![\"ccs-62657-0-21779500-1553347146.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-21779500-1553347146.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Louis MEIJA (COL) and Johnny CATTANEO (ITA) of team 7C CBZ WILIER win stage 6 of the 2019 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race from the University of Stellenbosch Sports Fields in Stellenbosch, South Africa on the 23rd March 2019. Photo by Greg Beadle\/Cape Epic<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cToday was fantastic for us,\u201d Cattaneo said afterward. \u201cWe had some good luck and then we tried to push hard over the last 20-kilometres,\u201d he commented.<\/p>\n
The \u2018luck\u2019 he was referring to was indeed the puncture Trek Selle San Marco (who led for almost two-thirds of the race) suffered after Porro crashed at 65kms. They were forced to stop to repair their mechanical which saw the chase bunch of Scott-SRAM MTB-Racing and 7C CBZ WILIER overtake them.<\/p>\n
Meija and Cattaneo attacked almost immediately and stayed away all the way to the finish. \u201cThis was one of the last two opportunities to win a stage,\u201d Cattaneo added. \u201cThat\u2019s what we wanted so we are really happy!\u201d<\/p>\n Scott-SRAM MTB-Racing were happy to ride conservatively in second place after that, content in the knowledge that they were further extending their grip on the overall Yellow Jersey.<\/p>\n Said Forster after the finish: \u201cToday was hard from the beginning, but we just tried to hold onto the other groups and extend our lead again.\u201d Before adding, \u201cwe\u2019re looking forward to the last stage tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n The pair rode much of the early part of the stage \u2013 which featured some of the finest trails in the Simonsberg Conservancy and surrounds \u2013 with their back-up team (DSV-SCOTT-SRAM\u2019s Gert Heyns and Andri Frischknecht). Promoting Schurter to emphasise just how important it is to have a strong supporting outfit in the Untamed African Mountain Bike Race.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s essential,\u201d he said. \u201cNo team has won before without a back-up team. But it\u2019s also a mental thing.\u201d<\/p>\n This was well proven by Trek Selle San Marco, who were without the assistance of their backup team after Michele Casagrande and Fabian Rabensteiner crashed out on the finish straight of the Queen Stage. They fought to stay in third. But who knows what could\u2019ve been.<\/p>\n They were followed by Cannondale Factory Racing in fourth. The pair remain in second place on the GC despite another day on which Henrique Avancinihad to nurse partner Manuel Fumic up the climbs.<\/p>\n Getting stronger by the day on the other hand, is the Absa African Men\u2019s Jersey wearers of Matt Beers and Alan Hatherly. The young guns put in another solid effort to finish in fifth and consolidate their fifth place on the GC.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m really happy to say that the body is starting to feel good again,\u201d Beers said shortly after the finish, commenting on the recovery after his crash earlier in the week. \u201cIt was super hard with a lot very steep climbing, but the support out on route was just incredible.”<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really cool to be South Africans out there,\u201d he said. \u201cYou just get goosebumps riding through the crowds and find that little bit extra. Thank you!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a>Louis Meija and Johnny Cattaneo of 7C CBZ WILIER during stage 6 of the 2019 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race from the University of Stellenbosch Sports Fields in Stellenbosch, South Africa on the 23rd March 2019. Photo by Nick Muzik\/Cape Epic<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Nino Schurter and Lars Forster of SCOTT SRAM during stage 6 of the 2019 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race from the University of Stellenbosch Sports Fields in Stellenbosch, South Africa on the 23rd March 2019. Photo by Nick Muzik\/Cape Epic<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Nino Schurter of Scott-SRAM MTB-Racing leads Gert Heyns of DSV-SCOTT-SRAM during stage 6 of the 2019 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race from the University of Stellenbosch Sports Fields in Stellenbosch, South Africa on the 23rd March 2019. Photo by Shaun Roy\/Cape Epic<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Damiano Ferraro and Samuele Porro of Trek Sella San Marco lead the race during stage 6 of the 2019 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race from the University of Stellenbosch Sports Fields in Stellenbosch, South Africa on the 23rd March 2019. Photo by Nick Muzik\/Cape Epic<\/span><\/p>\n