![\"ccs-62657-0-26961900-1485417590.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-26961900-1485417590.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Karl Platt (Bulls) set to continue his rivalry with Christoph Sauser (Investec-Songo-Specialized) and Kristian Hynek (Topeak Ergon). Photo credit: www.zcmc.co.za<\/span><\/p>\nMultiple world champion and five-time Absa Cape Epic winner, Christoph Sauser (Investec-Songo-Specialized) heads up a high-profile field in the Elite men\u2019s race. He will continue his rivalry against fellow five-time Absa Cape Epic winner, Karl Platt (Bulls) and 2015 Cape Epic champion, Kristian Hynek (Topeak Ergon).<\/p>\n
The trio delivered a spectacular podium battle at the Fairview Attakwas ultra-marathon last weekend and will find themselves in a field with even more depth in Grabouw on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Also confirmed are: Alban Lakata, the 2015 marathon world champion; South Africa\u2019s Erik Kleinhans, who was fourth at Attakwas and Jeremiah Bishop, America\u2019s most successful stage racer. All four will be competing for the Topeak Ergon team and their superior numbers are sure to count in their favour.<\/p>\n
Another high profile team is that of Cannondale Factory Racing, which boasts German Manual Fumic and Brazilian Henrique Avancini. They won the final stage of the 2016 Cape Epic and are in the country early to prepare for their assault on the 2017 edition in late March.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will certainly be a different race to Attakwas. Higher watts packed into a shorter racing time on a smoother surface,\u201d said Sauser. \u201cI am quite positive I will be in contention for a podium finish again. Close racing or not, I would be more than happy to repeat last weekend\u2019s result!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to racing on those great trails around Grabouw. It\u2019s a very short race, not really the best preparation distance for the Cape Epic, but it will at least be close, exciting racing,\u201d said Platt.<\/p>\n It will be the first competitive outing of 2017 for defending Ashburton Investments National MTB Series champion, Max Knox (New Holland\/This Way Out), who says he looking forward to the shorter distance.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to the new Ashburton Investments National MTB Series format. The racing will be more aggressive with more riders in contention for podiums. With this in mind, you cannot afford to make mistakes,\u201d said Knox.<\/p>\n \u201cA 75km race is about one hour longer than a XCO race so it allows the cross-country racers a chance to be competitive in marathons too; and the courses will also be more interesting with a higher percentage of singletrack, which I really enjoy. I\u2019ve always liked the trails around Grabouw in the Cape Epic and I\u2019m looking forward to racing on them on Saturday,\u201d added Knox.<\/p>\n Other leading South Africans on the start list are multiple Cape Epic stage-winners, Phil Buys and Matthys Beukes, racing in the colours of their new team, Euro-Steel\/Pyga, the Telkom BCX pair of Waylon Woolcock and HB Kruger, Cannondale Red-E\u2019s Matt Beers, Dylan Rebello, Lourens Luus and Andrew Hill (TIB).<\/p>\n The women\u2019s race also boasts an exceptionally strong field. The 2016 Ashburton Investments National MTB Series champion, Robyn de Groot (Ascendis Health), heads the entry list. The current South African champion finished second at last weekend\u2019s Attakwas ultra-marathon, indicating her good form early in the year.<\/p>\n Also on the entry list are Swiss marathon champion, Ariane L\u00fcthi (Team Spur), Swedish marathon champion, Jennie Stenerhag (CBC\/Abro), South Africa\u2019s London Olympian, Candice Lill (Dormakaba) and Namibian champion, Vera Adrian (Dormakaba).<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m excited to race in Grabouw. It\u2019s such a beautiful area with amazing trails. The Cape Epic will be going through there this year so this will be a good reminder of what the terrain is like and this Ashburton Investments National MTB Series event will be good preparation race. As I saw at Attakwas, I\u2019m not quite where my rivals are at this stage. It\u2019s amazing how strong the women\u2019s fields have become in South African events. It means that I have to be at my best and I\u2019m looking forward to another good podium battle on Saturday,\u201d said L\u00fcthi.<\/p>\n Annika Langvad, Denmark\u2019s current XCO World Champion, is on the start list, but will only decide closer to the weekend if she will race as she\u2019s been nursing a cold this week. Should she be on the start line, she\u2019ll be a firm favourite for the win as she confirmed with a course record and victory at Attakwas last weekend that she\u2019s in very good form.<\/p>\n \u201cWith no gruelling ultra-marathon, the race pace will be faster, the pressure higher and the racing smarter as riders do battle over 75km. This by no means makes it an easy race (it’s a National event after all), the route is well balanced with plenty rewards, challenges and suprises that will make for tight racing to the line delivering a very comprehensive test to the competitors,\u201d said Wessel van der Walt, Head of Marketing and Communications for Advendurance, the organising company.<\/p>\n \u201cAlthough there have been many fires in the area, the routes for Saturday\u2019s race haven\u2019t been significantly affected and are considered safe. Thanks to our Advendurance crew and those of Pieter Silberbauer, Johan Kriegler and Pieter du Plessis, all the intended trails for our race on the A-Z Trails and the Cape Pine Trails are cleared for racing,\u201d added Van der Walt.<\/p>\n In addition to the marathon, which covers a distance of 75km with an accumulated ascent of 1500m, there is a half marathon (43km with 900m ascent), a 20km Fun Race and a 10km Fun Ride.<\/p>\n Online entries will remain open until race day and can be done through: www.nationalmtbseries.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Friday 27 January 2017<\/strong> Saturday 28 January 2017<\/strong><\/a>Defending Ashburton Investments National MTB Series champion, Max Knox (Lowveld Tractors\/This Way Out) \u2013 left \u2013 says he looking forward to the shorter distance. Photo credit: www.zcmc.co.za<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>South Africa\u2019s Erik Kleinhans will be riding alongside Jeremiah Bishop, America\u2019s most successful stage racer, for team Topeak Ergon. Photo credit: www.zcmc.co.za<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Robyn de Groot (Ascendis Health), the current South African champion, heads the women\u2019s entry list. Photo credit: www.zcmc.co.za<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Ariane L\u00fcthi (Team Spur), and Swedish marathon champion, Jennie Stenerhag (CBC\/Abro) are sure to cause a stir in the women\u2019s race. Photo credit: www.zcmc.co.za<\/span><\/p>\n
Round 1, Grabouw Country Club, Grabouw:<\/strong><\/p>\n
15h00-18h00: Registration and line entries<\/p>\n
06h30-09h30: Registration and line entries
07h30: Start Marathon A. Batches + 5 min intervals
08h30: Start Half-marathon Batches `+ 5 min intervals
09h30: 20km Fun Race
09h45: 10km Fun Ride
12h00: Prize Giving<\/p>\n