![\"DeVilllierSpeedypostrace2013lrweb.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-2-0-75357000-1378381171.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nYolandi de Villiers (left) and Yolande Speedy, photographed at the finish of the final muddy stage in 2012, will be back to defend their women’s title against a very strong field at the 2013 Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek in South Africa from 20-26 October.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Photo credit: Karin Schermbrucker<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Confirmed to start the prestigious race on 20 October 2013 are the following pairings: Annika Langvad (DEN) and Ariane Kleinhans (SUI), Esther Suss (SUI) and Jane Nuessli (GBR); and top South African pairings Ischen Stopforth and Robyn de Groot and Yolandi de Villiers and Yolande Speedy.<\/p>\n Langvad is the current Danish XCO champion and is a double marathon world champion, having claimed the prestigious title in 2011 and 2012. Her partnership with Kleinhans is expected to be a formidable one, based on their combined pedigree. Kleinhans is the current Swiss marathon champion and is a multiple winner of the ABSA Cape Epic Mixed title with her South African husband, Erik.<\/p>\n Swiss marathon champion, Arianne Kleinhans (pictured), will team up with Norway’s double marathon world champion, Annike Langvad, in their quest to win the women’s title at the 2013 Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek, which starts on 20 October in South Africa. <\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Photo credit: Jazz Kuschke <\/strong><\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Langvad and Kleinhans, who will race as Team RE:CM DaVinci at the Cape Pioneer Trek, were fourth and seventh respectively at the 2013 Marathon World Championships in Austria in June.<\/p>\n \u201cI met Annika at the marathon world championships in Austria this year. After seeing the strong women\u2019s field for the Cape Pioneer Trek I knew I needed a powerful partner, so I asked if she\u2019d be keen and she agreed,\u201d explained Kleinhans.<\/p>\n \u201cAnnika did a stage race in Andalusia in Spain this year, but the Cape Pioneer Trek will be her first stage race in South Africa. She is an incredibly strong rider. I will have my hands full trying to stay with her, but I think we will make a good team on and off the bike,\u201d added Kleinhans.<\/p>\n \u201cI am super excited about the competition in the women\u2019s race at this year\u2019s Cape Pioneer Trek! It\u2019s good to see the sport is growing and the event is gaining more depth. This will be my last big goal race of this year and I am looking forward to giving of my best there,\u201d said Kleinhans, who has been training and racing in Europe for the past three months.<\/p>\n Nuessli, the 2012 British Marathon champion, will team up with Swiss legend, Suss in what should also be a formidable pairing. For Nuessli, who plans to retire from racing at the end of the year, the 2013 Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek will be her final major stage race as a professional racer.<\/p>\n Thirty-nine-year-old Suss won the bronze medal in the Elite women\u2019s World Championships XCO race in Pietermaritzburg at the weekend and is a five-time Marathon World Championships medallist, claiming the gold in 2010. She is also a multiple Cape Epic title winner, in the Women\u2019s and Mixed categories and is currently ranked seventh in the UCI world rankings for 2013.<\/p>\n The 2011 women’s champions, Ischen Stopforth (front) and teammate Catherine Williamson, finished second in 2012. Stopforth returns to the 2013 Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek from 20-26 October with new teammate, Robyn de Groot, in attempt to reclaim the title.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Photo credit: Karin Schermbrucker<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Stopforth is a former winner at the Cape Pioneer Trek, having secured the overall title in 2011 with Catherine Williamson. The pair were runners-up last year. Stopforth won the 2013 Old Mutual joBerg2c with De Villiers. Stopforth\u2019s new Cape Pioneer Trek partner, De Groot is a 2012 road race Olympian and the current South African marathon champion.<\/p>\n De Villiers and Speedy are the defending women\u2019s champions. De Villiers hails from Oudtshoorn, the hometown of the Cape Pioneer Trek and has a strong stage-racing pedigree, with a number of podium places in the Cape Pioneer Trek and Cape Epic stage races over the years and victory in the 2013 joBerg2c with Stopforth. Speedy is a former XCO Olympian, a two-time Cape Epic Mixed category winner and the current Women\u2019s Cape Epic champion.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n