![\"ccs-62657-0-10980000-1454409596.jpeg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-10980000-1454409596.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe previous day they had suffered a potentially devastating setback when they were penalised an hour and 13 minutes for inadvertently taking a shortcut when they missed a route marker.<\/p>\n
That penalty moved them down the field from a commanding first place to fourth by nearly 30 minutes.<\/p>\n
The next day, after a stage that took riders from Elgin to Worcester in gruelling heat, both collapsed in exhaustion and elation over the line: they had made up all the time lost to their rivals and were back in first place. That day they finished 20th in the General Classification (all categories), the best ever placing on a stage by a women\u2019s team at the Absa Cape Epic.<\/p>\n
That sort of performance and the fact that they have dominated the Women\u2019s category for the past two years will see Team Spur-Specialized take the starting line this year as clear favourites.<\/p>\n But the women\u2019s field continues to get stronger and Kleinhans is not taking anything for granted: \u201cWe will face the strongest field ever. I know I say this every year, but it is the truth and it is just the way the Women\u2019s category improves,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe increase in the prize money and media coverage has definitely raised the prestige of our category and has attracted more and more world class female riders to this race.\u201d<\/p>\n Langvad is looking forward to racing in terms of new rules introduced after rider feedback last year: \u201cI think that the new start batches (in terms of which the elite women will start in their own batch and not among the men) will have an impact on the racing in that all women teams will have the exact same start of every single stage. I therefore expect to see much closer racing between the female teams.\u201d<\/p>\n Kleinhans also believes the new batches will have an impact: \u201cYes, we will definitely have to change our tactics, and I think the women\u2019s race will become much closer.\u201d<\/p>\n They were both enthusiastic about the 2016 route: \u201cI have a feeling that it will be one of the most entertaining routes in Cape Epic history,\u201d said Kleinhans. \u201cTulbagh, Wellington, Stellenbosch and Meerendal are all surrounded by some great trails. And more climbing also means more downhills and less flat gravel roads.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s super cool that the Cape Epic keeps on developing and finding new trails and race villages,\u201d said Langvad. \u201cThe fact that the course will cover more singletrack and gain more altitude than normal will be to our benefit.\u201d<\/p>\n Naturally, they will be going all out for a win: \u201cWe are aiming to defend our title and make it three in a row,\u201d said the Dane.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n