![\"ccs-62657-0-05797800-1553093276.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-05797800-1553093276.jpg\")
<\/a>Manuel Fumic and Henrique Avancini of Cannondale Factory Racing celebrate winning 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>\nCannondale Factory Racing put on a tactical clinic for the rest of the field on Wednesday\u2019s brutal 107-kilometre Stage 3 and ended up not only taking the stage win, but also moved firmly into first on the overall GC. Henrique Avancini and Manuel Fumic now have a 2:41 buffer over Scott-SRAM MTB-Racing, with the BULLS Heroes outfit of Urs Huber and Simon Stiebjahn in third, 7:45 adrift.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday was a special one for us,\u201d was the word from Avancini after the finish. \u201cThe approach was to put the guys in the hurt box early and just push a little bit here and there. That\u2019s what we did.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe went into the stage wanting to put the Yellow Jersey under pressure,\u201d agreed Fumic. \u201cOn the first long climb we were working hard on the front and saw Lars (Forster) was struggling.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe knew then we had them where we wanted them and we put on a little bit more pressure,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Cannondale Factory Racing forced the pace up the iconic Groenlandberg climb and then let it all hang out further on the treacherous descent. It was not long after that when Lars Forster slashed his rear tyre.<\/p>\n Scott-SRAM MTB-Racing, under the ice cool leadership of Nino Schurter, stayed calm as they worked to repair the tyre while the field streamed past. However, they could not make the repair and were forced to descend on the rim toward the Houw Hoek Hotel water point at 60km. Their back-up team (DSV-SCOTT-SRAM) eventually caught them and gave them a wheel, but by then they had already lost a staggering nine minutes.<\/p>\n Cannondale Factory Racing picked up their hydration vests at the Houw Hoek Hotel water point and forged ahead. According to Fumic they didn\u2019t attack or get overeager, instead opting to ride at a steady pace out front. \u201cThere are still a few days to go so we tried to stay relaxed and consistent,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Schurter and Forster put in a phenomenal effort over the last 40-kilometres to limit their losses, eventually reducing the nine minutes down to 6:45.<\/p>\n BULLS Heroes (Urs Huber and Simon Stiebjahn) finished the day in second while Damiano Ferraro and Samuele Porro of Trek Selle San Marco went one better than on Stage 2 to finish on the podium.<\/p>\n Scott-SRAM MTB-Racing were not alone in their misery during the brutal stage, however. Stage 2 runner\u2019s up KROSS-SPUR suffered a severe mechanical after taking the Dimension Data hotspot on the top of Nuweberg. They eventually limped home way down the field but live to fight for stage honours once again.<\/p>\n Matt Beers of SpecializedFoundationNAD crashed hard, buckling his wheel. \u201cHe hit a sharp rock which rolled his front wheel and put him on his side,\u201d said partner Alan Hatherly. \u201cI actually thought we were done after that, but he picked himself up and we chased back to the group,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously after that our main concern was the Absa African Men’s Jersey, once we had reeled in IMBUKO GIANT we actually moved through the field. So we\u2019re happy with that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a>Henrique Avancini and Manuel Fumic of Cannondale Factory Racing collect their hydration packs 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 Nick Muzik\/Cape Epic<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Arno DU TOIT (RSA) of team DSV Pro Cycling assists Nino SCHURTER (SUI) and Lars FORSTER (SUI) of team Scott-SRAM MTB-Racing with a rear wheel 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 Greg Beadle\/Cape Epic<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Nino SCHURTER (SUI) and Lars FORSTER (SUI) of team Scott-SRAM MTB-Racing 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 Greg Beadle\/Cape Epic<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Urs Huber and Simon Stiebjahn of Bulls Heroes get 2nd place 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 Nick Muzik\/Cape Epic<\/span><\/p>\n