![\"ccs-62657-0-46255900-1460018112.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-46255900-1460018112.jpg\")
<\/a>Credit: Ewald Sadie\/Cape Epic\/ Sportzpics.<\/span><\/p>\nAnd it seems to have worked: \u201cThe women\u2019s race was finally what it should be \u2013 women racing women from start to finish,\u201d said overall winner Ariane Kleinhans of Switzerland. \u201cThe change to a separate start batch was a groundbreaking improvement.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe introduction of separate starts for the elite women is a massive forward step for professional women\u2019s MTB stage racing,\u201d said Briton Sally Bigham, who was third this year after previously having won the Women\u2019s category twice.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt allows for a much fairer race amongst the women without the influence of the men,\u201d said Bigham. \u201cFor me as an athlete the race was much more exciting, allowing a real race among the women. I also believe it provided a much more interesting race for the spectators and media alike.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kleinhans\u2019s partner Annika Langvad of Denmark said: \u201cIt worked out very well in terms of making a fair ladies race. I am a big fan of the ladies having their own start batch.\u201d The success was \u201cespecially due to the nature of the 2016 course\u201d which consisted of many trails and where opportunities for drafting (slipstreaming) stronger male riders were limited.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor sure it helped putting much more of a focus on the ladies race,\u201d added Langvad. \u201cThe ladies\u2019 bunch got a lot of media exposure and broadcasted pictures actually looked a lot like the men\u2019s bunch. Normally you would not get such nice pictures of the ladies field.\u201d<\/p>\n
One issue they agreed needed another look was how to address the fact that some of the faster Masters category riders caught the women. Although it did not seriously impact on the racing on the 2016 course, it could do so on another route.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year the Masters passing the ladies was not a big problem,\u201d said Langvad. \u201cExcept for the last stage, where due to the open and fast course it got very messy with the men mixing with our bunch.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut think ahead: what if the women\u2019s race continues to grow and we would have a lot of very strong ladies teams that are able to draft a lot on the men? How would you really control that?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n