![\"ccs-62657-0-85790500-1521802919.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-85790500-1521802919.jpg\")
<\/a>Overall Race Leaders Howard Grotts and Jaroslav Kulhavy of Investec Songo Specialized during stage 5 of the 2018 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Huguenot High in Wellington, South Africa on the 23rd March 2018. Photo by Shaun Roy\/Cape Epic\/SPORTZPICS<\/span><\/p>\nWith a brutal 39km\/1430m to negotiate, there was no rest for Investec Songo Specialized, Cannondale Factory Racing and Canyon Topeak as the hunt for the yellow jersey intensified on Stage 5 in Wellington. On paper the course looked to favour the cross-country specialists \u2013 more specifically the Cannondale Factory Racing boys and Prologue winners, Centurion Vaude, but as it turned out that was not the case\u2026<\/p>\n
Cannondale Factory Racing were the biggest losers of the day, a direct result of yesterday\u2019s heroic efforts having caught up with them. Manuel Fumic and Henrique Avancini looked out of sorts for most of the route, the latter of whom was taking tremendous strain on the climbs.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe rode really hard and took some risks,\u201d said Avancini. \u201cWe gave it a shot but had no legs \u2013 it is what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n Cannondale Factory Racing would eventually finish in fifth place, and with that result, drop one place below Alban Lakata and Kristian Hynek (Canyon Topeak) on the general classification to third.<\/p>\n According to Kristian Hynek, Lakata was making him \u201csuffer\u201d for a large part of the time-trial but eventually \u201cfound his legs\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cPacing is key on a stage like this but on the other hand, like the Prologue, you have to go flat out. I wasn\u2019t feeling good at the beginning but Alban still pushed the tempo and made me suffer,\u201d laughed Hynek. \u201cI eventually started to feel better and like to think Alban was also on the limit at some point \u2013 we rode well in the end.\u201d<\/p>\n Although Canyon Topeak trail Kulhavy and Grotts by over seven minutes, the reigning marathon World Champion believes he and Hynek are still in with a shot of winning the Absa Cape Epic.<\/p>\n \u201cWe did not expect to have such a good day after yesterday\u2019s suffering,\u201d said Lakata. \u201cWe rode to our strategy and it worked well. We are still in it to win it and the next two stages suit us \u2013 more climbing, less flats.\u201d<\/p>\n After winning yesterday\u2019s Queen Stage, Centurion Vaude\u2019s Daniel Geismayr and Nicola Rohrbach would finish in a disappointing seventh place \u2013 3.39,9 off the pace.<\/p>\n \u201cNicola (Rohrbach) wasn\u2019t feeling well today,\u201d said Geismayr after the stage. \u201cWe had to go at a steady and slow pace. We will see what happens in the next two days.\u201d<\/p>\n The day however, belonged to Investec Songo Specialized who are showing no signs of weakness. It was a flawless display in which Kulhavy and Grotts asserted their dominance closing down Cannondale Factory Racing, who started three minutes ahead of them, within the first 20km.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was amazing for us. We are really happy because we went at our own tempo and when we caught Cannondale we felt confident,\u201d said Kulhavy. \u201cIt felt like the hardest stage because of the elevation and steep climbs.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI knew today\u2019s course would suit us a little better,\u201d said Grotts. \u201cI really felt more comfortable today and Jaro (Kulhavy) was setting a perfect pace. It was just us against the clock and we didn\u2019t have to worry about anyone else.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a>Manuel Fumic of team Cannondale Factory Racing during stage 5 of the 2018 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Huguenot High in Wellington, South Africa on the 23rd March 2018. Photo by Mark Sampson\/Cape Epic\/SPORTZPICS<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Alban Lakata of team Canyon Topeak during stage 5 of the 2018 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Huguenot High in Wellington, South Africa on the 23rd March 2018. Photo by Greg Beadle\/Cape Epic\/SPORTZPICS<\/span><\/p>\n