{"id":13533,"date":"2022-03-26T18:56:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-26T18:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/2022\/03\/26\/ninetyone-songo-specialized-claim-third-cape-epic-stage-win-r8412\/"},"modified":"2023-03-20T08:52:02","modified_gmt":"2023-03-20T06:52:02","slug":"ninetyone-songo-specialized-claim-third-cape-epic-stage-win-r8412","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/ninetyone-songo-specialized-claim-third-cape-epic-stage-win-r8412\/","title":{"rendered":"NinetyOne-songo-Specialized claim third Cape Epic stage win"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tThe NinetyOne-songo-Specialized team of Sofia G\u00f3mez Villafane and Haley Batten won their third stage in the\u00a0CM.com\u00a0Women’s category at the Absa Cape Epic, tightening their grip on the overall lead in the process. They now lead Faces Rola (Candice Lill and Mariske Strauss) by over 16 minutes in the general classification going into Sunday’s Grand Finale.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n\tIt was another two-team tussle in the\u00a0CM.com\u00a0Women’s category on Stage 6, with NinetyOne-songo-Specialized and Faces Rola riding away from the other women’s teams early into the day’s racing. BMC MTB Racing finished third on the stage, 11 minutes behind the winners.<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\"ACE22_Stg6_DomBarnardt-8097.jpg\"The leading elite ladies Haley Batten and Sofia Villafane take the win during stage 6 of the 2022 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race from Stellenbosch to Stellenbosch, South Africa on the 26th March 2022. Photo by Dom Barnardt \/ Cape Epic<\/em><\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tThe two leading teams traded places throughout the 76km stage that showcased the Stellenbosch trail network, with NinetyOne-songo-Specialized finally managing to shake off Faces Rola with about 10km to go. Attacking the twisting singletrack descents as a unit, NinetyOne-songo-Specialized was composed and comfortable on the final few kilometres.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n\t“That was crazy today,” said Haley Batten. “It was a real battle of the trails; there was so much singletrack. Just from that point of view, it was probably the hardest stage we have done at this year’s Absa Cape Epic.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\"ACE22_S6_SamSofia Gomez Villafane and Haley Batten during stage 6 of the 2022 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race from Stellenbosch to Stellenbosch, South Africa on the 26th March 2022. Photo Sam Clark\/Cape Epic<\/em><\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tBatten said that she could see Faces Rola meant business right from the start. “It was just go, go, go the minute the race started today. Candice and Mariske were really moving; it was such a good battle out there, we really enjoyed it. But it was pretty dang hard!\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\tA beaming G\u00f3mez Villafane said the pre-Absa Cape Epic preparation of riding in Stellenbosch paid off. “The other teams have had the advantage all week because they know the trails. But we spent time in Stellenbosch the week before the Epic. It was great to finally ride some trails we knew! The race was tight again today but on that last flow section we were just ‘let’s go, let’s go’ and we managed to create a gap. That final kicker was awful, but I had a great teammate to get me home.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

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