![\"ccs-62657-0-31262800-1520082189.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-31262800-1520082189.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Photo credit: Chris Hitchcock.<\/span><\/p>\nA group of 10 riders, including Florian Vogel, Pyga-Euro Steel\u2019s Matthys Beukes, Phil Buys as well as Gert Heyns from Team DSV, formed soon after the start and pushed the pace early on. The group felt each other out until Vogel, Van der Poel and 2017 defending champion, Howard Grotts went up the road.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Sam Gaze. Photo credit: Mike Rose.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>Jennie Stenerhag. Photo credit: MIke Rose.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\u201cI was left out of the tussle early on,\u201d Gaze explained. \u201cHowie (Grotts) and Florian Vogel rode away up the course and \u2013 with all the training going on for the World Cup \u2013 I\u2019m pretty tired, so knew I could only ride one speed all the way to the finish,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s route had been extended to 60km with an extra five added to the existing skeleton designed by Meurant Botha. While dry and dusty, the trails rode blisteringly fast. Gaze managed to work his way back and a bunch including him, van der Poel and Gert Heyns were together with 20kms to go.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce back on, I knew where we had to be strong on the last couple of climbs into the finish,\u201d Gaze said. \u201cThe pair broke on a steep climb in Kanonkop and managed to get a solid gap. They stayed together until the finish where Gaze, who is preparing for the UCI World Cup season \u2013 which starts in Stellenbosch on Saturday 10 March \u2013 managed to squeak ahead to deny his American team mate a repeat victory.<\/p>\n \u201cHowie is going incredibly well at the moment, so I think he and Jaroslav (Kulhav\u00fd) are going to be a team to really look out for in the Epic.\u201d Gaze said.<\/p>\n In the women\u2019s race Jennie Stenerhag (CBC\/\u00c5bro) absolutely dominated, spending most of the morning riding alone. She lead from start to finish to successfully defend her title to win her third in a row.<\/p>\n \u201cI took two tumbles,\u201d she joked after the finish. \u201cAll good though, very happy to take the win. Epic is in two weeks\u2019 time so now is the time that I\u2019m supposed to start feeling good,\u201d she said. \u201c<\/p>\n \u201cThe trails rode beautifully,\u201d she said, \u201cI had a lot of fun,\u201d echoing the sentiments no doubt, of the rest of the field across the three distances. The routes \u2013 20km, 40km, 60km \u2013 were consolidated into one day this year, all at a new start\/finish venue at Uitspan. \u201cThe 2018 instalment has been a great success,\u201d commented David Bellairs, Marketing, Sponsorship and Communications Director of the Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust. \u201cDespite the very warm weather and the Western Cape being in such a dire drought I think riders have had a fantastic time,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWith everything in one place and on one day, we really are covering all aspects and ability of riding \u2013 the 20km on some jeep track and then the 40km and 60km routes on some of the finest Simonsberg\u2019s most spectacular single-track on farms like Muratie, Kanonkop, Delheim, Uitkyk, it just doesn\u2019t get any better.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou now have families being able to participate together \u2013 where the hardcore part of the family can be out riding on the mountains with the younger riders or less experienced riding the vineyards.\u201d<\/p>\n The Lifecycle Week continues with the Cape Town Cycle Tour Junior on Sunday 4 March and culminates in the Cape Town Cycle Tour on Sunday 11 March.<\/p>\n 60km Men<\/strong><\/a>Photo credit: Chris Hitchcock.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Photo credit: Nic Botma.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Photo credit: Nic Botma.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Photo credit: Karin Schermbruker.<\/span><\/p>\nCape Town Cycle Tour MTB Challenge 2018 Top Results:<\/h2>\n
1. Sam Gaze (NZ) 02:11:50
2. Howard Grotts (USA) 02:11:58
3. Mathieu van der Poel (NL) 02:12:35<\/p>\n<\/a>Men 60km podium. Photo credit: Mike Rose.<\/span><\/p>\n