Finish because it's so so close they'll come very very close to it as they go around this what they call in these parts the B it's used by Runners Walkers dog walkers joggers and Riders every day hundreds and hundreds of them getting above the town meanwhile beers and GRS are putting it down as they close in on the Finish there's that very tight little right hander they'll make into the final bit of Trail and they will know that trail and will be thankful that they're not under immense pressure just yet we just saw on the rosendal time check that 82 km World bicycle relief have passed through their 5 minutes and 23 seconds down Nina sh and Sebastian finny are losing a lot of time to their Rivals uh Matt beers and Howard grz they were close they were 257 going into the stage back off the team of Toyota specialized 91 we did expect to see a big battle and that battle has played out and Nino Sho are losing further time 523 on the stage well buff Meo are the ones to benefit from that and that's why they charging they know they can still put time into will bicycle relief that's how it looks that's how close it's going to be the virtual leaderboard right now we did expect to see a battle between Canyon CD and buff mega mo Canyon CD on the upswing throughout the week great performance in the last two stages and uh relatively difficult time for buff megao buff megao are back on it and uh back in the mix when it comes to their assault on the overall General classification third spot looks just a little bit more secure for the Dutch Ryder and the uh Belgian storming to a stage wi here it seems are Matthew bear and Howard grz the Finish just below them on the fields of Salos University's kenberg and the team the the winningest outfit the winningest trade team in the history of the race in 20 years the Toyota specialized Factory racing team uh well the the specialized Factory racing team in various states of Li Livery throughout the years but it is still the same trade team the same outfit that lends the support the backup support to the top riders in the world and the their their infrastructure their backup and of course their selection of riders and their combination of riders has proved uh that they are the pretty much the team to watch the team to look out for always every year at the race they are by default the favorites no matter who's coming it's the favorite team to watch and their backup support will be watching closely and listening in closely as to how they're do doing and also listening closely will be the coach of Matthew beers and South African John Wakefield and you'll be relieved to see yet another fantastic performance of his star athlete this is the last bit of Trail and uh this is loose and tricky with those little logs that create a hiking trail and they've got to be just a little bit careful here no problem at all but if uh if it were come coming down to a Sprint or a bunch in here it would be very very uh tricky but no problem at all for Matt beers and Howard grotz they're doing the legacy of the trade team the specialized toyot specialized 91 team uh high value here they've got this in hand and a storming win a second in the in a row for Matt beers and hard gel drop onto the field it is a home win if you like for specialized this is the base for specialized the brand here in southern Africa Matt beers and Howard Gratz are smiling and so they should two in a row they firm their grip on those yellow jerseys it's victory number 11 for beers and number three for Howard grotz and number two in this race for the pair as they are now in the box seat as the favorites to win this race another superb performance by them great win and one could say it was a home win for them with the sou African headquarters in stellos the world headquarters in Morgan Hill in California but certainly a spiritual headquarters for the for the uh the American brand and a fantastic performance by the Italian team Willer Victoria Factory ravenstein and poro always always coming good in the latter half of race week in the history of the race and great moment for the Italian team ravenstein and poro yet another stage win well second place for them and they are they'll be delighted with that because they've had a tough old week now here comes the becking and alaman yeah we definitely also um made their way to the finish and we now we have actually put an onboard um impression how this Trail looks and it's off Camp but you have these locks and it's yeah I guess also for for um for tomorrow's stage where we have the same finish so it's definitely going to get quite loose um if the ride is coming in and it's super important to be the first team uh the first team who hits section this little Trail before the Finish yes you don't want to come into this in a bunch it could be very very tricky indeed a little Leander onto the AL of play Fields here at stellos University and vout alaman and Hunt becking are giving it everything because they have motivation here to move up on the general classification they third at the moment uh 8 minutes and 43 behind the elers but importantly just under four minutes ahead of Canyon cidi who are chasing now and they also trying to close the gap to World bicycle relief they started the day just under 5 minutes behind them so they are really motivated to put time into Nino shter and his partner Sebastian finny as Andrea Cal and Mark stutzman finish their stage in fourth place let's go down to the finish with Bart and today's stage winners culations congratulations another statement in the yellow Jersey yeah yeah that worked out perfectly I think we played played it safe Roe steady and it paid off how was it today in the cool conditions yeah it was good uh it was quite an easy day for the most part I think everyone's quite tied and uh so the pace was kind of on off a little bit but yeah I knew we could do something at the end here um The Climb suits Howard and I just have to kind of suffer as much as I can really Victoria team they pushed hard but I did they didn't they expect that last little climb before the Finish you dropped them easily over there um yeah I think the one guy was uh don't know his name apologies Sam Samuel Sam yeah um he was struggling a little bit on the switch back so Howard we kind of knew that he was on the edge and uh yeah we just attacked so there you go and the the real BC relief didn't have their best day they lost a lot of time yeah but it's not over there's still one more day to to focus and how was it on the trails today ah they were really nice Trails yeah like perfect weather to to ride them felt like a jungle and how is it to come here with so many Spectators is it a small Grand Finale yeah yeah you can tell that that the hype is building for for the end of this race good luck for tomorrow's race well the thoughts of Matt beers and Howard grz they sensed a weakness in s poro going up the cork screw climb early on and as they hit the road they hch that plan attack on the next climb and it paid off handsomely Nino sh and Sebastian finy charging to the finish here losing time yeah Nino is I think he's pretty much aware that uh they lost quite some time and the last virtual leaderboard uh there was it actually eight minutes so in between we had again lost quite some some time and uh yeah I mean uh I'm wondering if it would be still on the second pos position I doubt well it's it's going to be very very close I think they were just under six minutes behind at least ahead of buff Meo uh and buff megao finished 150 behind we'll do the calculations the human computer alongside me Neil will do it all as as he's talking well this is all pen and paper stuff but uh would the time check there were 319 back look at the overall General classification so they still had a 5 minute 25 advantage over buff meamo the world bicycle relief team lying in second still so it it's it will be touch and go but uh if it's close it's close but there's still a cracker stage tomorrow and that could be highly decisive we see there Nino sh had his foot out just shows how on the limit they're riding and how they really are trying all they can to minimize the time loss and still a fantastic performance from Sebastian fin Nino shter we did say see some um Earth on the side of Nino sh's Tri on his on his bib shorts on the right side of him um and it could allude to the fact that there was a rare mistake very rare mistake from the 10 time world champion it's going to be so so close for their position in the general classification second place buff meamo are the team waiting to see they were third today 150 behind Toyota specialized at 91 but crucially now it looks like World bicycle relief will be close on 6 minutes behind the overall leaders today uh the difference was around 6 minutes to B Meo let's see shter and Finny finishing off what has been a tough day for the world bicycle relief pair they will roll across the line in ninth place today and the time Gap will will deter very shortly to the third place team that's the key 625 they finished finished behind to to specialized 91 so they are a long way off the pace let's go down to here from poro and ravenstein is second today Fabian congratulations second place are you happy yeah thank you really happy yeah I feel again really strong also some feel much better day by day now so we try something but uh yeah we had a small or S had a small crash in the middle of the race so we had to catch back really hard and this cost a lot of energies and in the end maybe this was the the factor what cost the maybe the win was it that slippery in the beginning I mean not uh I like this kind of ground because uh it's quite uh better than the sand one I I mean I I crash because sand not because uh because mad but yeah as I said was uh quite hard to come back uh but we can be happy because uh we can stay in the front in the lead of the race all day long so it's good to come back after the first days and some illness uh the past two days you did a lot of work you pushed hard for for a long time but did you have to pay for that at the end there was still a long a little climb coming yeah I mean uh the specialized guys are are quite strong and they can't control all day all day long because you know they are the leader and they have not to do nothing in the front the head of the race Canyon attack buff attack we chasing and they stay quite easy on the wheel you you you saw they are quite comfortable there so at at least when when they attack on the last climb they they was super strong so for me they was uh too much and how was it to come here with all the spectators tomorrow is ground finale but this was also a a ground finale yeah it's a really special uh I I mean it's quite similar than the the grand finale and yeah if more tomorrow comes more people than today then it will be a really big party I think one more stage tomorrow thank you good luck thank you yes great turnout down at the the finish at the kenberg stadium kenberg fields of the stellos community and uh people from outside of town coming to uh uh welcome in the Riders and enjoy the energy that surrounds this incredible event the race Village and the camper vans that it is something quite extraordinary so will will Victoria Factory in fifth place on GC today remember Ora Le speed company dropping out of the race and that is gayor eggar just rolling across the line now on his own sadly for them they are no longer part of the race in terms of a team they are just a solar Rider G G let's hear from becking and Alam B Mega H backing V Alon a crazy day yeah it was quite fun actually uh not that hot today and yeah full gas and we had like we said was all in for us and even though I had a smoke crash and I fled in the front and he got some like some grass in the cassette so we had to stop Jay go to the front J so it was not a perfect day but still we we could show ourselves that we are here not for just right around and we are also on the podium again and we're super happy and like we found the momentum back and again tomorrow the same tactic I guess so it was not that we didn't see everything on TV but you had some you had a few times to stop to uh to chase again yeah it was crazy I think I think everybody is uh tired and we're making more mistakes than in the beginning of the week and uh yeah but we we find some good LS again today and we we tried to go for the win but finally we made a little bit too much uh mistakes to do it but uh yeah super happy with another Podium and uh I'm happy that we are back in the game and second in GC also wellow that's I think so I'm not sure they they just arrived but I thought ah so we have some drama for tomorrow some excitement it's never over till it's over exactly tomorrow at around 12:00 it's over until then we focus and give all we have how was it to come here with so many uh fans already on the grand stand it's amazing yeah always here in salambo it's really nice and then especially for the last days I love to come here and also the trails here are really are really nice we enjoyed it well it's another a big day with a lot of trills and Rain like it I expect serious rain what I heard Yeah the more the better let's see good luck and have fun tomorrow thank you thank you seldom not smiling are they the buff Mega mop Balan and Hunt becking and this is the women's race now on the old hell H pass and it's one of the very oldest passes in the south in South Africa they seem to think that early on elephants used it as a path over the mountains here and so they built the roads over it over the years and now this old pass has been is usurped by the new pass which is just above it on the right hand side they're still able to ride up this and they're heading in towards that storm water drain here Sabine There's an opportunity here for canadel factory racing surely yeah but are they get to take it it's so tight look at that look at I mean it's like a group right yeah so they they in a way now Candace and uh actually Mona she also needs to show Candace come now I'm I'm ready let's let's let's try it um to in a way getting at least a bit of Gap and break away up to Bosman cop to these trails and uh then the final single Trail down um but at the moment it just it doesn't look like you cannot think that an tsta and Nicol cola have been so Rock Solid this whole week they are just going to head under the hellz to Cal it you can see on there underneath the uh a new Hells hook pass uh that was built in the 1970s the old pass goes back to 1854 but uh they're going to go underneath the storm water drain now and then onto the trails of botas cop that long drag as you can see all the way up to the top of the doctor doctor which will bring him to the Finish there's the exit Point well that storm water dra doesn't look very big from here does it but uh you can see people standing on the top looking down and they'll see them coming going into it let's go to the finish and here from Nino shter was quite slippery came a bit too fast in one of the corners and then slipped but uh it was all good it was uh quick back on the bike was that because you lost a bit of time no no no it was quite slippery in the morning uh so I just had a little little crash nothing uh nothing bad no today midstage realized it's it's not enough um so we need to focus uh on second place and uh also not to burn ourself it's uh in three weeks the World Cup starts and we don't want to if we saw we saw that we can't we don't have a chance to fight for the for the victory today so the second place in JC is still there and tomorrow one more stage is that the goal to stay there or to win another stage win the ground finale for sure be nice to to win to win tomorrow but we need to see how we recover uh today was for sure a hard day uh and yeah it would be nice to get second uh in the GC uh we will for sure battle for that good luck tomorrow thank you somewhat somewhat fatigue looking uh you know sure have been a tough day and I think the the last week is yeah takes a toll on even the greatest of all time that's what it does the ABS pepic the greatest one of the most experienced rider uh in the entire field and also the the winningest for sure Nino shter and with two titles two ABS epic titles already to his name and uh just word from The Unofficial time check is that uh World bcore e are still in second place on the overall General classification but it is close buff meamo are 10 minutes and 33 back so let's call it a 1 minute and 11 11 seconds behind the world bicycle relief team Canyon CD also breathing down their necks for that for that third spot on overall 13 minutes and 57 seconds down quite a bit more but we do expect to see a big battle some drama Huns becking said it there's going to be some drama going into the final stage and uh although Toyota specialized 91 have a comfortable lead of 9 minutes and 22 seconds and we expect to see that second and third spot on overall General classification to be fought for tooth and nail fifth spot inheriting that spot will vorio Factory a great day out today 28 minutes back and uh still further down the field at 42 minutes back 42 minutes and 23 back singer racing of stj and Hartman what we are going to see today is a change I think in the uh the African ABS African jerseys because the our leaders in that category P Euro steal Philip base and Peter D toy uh we haven't seen them yet come through the finish line and they came through the the 82 km Mark 21 minutes down and they have leaked nearly 15 14 minutes to Valley Electrical tit racing who have finished so that may well change Meanwhile we're on the botus cop trails with Mona mval and Candace Lil now they Candace Lil is still sitting behind the ghost the ghost Factory team and Mona lost a bit of touch or the contact to the Free Riders uh ahead well it's a long week for the 22-year-old for sure and the fatigue May well be setting in they've had an intense week all the struggling in the early the Early week heat especially on the pro so that she was actually seeing she was shivering on the downhills and overheating on the uphills and uh not a great start if you're looking to launch your assault and uh especially as the favorite team going into the race would hate to say it was a Darkhorse Team Ghost Factory racing knowing their pedigree knowing the Firepower knowing that the had the backup support that they had and the fact that they also have ridden a lot in South Africa already having won the Tanga Trek in 2023 the ghost Factory racing team have shown that they are worthy of favorite status canid Factory racing we expected to see a lot of them and they haven't disappointed R running the ghost Factory racing team tooth and nail but showing a sign of weakness one of the early signs of first real signs of weakness on Mona met let's go back to the finish the basan finy is with Bart Brin suffering a bit more I think stage wasn't it I mean gas from the beginning Fair close to the podium and uh like every day we go uh full gas I mean and today I couldn't keep up after I think 50k so uh I had to to slow down and uh and and we had to do our own pace uh so yeah we lost some time in the GC still second overall uh I think 1 minute and 10 till the third place so it's still good but uh you know when you're here you want to win but uh today I didn't have more I gave everything so I'm still proud and uh I'm really happy to have Nino as a teammate to to bring me to the finish line and tomorrow is the grand finale that's another actually very special stage and if you can win something like that there must be something amazing yeah for sure tomorrow we we'll go for it it's a short one it suits us a little bit better uh but let's see what we have in the tank uh it has been a long and hard week so far yeah definitely it's been it's been a long one but I really enjoyed every day so far so hopefully I enjoy tomorrow as well and and uh we can finish on a high have a good recovery and then see you tomorrow at the start again thank you George not the way how you would finish up k b no totally not yeah um so yesterday Lucas already struggled with his stomach and I think today it got even worse yeah I think he could not fuel properly or he tried but uh in the end I think nothing uh no carbohydrates came into to his body so if your stomach is not working yeah it's h quite complicated and so yeah he tried hard Lucas uh till the first TCH Zone but I think we were almost the last team at that Tech Zone point and then we decided that Lucas will quit and uh yeah I just tried to rad on ride on so actually I felt quite well it's towards the end but uh yeah it's a race with uh two compet competitors and I mean yeah in the end it's also like for the whole team it's a bit disappointing but um in the end it's just a race and we we try again and uh yeah it's it's a bit of pill uh to get but um yeah in the end uh we we continue and we try again it shows even more if you could have won like you did two years ago uper K how how much it means for for the team for for yourself and to do it like that you mean if you have won again or no no that that you won up that it means so much I mean that the big breakthrough for our team totally I mean the media attention on that event is quite big uh they are the best Riders competing and yeah that was our our biggest success so far and yeah it's a bit unfortunate that we cannot uh yeah go on on that level but I mean there are a lot of races coming um I try to go for Olympics and try my best in Cross Country um I mean yeah the level is also quite high in Germany now with Luca but um yeah uh Luca's bom probably will do some gravel races and uh there's a lot of lot of things to come so we try to yeah keep our mind fresh and uh go on as soon as possible but you will continue tomorrow you do another stage tomorrow yeah I will I will finish it yeah uh fifth place an amazing performance yes today was uh really good last three day three days we both were sick so and today we both felt good and tomorrow this morning we said let's go for it and and uh yeah I think it went better than we expected I mean yeah battling with the best Riders of the world if you are sick it's absolutely not possible but how did you survive in these last uh three four days when you didn't feel good yeah we took it a bit easier when we uh felt that we had no energy we yeah there's nothing you can do just uh take care of yourself and uh try to eat and hope it get better and then today finally uh have some power again it's not it's not easy if you don't feel healthy and you have to survive that is even harder than racing like you did today and then finishing on the fifth place yeah yeah today I thought thought it was pretty easy Racing for me those was suffering a bit more I think but uh yeah yeah we were very close to the podium and uh but fifth is also really nice I mean tomorrow is the G final how it's called nice drills uh what's left for you guys so tomorrow we uh we try one more time it's uh we know the the whole route for tomorrow we have written it so uh we'll see we go f guys but yeah this is this is amazing already so uh this saves our Cape epic I think and uh we really enjoy it today and tomorrow we see what's happening is a Podium possible tomorrow yeah we hope so we just go full gas and then we uh we'll see where we end up good luck for tomorrow thank you yeah till now great day for the KMC team also team who spent a lot of time out in South Africa training and preparing for their years they did a lot of those Beach races in the Netherlands as well in the winter but Tim spinger there the former Dutch national champion on the right and yeah they've had a great day a great day for them and uh here it is in the official timing results for the stage stage six and Matthew beers and Howard gr yet another stage win for the South African and the American Toyota specialized 91 coming absolutely really showing their dominance in the race and the defending champion and the 2018 Champion showing that they are worthy of those Chita leaders jerseys Fabian ravenstein a fantastic performance from him and Sam poer in second spot just over 40 seconds down and hun becking and V alaman holding on to that third spot over we looked we thought it would be under threat From the Canyon CD team but not to be the podium on stage six the first finish in stalos first of two grand finale tomorrow and a fantastic day out for all these teams but in third place a battling day you heard the issues that they had out on the trail Balan the European champion and alongside him backing the champion of the Netherlands in the marathan discipline and on the left hand side finishing second their best result of the week willia Victoria Factory in second place today sell poro and Fabian ravenstein they were in the mix until the last climb because this pair Matthew beers and Howard gr sense the weakness and went for the jugular and took their second stage win in a row national champion of South Africa and Howard grz the 2018 winner here on a former American champion lovely to have them on the top step again in the yellow jerseys as well which they'll receive very very shortly hugely impressive end to the week for beers and GRS truly International uh international field on the podium and at the very top of the podium Matt beers a local Rider knowing these Trails very well and uh there is such a great blend here with the the local knowledge the local the local trails and the international field we we saw Tim schmeer wearing wearing a cap with a local Shamy cream brand so clearly all integrating and it's uh the local the international Riders come and they really they want to know all about what the trails are like and it's not just what the trails are like but just understand a little bit about the community of mountain biking and we certainly he in the hot bed of mountain biking stellos is one of the uh one of the attraction points not just for the community but the entire world stepping up onto the podium to receive the yellow jerseys once again Matt beers and Howard gr broad smiles from the toot specialized 91 team they'll be immensely proud of their achievement so far as will the entire Southern African specialized team here based in stellos on a farm just outside of town here uh they'll have a full crew of people out there and uh tomorrow I'm sure we'll be cheering them all the way around and holding thumbs that it stays together for them tomorrow on the grand toal stage day of course stos hosted a World Cup here in 2018 on these very slopes of kenberg and they'll be exploring quite a bit of that trail tomorrow as well as they come to the finish that is uh for tomorrow this is for today the women's race now is coming to a conclusion mon mitala is now on the back wheel of candyville can they at least get a stage win today and uh you can't help help but feel that little last kicker that we saw the willia Victoria team lose ground might be the key moment in today's women's race as well but first we also have to get the downhill done so Bossman cop downward uh the the doctor I think is is it called yeah so and uh we saw it earlier with the man's race on the bottom there are still also bit some playground there are like some some some BMS and some Chums and uh yeah um if if Mona and uh kend is managing to stay with the ghost gos then definitely it would be nice also to see maybe um interesting finish and and then there like the last kick off on this on this actually on this wide Gravel Road we see on top of the um of the finish of the um of the exposition and uh so we coming in from bit grael road yeah behind or through those Stone Pines uh and then down onto to the little Trail above the rugby and football fields and down they go plummeting it's not an easy finish so to speak it's Technical and if you are in a race mode then you could get yourself in a spot of bother there we go finishing with a weedy and a smile at the end of stage six they can sense the end of this uh Journey the Untamed African mountain bike race the race that measures all at the that certainly has you got a sense even from the the very top Riders the fatigue is set in here and they are feeling the effects of a week's racing and a week in intense heat over the first few days in tulbach particularly and and Wellington and that drained Riders all around the trails and we've seen yes the the the usual number of riders who've and teams that have fallen by the wayside for one reason or another and so those who survive the strongest survive as we watching the team of ghost Factory racing leading the charge down the doctor Trail here this is the rehab section they'll drop into now an older section of the trail as they make their way down the side of botas they are in the lead and they went into it first and their superb skills serving them well here they'll know this Trail well yeah very I mean they have uh the skills or they they let the bike under them like really they push it in they push it into the curve they're trying to also keep the pressure on on Al on the on the wheels that the front wheel is not slipping and uh so it's I mean this with twisting with twisting Corners um if you actually don't yeah if you start to move into these Corners with your body you actually need to push your bike and to really always have a good Central um body weight over the bike and that the bike and the wheels always have the grip in between the trees here and uh the flatted section and then more exhilarating downhill Trail toh enjoy this is only a downhill Trail the uphill is uh just Jason to this not far from where we are here there's a as they enter this next section of Daniel you might just see the the exit of here on the left hand side where they you can ride up the trail into the farest they go and they seem to have opened a tidy Gap to Candace L and Mona mitali here they just look so confident on this Trail just pushing the bikes we heard sabine's talking about it she would spot that body language in an instant and she has just alluded to the fact that it's very clear who the dominant team is and who The Confident team and confidence does get contagious and the top cross country riders in the world and a turra winner of two World Cups and multiple national championships Nicole kala former Junior world champion are showing their pedigree and Candace Lil and Mona mealner are in Hot Pursuit and we'll be able to get a time check with a few kilometers to go exactly where they are on the trails they hit the top section of the trail uh with uh more or less in touch with the uh leading team the ghost Factory racing and Canal Factory racing were together at the top of the trail withal fighting to get back in touch now they're on the doctor and heading down to the final the the the Finish Line in Stalin BOS but one tiny little obstacle to go it'll rise after the doctor before they reach home some trails and some single track to go and it's uh still very much all to play for but it does look likely that ghost Factory racing have created a bit of a gap and uh see how well if Mona metala and Candace can close that gap before they get to the finish and Jesse Nixon Clos the Gap let's see she's chasing down here through these forested Trails beautiful they are Dr Richard deid will be looking down with a great sense of pride and Lil and Mona Meto heading through there and uh absolute full gas on this descent hoping to get back in touch with the Dutch and the Swiss Rider well they've got inside three or four 4 kilm perhaps from here down the tar Road up across the the river the esa River and then on that kicker an opportunity there perhaps but Mona vitta and Candace still have work to do because the ghost Factory racing team are pinning their ears back and are eyeing another a seventh consecutive stage win here well look back at the Gap there we see from the helicopter it's a it's a massive Gap when it comes to hoping for hunting for stage honors and Lil and mavala have a lot to cut into especially with the the fast pace set by ghost Factory racing it's not like they're going to relax at the moment they can see that they've got a gap on due to their Superior technical skills by the looks of it they have shown that in the past few stages that they are just prepared to go that deeper when it comes to the technical skills and are ready to go this is shortly before the playground section and we'll see them go through there mner just on the short R short sharp rise is struggling to to stay in touch with her partner Candace Lil Candace reaches the top of that little climb and she'll drop into the caveman Trail section in the top of the forest the playground every if you like the BS jumps shorty here comes well he's not quite in the uh condition uh we we also at this stage of the Season again we have we also just have to see she is a young Rider she it's her first epic and uh I mean to yeah it's also for her to learn and and also to yeah also to learn her body better and also to because it shows also there are limits and um over years you just can also then um get better and close the gap and we also saw I mean it's if you also think of U Sebastian finny um who also is a newbie to the to the the cape epic and he also I mean he's he is in Cross Country he is also on top and um but 8 days of every day digging deep it pays its tall and the marathon Riders they also very it's it's very very used to these kind of riding and uh way digging actually also when they train they train many many hours um with a high intensity and uh yeah so it's also to to just acknowledge that Marathon riders that they also have very good qualities absolutely and so did this pair an turra nickl Cola on rosenal road and then dropping down now igga Street here in stalos they are closing in on the finish of stage number six hugely hugely impressive debut performance here for the 2024 ABS cap epic for this pair absolutely amazing how they've never at any stage looked in any trouble at all they looked very very composed stayed together all the way through neither Rider has shown a of weakness at all swinging down to BOS andal Street the uh cross the intersection that takes right takes people up to the beautiful land rack estate up on the left and they are closing in on the E River they do have also this year the Olympic Games and uh the uh World Cup season around the corner and so with Anna tsta um I mean she also is of course if if you see in World Cup under pressure with the another young one with P pet who is very very strong and uh she uh right now is busy riding on on the roads and and uh and yeah I mean but uh Holland or the Netherlands are actually in in a position also if you see the N the nation ranking that we would have also two spots for the Olympics so and with that onra and pet actually would be the one who who will be then also at Olympic Games and uh if if nothing else this is a great preparation for that Olympic games but uh we do hear we do speak to we are in touch with some of the coaches of the athletes and Nicole K's coach JN SW has intimated that she's on great form and although she may not it's up I personally don't know if she's in the plan for the Olympic team don't think so but uh about coaching is setting those goals for the season and the ABS epic is certainly one of those those goals and uh it's difficult to set more than one goal for the season in fact it's difficult to set two goals but more than two is is very tricky so being you'll able to um talk a little bit about goals for the season um and tricky during an Olympic year yeah I mean it's it's still that uh the Riders have actually to get they they fight for that for the to uh the the spots to actually get to the Olympics and uh um every nation has a bit like a different um yeah goal setting so it can be that's the previous year um that Oly that World Championships already count into it but normally it's like in the Olympic year that uh the First World Cups till May um that that's actually in a way like where the Riders has to perform and uh if you just yeah if you're just speaking about also the Swiss riders in Tokyo we had the full Podium we had three Swiss Riders uh with gold silver and and bronze um and these three Riders at the moment are not um showing the best performance so it's actually a fourth Rider Alexandra Keller who was actually doing very well in the World Cup uh last year and also prev the year before and rder who also spent some time in South Africa actually recently killer now here's Cola and turra on that long drag up the B and they're looking rhythmic they're looking in control as they have been throughout steady and so so composed herst is the older the Riders at 33 the more experienced rider but Cola is every bit a match for tur here look they had also the chance to look back and see that they had opened up quite a bit of g a gap but uh like also the other day um it's uh we know that uh on the last day still things can happen and to ride still with a a comfort pressure and trying to maybe gain some more seconds um if something would happen for tomorrow it's it's very important that you still in a way try to also to to gain some more minutes or seconds here um on the last or the day before the finale well they're holding nothing back here and a turra and ni K is setting the pace and they may be putting in well probably round about half a minute at this stage it may get a little bigger by the time they get to the Finish but this is an exhibition of high class mountain bike stage racing from and Nic performance and once the elastic is snapped it's very often the fact that uh the team the chasing team that uh that deficit they'll be hang on for as long as possible and once the elastic SN that uh it it snaps very it snaps fast and hard and uh just checking on those time checks to see how much damage the ghost Factory racing team have uh have caused have created looking at that damage we talk about the time gap between canadale Factory racing and ghost Factory racing the team we see right now resplendant in their orange jerseys they put them on on the prologue after the prologue after a fantastic performance was close up until the final climb and they really made it count on that last climb on the prologue and gaining uh almost up to a minute and pulling on those Chita leaders jerseys and it hasn't looked in doubt for one single second not even on that last corner where you drew in some breath Gerald we could see that she slipped a bit loose loose yeah it's a bit loose going at the speed they're going at and you just caught a glimpse of cola looking over his shoulder now looking for turser bit earlier going up that climb they don't know uh what the the other two are doing the canadel factory racing team they know they've got a gap on them but uh this is the beauty of this racing you going flat out never mind that you have an advantage uh you have no idea what how close that team is behind you and Candis and Mona mitala for all they know might be closing in on them I don't think they are but that's the the beauty of racing the idea is that if you get a gap you go absolutely as hard as as you possibly can and there's no metering it out here and gap of 10 m is good enough to put maximum pressure down tactics are slightly different when the teams are together if there's a team on the front likely to put 100% effort in and just let the other team take a free ride to the Finish not the case at all when there is a bit of a gap then it is all commitment all out as they head towards the Finish metering their efforts out as they are really close at this point able to get a time check at the the 82 km Mark we haven't yet passed they have actually passed through there in fact we've just got the timing in it's uh 22 seconds back is canadale Factory racing so ghost Factory racing have put 22 seconds into the team of canadale and Toyota specialized 91 are quite a distance back over 8 minutes back well they're flying down this descent now all the climbing's done pretty much for them and they are tucking in and and well if they were to go straight through that corner they'd probably end up on the finish uh so they're not going to do that they're going to just ease off yeah it's one of those tricky ones you've got to just ease off the brake don't go too hard you'll slide out and uh uh wouldn't be what you wouldd want to happen this descent is surprisingly treacherous with the surfaces if the surface isn't exactly consistent all the way across it's not like you can lean your way across the whole section of the road the middle part will be less traction necessary have less traction than the than the than the uh section where the tires of the cars would necessarily go and it's about managing that and just uh finding where the grip is and making sure to avoid where the grip is not finish down below them for the ghost Factory racing fair terpstra and cola they'll be eyeing it out just in the corner of their eye and knowing that if they keep going as they are now they are going to put another orang leaders jersey on their shoulders and another stage Victory and this is the chase behind now just about as Neil said 22 seconds maybe a little bit more by now as Candace Lil and mon mbala second again well they've uh they've vowed to never give up always fight fight right up to the end and Mona met did say you will never crack me and uh that is testimony to the fact that her determination despite her young age she will never give up even up even tomorrow we can be absolutely sure they are going to keep trying up until the line as they reach the as they head towards the grand finale another loop WS another loop course in Salos uh tomorrow and uh it's unusual for the race to have well in fact Not Unusual it's the first time we've had a loop course in a grand finale first time we've had a grand finale in kenberg we had the first Grand Finale was in fact in the stallin BOS area at spear but uh this time we are in brand new grand finale we've had Grand finales in sbos we've had Grand finales in lenford valvie and over the years and now we are finishing in the fields of kenberg and it's bound to be a amazing Heroes welcome and we expect to see party at the finish line and welcoming these Riders all of them all 1300 riders or however many are left in the race 1200 Riders also heroes I can like this pair here Nicole Cola and Anna tster all smiles yet another one seven out of seven absolutely they keep that perfect record the dutchwoman and tur strip and from Switzerland Nicole Cola raised their hands in Victory for a seventh time this week they have yet to finish off the top step in their very first abs pepic a quite Sublime performance again they have been super smooth and super consistent and here comes the second team K Candace Lil and Mona mava on the final on the final little single track but also here still trying to keep keep really like uh centered on the bike and uh dropping down into the stadium mon Vala the World Marathon Champion a 22-year-old in her first Journey around the epsa cape epic and she's been a fantastic partner for the very experienced Candace D the South African Champion she'll get a very very big welcome in to the finish here Candace a real crowd favorite and she is in second place on General classification second place on the stage once again they roll to the finish and they confirm their status as the second best team in this race bested again by the perect scenario that ghost Factory racing are played out here every single day another magnificent ride by ghost Factory racing canadel Factory racing well this is a team perhaps we'll see again in in the future with that experience that Mona Mitten Val is gaining from this year's ABS Cape epic debut for her that she will learn as Sabine has been alluding to so much from this this week's racing I mean also her team um can factoring uh can K Factory racing team with uh came many many years with uh money Fage and uh andri aventin here to raise the cape epic and we s they saw the benefit of having these intensity in front of the World Cup and uh yeah I also could really believe that um also for the future Mona sees also what um what actually what benefit she can take out of this uh State race the potential for gaining great benefit out of the absap Epic ahead of a World Cup season and there's plenty of evidence that it has worked wonders for many many riders some perhaps don't think it benefits them but uh each one to their own and and and each how they prepare and uh I'm sure that mner will will learn a great deal um you have just also um see okay it's like after this intensity you need to give your body also recovery time enough recovery time and then you you throw in like the specific Mountain across country uh specific inter uh intervals the short Punchy one uh but it's very important that give your body rest so let's hear from the two teams there's a minute between them on the stage ghost Factory racing first and tur ni Cola Nicole onor a big smile again congratulations yeah today was so cool uh it's really really tough but um again we could just stick to our plan and we could make our plan work and it's just so crazy we can we can decide to make a move technically we can decide to make a move technically or physically and it it it worked everything worked this week it's just unbelievable we spoke about it yesterday a full strike the whole week is that the main goal a full strike we don't know like we will see how we feel tomorrow uh we we know the trails in yunker and uh we I think we love them we always train there so yeah let's see what tomorrow brings I mean the Gap is still not super big do you know that as well in mountain bike terms everything can happened is that still in your mind these things yeah for sure uh we just try to make the best out of every day and then in the end that will add up to the end result and uh this is not over like we have one more day to go and uh racing is always until the finish line and in this case it's until the last Finish Line so uh yeah still exciting how was the Finish Line with so many Spectators here on the side already it was more today yeah yeah today it was like everywhere there were people and it was just so cool still it's not the nice the best weather but all the people came out so it's it's just so cool especially your boyfriend he was everywhere good luck for tomorrow's Grand finale thank you thank you well they're in good spirits and there should be the ghost Factory racing pair and this is the tooto specialized 91 bear Sophia Gomez vfan on the front she has been for all of this day today because Samara Shephard has had a really really tough day she certainly has and we've seen the great teamw work with Villa she's been in full support always keeping an eye on her partner and that's what it's all about it's about staying in staying in contact staying in touch staying in communication and managing their efforts we saw earlier vfo was giving Samar sheer a bit of a push to stay in touch with the group but at some point the elastic did snap and they are losing quite significant amounts of time although their third spot on overall GC should not be under threat they uh have last almost over 8 minutes today already on the stage at the 82 km Mark expected to approach almost 9 minutes on the stage however that's uh that that objective is now long gone the objective of a stage win of course we've seen ghost Factory racing already in there and we'll hear from the the canel factory racing team on the ground in a moment how you feeling after the Finish yeah another day trying um I mean it was again not enough I mean we gave everything we had up that um climbs um canace was super strong again um I think I I hided a bit in the beginning to then attack um on that climb but I think they always had an ons I mean it's um I think it's uh It's just tough you know but I mean when you look back at the last epics in the man's field the the the leaders jersey changed last day so mean we're not giving up before we are crossing the last line that's all I can say um we tried hard and we are going to try hard tomorrow um tomorrow the last day everything that's left um and as I said everything is still to play for I mean I'm not I'm not going to say today that they are won it's because it's not over that's how it is again you know that as well how it is in kic you have to fight till the last day till the Finish Line tomorrow is another hard stage um even if it's the final the grand finale uh what are the tactics I mean we have absolutely nothing to lose we've gone all and every day and I think nothing's going to change for tomorrow um I think yeah I must say the racing this week has just really bought out the best in all of us I think um we've really had to push and I think it's raised the level of the women's field incredibly so and yeah I've learned a lot and it's been amazing so let's go all in for tomorrow it's not over it's not over how was it today with all the spectators on the side and finishing here in stenos tomorrow was Grand Finale but it felt already today that it was the grand finale well I had like I I didn't recognize a lot I just went all in uh to be honest I didn't really I mean I saw candas maybe she she knows better I must say I mean for me it's obviously a home crowd um and it honestly it's it really touches me how many people are supporting me like I hear my name all the way out there and yeah the fact that people just get so behind me and encouraging me and excited to see me it's amazing good luck for tomorrow and then it to be even more thank you thank you can still and monavala the canel factory racing pair closing in on the finish a little glance from sfia Gomez wean there's the Finish perhaps a word to Samar well done well done we're nearly there and third place for them once again for the toot specialized 91 team well at this point they can hear the announcer and they'll be encouraged by the sounds of the uh race Village it is one of the Great just moments for any Rider any of the 1200 riders that will be finishing today to hear that sound to hear the sound of the race Village the sound of the announcer as they know they're very close to home as they turn in and uh the Toyota specialized 91 team will know they'll be satisfied in the knowledge they've done absolutely all they can to uh to try and unseat the uh dominant pairing of ghost Factory racing Canal Factory racing we saw them attack over the last week and uh Gomez vilana and Samara Shepard happy to take that third spot on the overall Podium to it looks pretty secure you could say but uh if they would like to have any chance of uh of taking second spot overall have to make up 17 minutes tomorrow on uh on the tomorrow stage which uh barring incident looks very unlikely but we never say never we've seen incidents in the grand finale we've seen some dramatic Grand finales in the past couple of years and uh still all to play for for first and second for sure but third spot looks very much um secured for Gomez vfan 17 17 minutes means that canell factory racing it does give them a bit of a luxury because they can go absolutely all in they can take some risks in fact to try and unseat the leaders the chb to leaders jersey wearers of ghost Factory racing see Toyota specialized 91 V finer and Samara Shephard go over the finish line finish in third another Podium for the Argentine and the New Zealander it's not the step they wanted I'm sure on the podium number three again for them but they did put in some attacks early on very early on like inside the first hour of what is now turning out to be a 4 round 44 minute stage so they tried but ultimately just uh didn't have it in him today to take the stage with yeah yeah and uh there's another tough tough uh stage coming tomorrow going into yunko hook uh but also then the trails down to M Marie so South from South from stush which are also very very rough far more rockier than today's stage and it will work the Riders really to the till the end yeah they they do the whole of yonas hook and then they come back again they come really close to the finish here and then head out it's almost cruel it is it is at least today they can see the finish and they know they're going here tomorrow they'll go head on further up the mountain up stos mountain and then across to the trails at Mont Marie and then back again so that is going to be a very very tough finish for all the Riders uh but when you have done uh by then seven days and nearly finish that stage the pain will be there but the glory is lurking just down on these fields at kenberg and that'll be the goal for all the Riders tomorrow in the 20th edition of the absap Epic what a beautiful site it is the race finish Village here in stellos at kenberg all the Riders were transferred from Wellington Yesterday by vehicle and bus and the like and camped here overnight and then that race today and this is the result of their efforts in the rmx women's race the very sharp end of it three teams in so far sfia Gomez V and Samar sheeper in third place again for TOA specialized 91 and they finished just over 10 minutes behind turra and cola who in turn were a minute they added another minute to their General classification advantage over canadale Factory racings mono mitala and Candace Lil but it's all about the ghost Factory racing team this week they've been utterly dominant from the very first day in lenford to ride up here to stellos they need to do it all again tomorrow to put the final seal on what has been a hugely hugely impressive week that's the difference then 3 minutes and 51 seconds well you heard the fighting talk from Mona mitt andv particularly they won't give up they know the history of the event that uh it can turn around on this last day it's not an exhibition race tomorrow it is all in racing tomorrow it's a full-on stage and we have seen in the past few years well the past years in fact the last stage the final stage has always been traditionally a shorter stage an easier stage not exactly a procession but uh that would mean that uh just the Riders had a chance to enjoy so it up but certainly not tomorrow tomorrow is all to play for we heard that fighting talk Mona and it's clear that anatra and Nicole Cola cannot relax um and years back so I also remember in the night from Saturday to Sunday to the ground finale I got so sick and um so that can also still happen that someone of the Riders um tmy or cold flu Al to play for Cloudy Skies over stalos for stage six of the Absa Cape epic which has delivered well every type of conceivable weather over the last week and tested the Riders to the Absolut as V de lossa and Alexa scar in efficient Infinity andure SCB have just finished their stage six so the race is coming to an end tomorrow with the grand finale but in a year's time it is 2025 the 21st edition of the absap Epic and in order to get in line to get an entry a prized entry they very hard to come by you can enter the lottery for the 2025 ABS epic right now and enter the untamed and see if you can get in line and uh taste what it is all about to race the uname to be part of this incredible event in the absap Epic so let's hear from our third place team on the in the ladies race it is the Toyota specialized team down at the Finish Line Samara how was it yeah it was it was a really tough day today I think um the whole Bo body is starting to feel the effects of every day being so tough back to back it's amazing we started we had a really strong start and um I was feeling good and Sophia was feeling good and then I think I underestimated how much nutrition you needed out there and I just started getting emptier and emptier and um but yeah the trials were amazing the last downhill was super fun that's good to hear but it means yeah it counts all all these days that accumulate the tiess from from the beginning um one more stage to go you feel your legs when you start the race yeah it uh no I felt stronger today when we started but it's everything like down to the breathing is even getting shallower and shallower so um yeah it's amazing the body can keep fighting keep fighting and I'm pretty sure we can keep fighting a game one more stage tomorrow Sophia is it more difficult if you can't ride full gas as you normally can do with with a with a strong partner wait what's the question uh do you have to hold back do you have to take care about your partner yeah you know I think for me after all this heat having a cool day like my FTP goes up like 30 Watts when there's clouds and a little bit of rain and you know I think I just I can just go so deep and recover that sometimes I like don't realize maybe how hard we're actually going but you know like I don't want to move up in the GC cuz we're there and the girls have a mistake like I want to earn a stage win or earn a second place or win so it's like like I said yesterday I'd rather die trying than just like you know be super lame and be behind and we went for it in the first in the first hour and we put them under pressure and we have to be really proud of that effort tomor it's one more stage uh another hard one it's not an easy one and how is it with all these Spectators next to the course oh yeah it's so fun you know like now that we're in the weekend and we're in stellos like the mecca of mountain biking here in South Africa everybody's out in full force and when you're just dying out there breathing really hard there's always somebody there to cheer you on and keep pushing you forward so yeah it's really fun and how is it to uh finish here in stalos also with the grand stand next to it fully packed with people yeah it's really it's electric energy out there there's so many people track side and just the whole the whole vibe is amazing and it's a yeah great place to to race to start and to finish has um been fun one more tomorrow and even more people tomorrow around the course so good luck for the for tomorrow thank you very much see you tomorrow Carl Tommy how was it today oh long stage long heart lots of single track but lots of fun even I discovered new single tracks I never been riding the atmosphere was fantastic fabulous thank you guys for that much support that many Spectators yeah a lot a lot everywhere everywhere and all know call hey call come on and I say hey I'm s me please he won five times he won five times yeah yeah I know I know it's a legend here everybody says come on God legend legend legend it's amazing super and how was it to finish here tomorrow is Grand Finale but how did it feel I mean we always here for training camp and now seeing this scener it's just amazing it's overwhelming thank you guys car plat Tommy misser in fact Tommy misser in his downhill career May well have ridden that doctor section because it was the 1997 World Cup Downhill was on part of that trail and uh Tommy Miss in fact in 97 I think was third in the World Cup overall standing so he may have been there it be interesting to know whether he's ridden that trail before very different in those days have a look back roll back to the start of today's stage stage six of the absap Epic 87 km 24 100 m of climbing the men charged off the line as they always do at break net speed and uh leading the field with specialized 91 toad to specialized 91 and they had a handy lead of 2 minutes and 57 seconds on General classification over World bicycle relief n sh and Sebastian finny with buff mea 843 but under pressure from Canyon City who are finishing well 1148 behind the specialized teams as early on we saw some teams that we haven't seen at the sharp end KMC particularly Tim swinger and to raer going to the front of the race to try and make their presence felt and put an awe in the water for their teams we also saw Austrian Daniel gasm well-known campaigner at the absap Epic and winner of the Swiss epic and yakob doron as well also at the front of Affairs but at this point in the race there were around about 20 teams in the mix um before they uh before they hit the next water point was very clearly race on in the very beginning but uh tricky day out for the Bulls media ebikes as they struggled uh with the trail surfaces and the high Pace set by the front Riders have their jobs cut out for them following the very the world's best with high stakes racing and behind the uh best in the world we were able to witness from a Rider's point of view bringing us these images that we see right now and in the as the stage started to heat up we saw Canyon cidi in affair right in the thick of Affairs as well as Willer Victoria but wo for Nino sherter and Sebastian Sebastian fi as they struggled with a crash earlier on pav Berner said the Polish champion at Sergio manticon had issues as beers and his partner grz were in the mix here so tast rer this was on the idas Valley Trails and uh there was a in fact so beg your pardon this is on the morati trails the methusa section here and the Canyon City just lost uh went off track there the Silman and had to hook back on to the trail behind Matt be with his partner up the road into the second water point at 47 k me in this Bunch Al together buff megao were very prominent here they were looking to try and make it hard to put some pressure on the the team in second place will B will bicycle relief because they were starting to suffer an opportunity for buff Mega to gain ground on Nino shter and Sebastian finny here they were the BART alaman hunts backing combination sensing an opportunity to take time out of second place but but soon enough they were closed down by Canyon City as well as by the Toyota specialized 91 and KC were all together a very select group in fact with Canyon CD Toyota specialized 91 the yellow Jersey wearers and uh the with World bicycle relief missing from that group we saw one member of the KMC team looking back for his partner hoping to get him back in touch buff megao also in that group this was the chase group with Nino sh uh bearing signs of a fall earlier in the stage so some problems and there were problems for Canyon City on the idas Valley Trails stopped dead and uh well how it was that hunt Becky and V alaman ended up behind them I'm not entirely sure we will find out they had issues with some grass in the uh the wheel and uh issues on the trail and we did get that information from the interview um earlier but uh we just need to know some more details on that cuz it did cost them rather a lot of time as we watch the Riders snake their way up the final main Obstacle of the day and that's botman the botas botas cop just before that final descent the doctor that was the cork scw now onto the final climb of the decisive moment in determining the winners of this stage Fabian rabensteiner and sameli poro of willia Victoria were the other team in this race and it was poro who just couldn't match his other three colleagues on that climb and he was dropped and the yellow jerseys flew the coup and charge towards the Finish meanwhile buff Mega trying to exact every second they could out of the stage a second consecutive stage win for math beers and Howard grots for Toyota specialized 91 as they consolidate their hold on the overall leaders yellow jerseys second place willia Victoria Factory the best day of the their week thus far by country mile as they move a little bit further up on the general classification Fabian rabensteiner and Samuel poro thank the crowd and thank each other for a really big effort today and eeking out seconds all the way to the Finish Line B alaman the European champion from Belgium and his Dutch partner hunts becking for buff Meo in third place TOP Step though Matt beers and Howard GRS second consecutive stage and they will race the final day the grand finale in the yellow jerseys here in stellos the women's race had a familiar look to it as they rolled away in these cloudy conditions and a light mist falling over the kenberg area here as the orange leaders jerseys on the shoulders of anster niol cola of ghost Factory racing held a 2minute 51 second lead over canondale Factory racings Mona mitala and South Africa's champion Candace Lil further back Toyota specializ 91 11 minutes and 39 seconds back we're off the back but they did try and they gave it their all boldly going early early on inside the first hour it didn't set much panic in the chasing group of ghost Factory racing and canadale Factory racing they just kept a steady tempo and as the road got a little steeper they were able to close the gap ever so slowly and then eventually rejoin the pair of Sophia Gomez vfan and her partner Samara shepher just saw some big efforts there by Candace Lil and Mona mital and trying everything to put distance to show to show up any chins in the armor of the ghost Factory racing team at this point store all the teams together before the next water point Main contending teams I mean the top the top three teams on overall General classification ghost Factory racing can Factory racing Toyota specialized 91 Al together but showing signs of weakness Samara Shephard and be Gomez V just giving her a bit of a push to keep her as much in contact as possible with the Le two top teams ghost Factory racing canel Factory racing we can see just from the visuals the Gap already starting to grow growing up to over a minute at this point as the Riders head to the next time check down the to to tough section methusa on the beautiful morati wine estate that was a real spectator point and a thrill for those close to the track to get up close and personal to these Riders Candace Lil did so much work on the front Mona mitala well by own admittance they just do not give up they just kept their presence there they were always with the ghost Factory racing team but just could not get away from them as they were so solid an turra and nich Cola always in control of the race the ghost Factory racing fair in their Maiden abset Cape epic meanwhile Sophia Gomez vfan a drop back to nurse Samara shepher through the remainder of the stage they' realized they were not going to make an impact on the general classification today and they were well clear of the fourth place team uh just under an hour ahead of the next place team so they weren't under pressure from the back and so could just manage their own efforts mner just getting in position for uh putting a bit more pressure on the ghost team they tried everything but on the uh downhill section the ghost Factory racing team the cross country Olympic Specialists put their skills to the test on the downhill and opened up a gap and that Gap just kept on growing the final downhill the doctor as the Riders hurtle down towards the uh the tomorrow's Grand Finale venue and today's finish venue in kenberg in stos the river crossing just one small little rise to go before the trails leading into the final finishing area is where anster and ni KO were untroubled as they went through there no pressure from a chasing team and they could smile and congratulate each other on another fantastic job well done by the ghost Factory racing pair arms raised High Victory number seven for them here at the to Cape epic as cisv and Mona mavala of canondale factory racing rolled in in second place to secure their place on the general classification well ahead of the Toyota specialized 91 pair Sophia Gomez vfi and a former Champion here with Haley baton her partner this year is Samara Shepard from New Zealand the Oceana Champion third once again for this pair rolling in to the finish here at stellos that's how they finished the top three in the ARX women's race today very much as it has been throughout the week from the very first day at uh lenford and that prologue which seems like a long time ago we've done a lot of following of these Riders and we have a final stage here in stellos tomorrow which promises to deliver again great drama but incredible visuals of these Riders riding some of the world-renowned trails in this part of the world we've been treated to a Riders eye view of these trails and also an aerial view of the trails and uh certainly an iconic region we visited three iconic regions of mountain biking as we do every single year and uh as the Vintage 20th Edition is ramping up towards the grand finale we see the results Matt beers Howard grz dominant in the men's category and uh taking the victory from in the last minute in the last climb from Fabian ravenstein and Sam Hunt becking vaman fought another day bravely and held on to that third spot on overall General classification Andreas sealt and Mark schutzman issues out on the trail as did hunt becking and V Alan have and great performance from the Dutch Riders schinger and reuter from Team KMC also good to see Daniel gasm back on the results list at the top end the field riding with Jacob doron General classification after six stage six seven days Matt beers and Howard grotz now have a handy lead over Nino sha and Sebastian finny with becking and alaman that is going to be the race tomorrow 1 minute and 11 seconds behind the world bicycle relief pair tomorrow the race is on for second place which will add an an intriguing Dynamic to the day and Andre seal and Mark stutzman well they're just over 3 minutes behind becking andan the podium is uh enticingly close for them ravenstein and por now in fifth place the big losers today or be speed company unraid they are out of the race unfortunately Lucas Bal took hill yesterday and wasn't able to continue after reaching the first water point at 25 km today G Giger rode on alone and will ride tomorrow as an outcast and he will certainly be finishing the ride on his own and the women's race and turra a minute ahead of Lil and mitala off at in today's stage Gomez vfan and Shephard 10 minutes they lost today jiron P continue they're just four minutes behind go and shefer they've had a rock solid week the French champion and the South African former road race champion Haley PR going very well in so they are in fourth place overall because at the moment tsta and cola are Untouchable at the top of the general classification standing 3 minutes and 51 Mona mitala and Candace Sil fighting talk from the canondale factory racing team saying they are not going to give up they's still a day to race 67 kilm tomorrow Gomez vfan and Samari Shephard well they're over an hour ahead of the eort Private Client Holdings P ver laa and Alexis scar bit of a better day today today but still some way back for the defending champion from Namibia and her American partner in Fifth Place stepping on to the stage in the podium for the rmx women's Elite category the top three teams today and in third place the Toyota specialized 91 pair of Samara Shepard and Sophia Gomez viaan put in a dig early on didn't quite work and then just managed their efforts to the Finish no real threat to these two on the podium Mona mitala and Candace Lil the world champion strikes the World Marathon Champion Mona mitala the age of 22 she's held that title since the second time and uh South African champion Candace Lil and then the top step of the podium once again well they never been anywhere other than on that TOP Step and turra and ni Cola from Ghost Factory racing come so used to seeing them in the Chita orange jerseys that it's almost unusual to see them and in their their Factory racing Livery but in a moment we'll see them in those orange jerseys as they claim yet another set of them seven out of seven excess baggage for them as they head home and also with with little soft toy mascot the mascot the ARX mascot they they've got a full collection of those I believe there are a lot of kids out there here on the fields which also would be happy to to grab one of these absolutely well we'll see them very shortly step up again onto the podium to Da those orange leaders jerseys there they are anra and ni Cola the race winners uh today as they have been throughout the week one more day to go to ensure that those jerseys stay with them for the next year we've seen it happen before so do not discount the fact that those jerseys might not be on their shoulders tomorrow it can and has happened the rmx women's leaders though are ghost Factory racing and T niol Cola will take a lead of just under four minutes into the final day it's not it's the closest we've seen ever closest we've seen ever at the at the ABS Cape epic and uh never count never count our chickens until the very end 4 minutes is not a lot of time if there is a mechanical this team seem to be very much in charge of the everything that they can control of the race that's the thing about the ABS pick there are many facts you can't control but this team are very much in control of those things that you can and how does the song go don't end it over till it's over yes it didn't over till it's over this is it that's what mon metala is going to be singing her singing it to herself this evening as she was alluding to in the interview going to take it down to the wire this is what lies in store for them tomorrow on a relatively short stage uh in fact the shortest of the entire week however it does bring with it a serious amount of climbing and hard trails to cope with as they head into the stalos gym of yonas nature reserve and they will ride pretty much all the single track Trails imaginable there armor getting red Phoenix and then right at the very very end Never Ending Story then across the valley to BOS they'll go up that and down fire hut across along the dentist and then past the start finish here and out towards uh Eden montbury G-spot and hope one of the great things about the grand finale this year the loop course is that the spectators down on the Finish they can get a chance to see the Riders twice and then as they head out back on that final Loop and enjoy the uh the very last of the Toyota tough sections the G Spot well if you are in the vicinity then why not come along tomorrow and watch the grand fin finale here in stellos you can watch them start in the morning they'll head out to yonas and you can go up on the mountain and watch them come back do a loop here before giving down to the Finish you can watch it all it's almost like a a World Cup cross country race another fascinating day of racing here on our first of two days in the mecer of mountain biking in South Africa stellos and the village will rest this afternoon those still out on the trails making their way in will be thankful for the overcast conditions the cooler weather today and they'll get home with relief and a smile as they prepare for the grand finale tomorrow to be welcomed home like Heroes they are on the Finish Line at the Grand Finale Sabine thanks very much for joining us I'm sure there's a ride in you today yeah I mean it's it stays dry and uh why not Neil you'll be out there as well as I'm I'm sure I might even get out there it's been a fantastic day join us tomorrow morning early as we bring you live action from the grand finale at the 20th edition of the race that measures [Music] [Music] all [Music] [Applause] oh [Music] [Music] he [Music] [Music] [Music] he [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] 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Channel: Epic Series

Views: 202,874

Keywords: absa cape epic, cape epic, mountain bike, mountain biking, MTB, South Africa, bike race, stage race, uci, westerncape, extremesports

Id: Y7tk4LPlkUU

Length: 226min 25sec (13585 seconds)

Published: Sat Mar 23 2024