![\"Matt](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/1289809137_MattBeersandAlanHatherlywillraceagainsteachotheratthe2021AbsaCapeEpic_NickMuzik.ab5420515268e1ee391a841b11632ef8.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
\n\tMatt Beers and Alan Hatherly will race against each other at the 2021 Absa Cape. Credit: Nick Muzik<\/em>\n<\/p>\n
\n\tGiven the cooler conditions, the race may well be better suited than ever for the visiting European superstars. Though this year\u2019s Absa Cape Epic is also the first since the tragic passing of Burry Stander, in January 2013, that a South African has a realistic shot at victory. In fact, two South Africans can be counted among the favourites to claim the final yellow jerseys, on the podium in Val de Vie. Sadly, unlike in 2019, Alan Hatherly<\/strong> and Matthew Beers<\/strong> will not be racing together.\n<\/p>\n \n\t \n\tHatherly is partnered by his Cannondale Factory Racing teammate Simon Andreassen<\/strong>, rather. Both the South African and the Dane have raced the Absa Cape Epic before, placing 5th and 14th respectively, in 2019. They have stage racing success as a partnership to call upon however, having placed 2nd, to Beers and Wessel Botha, in the 2018 Wines2Whales. \u00a0 \n\t \tBeers, meanwhile, teams up with a new partner for the 2021 race. The South African Marathon Champion will race alongside the 2020 XCO World Champion Jordan Sarrou<\/strong>. The French star will be making his second Absa Cape Epic start, while Beers is seeking to add a fifth finish to his palmar\u00e8s. How well the pair will communicate, in the heat of battle, could prove decisive in the fight for the yellow jerseys. \u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cIt’s been so long since Alan Hatherly and I raced together and so much has changed\u201d Beers reflected on racing his erstwhile partner. \u201cI’m really excited, now, to get another chance to race with Specialized Factory Racing and Jordan Sarrou. I mean the dude is so good and I think it’s going to be an unforgettable 8 days.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u201cWe will definitely complement each other nicely\u201d Beers continued. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of climbing and technical descents in this edition. Jordan is so strong on the climbs and obviously his technical skills are world-class. So, following him on descents will help and I’ll do my thing on the flats. My experience racing the Absa Cape Epic for the fifth time will contribute to the partnership, I believe.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n\t \n\t\u201cSimon [Schneller] is really a smart person, like I was in his age\u201d Huber joked, as to why he and Schneller get along so well. \u201cWe have trained a lot together and have always had a good time, on and off the bike. After the last season, we all got together and spoke about the team composition for the future, which is where we decided on the new line-ups. It’s a big motivation for me to have such a talented rider at my side and I will certainly be giving my best to ensure that we will be super strong team, not only for this year, but also for the next few years.\u201d \u00a0 \t \t \tWhile the European assault on Africa will be bolstered by Bidon recup – Verhofst\u00e9\u2019s Frans Claes<\/strong> and Jens Schuermans<\/strong>, of Belgium, as well as the Spanish Orbea Factory squad of Ibon Zugasti<\/strong> and Oliver Aviles Gilabert<\/strong>. While BMC – KTM\u2019s Filippo Colombo<\/strong>, of Switzerland, and Juri Zanotti<\/strong>, of Italy, both make their Absa Cape Epic debuts.<\/p>\n \t The 2021 Absa Cape Epic could well be defined by the new rivalries of former partners lining up against each other. While the experienced squads use their settled line-ups to navigate an unusual edition of the Race That Measures All. On paper, the October Absa Cape Epic has the elements to produce one of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":58264,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[5305],"featured_location":[],"class_list":["post-14084","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events","tag-null"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14084","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14084"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14084\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58264"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14084"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14084"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14084"},{"taxonomy":"featured_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/featured_location?post=14084"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Alan](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/2092900645_AlanHatherlyandSimonAndreassenarereadytoracethe2021AbsaCapeEpicasCannondaleFactoryRacing.dc8c332f133c7479e8d46f43914d7af3.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
\n\tAlan Hatherly and Simon Andreassen are ready to race the 2021 Absa Cape Epic as Cannondale Factory Racing.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n
\n\t\u00a0
\n\t\u201cI am feeling really good about the event and I\u2019m looking forward to partnering up with Alan [Hatherly] again\u201d Andreassen bullishly stated. \u201cI already rode the Absa Cape Epic with Susi [Christoph Sauser], and learned a few things back then. I\u2019ve grown a lot since then and I feel ready to race it now. My ultimate goal is to win the Absa Cape Epic \u2013 maybe it doesn\u2019t happen this year but everything is possible.\u201d\u00a0
\n\t\u00a0
\n\t\u201cFor sure it helps racing with a local guy, too\u201d Andreassen continued. \u201cAlthough I almost consider myself a local as well, after all the training camps and races I\u2019ve done in the Western Cape over the years. But still, it\u2019s definitely going to help having Alan\u2019s home advantage for the whole race.\u201d\n<\/p>\n![\"Jordan](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/1854539671_JordanSarrouandMattBeerswillraceasNinetyOne-songo-Specialized1_MichaelCerveny.32838c8cfb239544dace7de45645c87f.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
\n\tJordan Sarrou and Matt Beers will race as NinetyOne-songo-Specialized. Credit: Michael Cerveny.<\/em><\/p>\n![\"Urs](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/999418542_UrsHuberandSimonSchnellerhaveelectedtoracetogetheratthe2021AbsaCapeEpic_NickMuzik.a714a5177744c6d748ccd571630dfaee.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
\n\tUrs Huber and Simon Schneller have elected to race together at the 2021 Absa Cape Epic. Credit: Nick Muzik<\/em>
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\n\tThe race will not be all about the battle between Beers and Hatherly, however. Team Bulls start the Absa Cape Epic with the number one bike boards on their machines. Urs Huber<\/strong> is the most recent race winner to be in contention for the 2021 title. He will be partnered by Simon Schneller<\/strong> for the first time. The Swiss\/German combination are a reshuffle of the traditional Team Bulls line-ups but have already claimed an Epic Series race win this year, when they dominated the inaugural Andorra MTB Classic-Pyrenees in July.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\n\t\u00a0
\n\t\u201cThe Absa Cape Epic is very important and every year it is a big goal for us, as a team\u201d Huber confirmed. \u201cIt will be no different this year. Racing with Simon is a new situation for me after riding alongside Karl for many years. With Karl, when he was the team leader, nothing other than the overall victory was the goal. As it was for the one edition Stiebi [Simon Stiebjahn] and I contested together. Now with Simon; it’s a bit arrogant to say I’m coming to win, but I’m optimistic that we will have a good week. If we can achieve that, everything is possible!\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Martin](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/901801808_MartinFreywillracewithSimonStiebjahnforTeamBulls_NickMuzik.801c1514caa79b65610eff8cd3e66e81.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
\n\tMartin Frey will race with Simon Stiebjahn for Team Bulls. Credit: Nick Muzik<\/em>
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\n\tHuber and Schneller will be supported by Martin Frey<\/strong> and Simon Stiebjahn<\/strong>. As the German team know all-too-well, having a back-up squad who can provide a wheel, set a tempo or pace the leading team back to the front group can be instrumental in Absa Cape Epic success.\u00a0
\n\t\u00a0
\n\tLike Team Bulls, Buff Scott and Trek Pirelli bring established teams to the Untamed African Mountain Bike Race. The always competitive Buff Scott squads will be represented by two teams, with Hans Becking<\/strong> and Jos\u00e9 Dias<\/strong> as well as Enrique Morcillo<\/strong> and Jos\u00e9 Maria Sanchez<\/strong> lining up to take on the 8-day, 619-kilometre race. The Italian, Trek Pirelli outfit will only bring one team to the 2021 race. Fabian Rabensteiner<\/strong>, who won the Grand Finale into Val de Vie in 2018, will partner, 2019 third place finisher, Samuele Porro<\/strong> this time out. Former Absa Cape Epic winner, Kristian Hynek<\/strong> also returns for 2021; this time with the world\u2019s top-ranked UCI XCM rider, Martin Stos\u030cek<\/strong>, as his partner for Canyon Northwave MTB.<\/p>\n![\"Pyga](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/719321920_PygaEuroSteelsPhilipBuysandMatthysBeukescouldcompetefortheoveralltitleandtheAbsaAfricanMensJerseys_NickMuzik.6581098a652c4d0a7b93d85368ae79a5.jpg\")
\n\tPyga Euro Steel’s Philip Buys and Matthys Beukes could compete for the overall title and the Absa African Men’s Jerseys. Credit: Nick Muzik<\/em>
\n\t\u00a0
\n\tThe 2021 Absa Cape Epic also represents perennial Absa African Jersey winners, Philip Buys<\/strong> and Matthys Beukes<\/strong>\u2019 best chance of success. The PYGA Euro Steel team have finished 5th, 6th and 7th together in addition to claiming victory on the Queen Stage last time out, in 2019. They will be backed up by Pieter du Toit<\/strong> and Gert Heyns<\/strong>, of PYGA Euro Steel 2. \u00a0
\n\t\u00a0
\n\tOther locals to watch in the Elite men\u2019s category include Nicol Carstens<\/strong> and Jacques Janse van Rensburg<\/strong>, of DSV Pro Cycling, Nico Bell<\/strong> and Wessel Botha<\/strong>, of TypeDev Nanotime, and the First Move \/ Fundsmith team which sees South African Jaco Venter<\/strong> partnered by Alex Mayer<\/strong> of Mauritius.<\/p>\n![\"5-time](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/1614870043_5-timewinnerChristophSausermakesareturntotheAbsaCapeEpicthistimetimeAlexMalacarne_NickMuzik.edaf9c8cf8703029554cb8215f6c7610.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
\n\t5-time winner Christoph Sauser makes a return to the Absa Cape Epic, this time time Alex Malacarne. Cedit: Nick Muzik.<\/em>
\n\t\u00a0
\n\tAn interesting sub-plot, to the Elite men\u2019s race story, is added by the return of 5-time champion, Christoph Sauser<\/strong>. The Swiss legend, along with Karl Platt and Annika Langvad, is one of the race\u2019s most decorated riders. He will be partnered by Alex Malacarne<\/strong> for NinetyOne-songo-Specialized 2. The young Brazilian races for Trinity Racing, the development squad who nurtured the current Olympic champion, Tom Pidcock, through the junior ranks. Malacarne turns 20 a week before the race and could well be a star of the future in the mould of Pidcock and fellow Trinity Racing teammate Cristopher Blevins. \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"