![\"ccs-62657-0-50553400-1553346147.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-50553400-1553346147.jpg\")
<\/a>Annika Langvad and Anna van der Breggen 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 Sam Clark\/Cape Epic<\/span><\/p>\nAfter the pair of World Champions was surprisingly beaten into second position on Friday\u2019s Queen stage, Langvad and Van der Breggen snatched their crown back on Saturday with a trouble-free ride in the 89km stage which started and finished at Stellenbosch University. They crossed the line almost nine minutes ahead of South African Candice Lill and her German partner Adelheid Morath (Summit Fin), the winners of Friday\u2019s Stage 5.<\/p>\n
The result leaves Investec-songo-Specialized holding a massive 30-minute lead over Summit Fin with just the final 70km stage remaining. Ariane L\u00fcthi and Maja Wloszczowska (Kross-Spur Racing) crossed the line just under two minutes behind Lill and Morath and consolidated their third position overall, but are now more than an hour behind the leaders.<\/p>\n Saturday\u2019s penultimate stage quickly turned into a procession as Van der Breggen turned up the pace on the first climb soon after the start.<\/p>\n \u201cBased on experience from yesterday, we figured that we ride better when we can get away and get a gap quite early,\u201d explained Langvad after she crossed the line on Saturday. \u201cWe chatted about it and decided \u2018That might be a nice plan\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cI said: \u2018Anna, the final decision is up to you, it depends on how you feel,\u2019 \u2013 and she just went!\u201d said Langvad, before adding with a giggle: \u201cAnd so I thought, \u2018Now I just have to follow her pace\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n Van der Breggen said she felt a lot better after struggling on Friday.<\/p>\n \u201cToday was way better than yesterday. I do not know what went wrong yesterday \u2013 I had a few stomach problems and there were maybe just a few small things that all just combined to make me feel not so good.<\/p>\n \u201cI liked the route more today. It was beautiful single track today and the climbs were a bit less steep, which suits me better. We had a good pace all day today.\u201d<\/p>\n For the first time this year, the pair seemed happy to agree with what everybody else has been saying since the opening Prologue almost a week ago: Investec-songo-Specialized will win the women\u2019s category.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we can do it \u2026 I hope so,\u201d said Van der Breggen before the normally conservative Langvad chipped in and added: \u201cI believe in us too \u2026 very much.\u201d<\/p>\n Although Langvad did qualify her confident prediction: \u201cTomorrow is normally not as tough a day, and it would take a lot of mechanicals for us not to win \u2026 but nothing is for sure!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a>Candice Lill and Adelheid Morath 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 Sam Clark\/Cape Epic<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Ariane Luthi and Maja Wloszczowska 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 Sam Clark\/Cape Epic<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Anna van der Breggen after 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 Sam Clark\/Cape Epic<\/span><\/p>\n