![\"ccs-62657-0-71877000-1553095172.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-71877000-1553095172.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Annika Langvad and Anna van der Breggen during stage 3 of the 2019 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Estate in Elgin, South Africa on the 20th March 2019. Photo by Sam Clark\/Cape Epic<\/span><\/p>\nLangvad and Anna Van der Breggen (Investec-songo-Specialized) had already established a lead of a minute at the first water point just 22km into Wednesday\u2019s out-and-back Stage 3 from Oak Valley Estate. So when L\u00fcthi\u2019s drama began, they were unaware their nearest challengers were in difficulty even before the climb up the iconic Groenlandberg.<\/p>\n
In the end the leading pair cruised home in 5:23:43 to record their fourth win from four stages. With half of this year\u2019s Absa Cape Epic completed, the Danish \/ Dutch combination has established a massive 23-minute lead.<\/p>\n
In the dice for the minor placings, Candice Lill and Adelheid Morath (Summit Fin), who were with L\u00fcthi when she had her first puncture, have moved up to second overall after finishing the 107km ride six minutes behind the leaders. They were followed home 14 minutes later by Silverback-Fairtree\u2019s Jennie Stenerhag and Mariske Strauss. L\u00fcthi and Wloszczowska ended fourth on the stage, but did just enough to hold third overall on GC.<\/p>\n \u201cOn the downhill after the Dimension Data Hotspot I flatted,\u201d said L\u00fcthi after finally crossing the line. \u201cI didn\u2019t even think I had hit anything. Many other times I thought I was in more danger of puncturing so it was quite a weird puncture actually.<\/p>\n \u201cWe fixed it pretty quickly but then thought it safer to change the wheel. At the tech zone we changed the wheel, but we are sharing with our (male teammates) who have the same wheels. So we took a wheel that they had already changed and it already had a plug in it.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had to stop again because it lost air, so we actually then had to fix the guys\u2019 problem and that cost us time again. Then we had to change the wheel a second time at the next tech zone.<\/p>\n \u201cBut this is the Absa Cape Epic and you always have to keep going \u2026 you never know what is going to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n There is no way Langvad will admit it, but such has been the dominance of the Investec-songo-Specialized train that it is hard to see anybody coming close \u2013 unless bad luck derails their charge of course.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was good today,\u201d said the four-time Absa Cape Epic women\u2019s champion. \u201cI was not feeling good yesterday, but I felt much more recovered today and we had a nice and steady day. It was so brutal the terrain today. There were so many rocks I can hardly feel my arms because it was so rough out there, but I am very happy to take the victory.<\/p>\n \u201cThere was a hotspot early in the race and we decided to test our legs and those of our competitors up the first climb. Once we had a gap we just decided to keep it steady and make the others work hard if they wanted to catch.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe did not hear about Ariane\u2019s hassles. We did not even know what was going on.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a>Adelheid Morath of Summit Fin, Mariske Strauss of Silverback – Fairtree and Maja Wloszczowska of Kross-Spur Racing lead the ladies group up the climb during stage 3 of the 2019 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Estate in Elgin, South Africa on the 20th March 2019. Photo by Shaun Roy\/Cape Epic<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Ariane L\u00fcthi & Maja Wloszczowska of Kross-Spur Racing hug after finishing during stage 3 of the 2019 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Estate in Elgin, South Africa on the 20th March 2019. Photo by Shaun Roy\/Cape Epic<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Annika Langvad and Anna van der Breggen during stage 3 of the 2019 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Estate in Elgin, South Africa on the 20th March 2019. Photo by Sam Clark\/Cape Epic<\/span><\/p>\n