{"id":61730,"date":"2023-03-02T15:37:17","date_gmt":"2023-03-02T13:37:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/?p=61730"},"modified":"2023-03-20T08:50:21","modified_gmt":"2023-03-20T06:50:21","slug":"e-fort-symbtech-take-on-cm-com-womens-category-at-the-absa-cape-epic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/e-fort-symbtech-take-on-cm-com-womens-category-at-the-absa-cape-epic\/","title":{"rendered":"e-Fort Symbtech Take on CM.com Women\u2019s Category at the Absa Cape Epic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Amy Wakefield has completed four Absa Cape Epics thus far, winning the inaugural Absa African Women\u2019s Jersey alongside Candice Lill in 2018. In those four finishes she has notched up three top five finishes in the CM.com Women\u2019s category, and a second place in the Toyota Mixed category. Her partner for 2023, Irina Luetzelschwab, will be starting her first Absa Cape Epic. They did, however, team up late in the year, last year, to great effect; finishing second in another Epic Series event in South Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The team that pipped them to the title in October will be their rivals this March; though the Efficient Insure Infiniti combination, of Kim le Court and Vera Looser, are far from the only threats they will have to keep an eye on. In what looks, on paper, to be the most open CM.com Women\u2019s category race in years there are four teams with a realistic chance of challenging for victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;69f26df08de93&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"69f26df08de93\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/03\/ACE22_Stg6_DomBarnardt-3562-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-61736\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/03\/ACE22_Stg6_DomBarnardt-3562-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/03\/ACE22_Stg6_DomBarnardt-3562-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/03\/ACE22_Stg6_DomBarnardt-3562-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/03\/ACE22_Stg6_DomBarnardt-3562.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Amy Wakefield and Ariane Luthi in Banhoek Conservancy during stage 6 of the 2022 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race from Stellenbosch to Stellenbosch, South Africa on the 26th March 2022. Photo: Dominic Barnardt \/ Cape Epic<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe are a strong team for the Absa Cape Epic,\u201d Luetzelschwab confidently noted. \u201cI believe this because we know how to work perfectly together and we can be calm in every situation. I know already that it will be one of the big highlights of 2023 for me! It\u2019s a dream come true to be at the start line with a great partner.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI guess we&#8217;ll take it as it comes,\u201d Wakefield explained of their team\u2019s tactics. \u201cWe aren\u2019t interested in stage wins, only the general classification; which means riding smart, keeping it tidy and playing the long game. Of course, if we&#8217;re feeling great then we&#8217;ll go for a stage win, but that&#8217;s not our primary objective.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both Wakefield and Luetzelschwab agree that Stage 5 could be pivotal. \u201cIt&#8217;s really hard to say which stage will be the decider, but my guess would be the Queen stage,\u201d the South African predicted. \u201cIt&#8217;s going to be harsh, rugged and completely brutal! I swing between looking forward to it and dreading it. Perhaps it&#8217;s okay to settle on a bit of both?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;69f26df08e31a&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"69f26df08e31a\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/03\/ACE22_Prologue_DomBarnardt-1281-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-61734\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/03\/ACE22_Prologue_DomBarnardt-1281-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/03\/ACE22_Prologue_DomBarnardt-1281-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/03\/ACE22_Prologue_DomBarnardt-1281-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/03\/ACE22_Prologue_DomBarnardt-1281.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Pro Ladies Ariane Luthi and Amy Wakefield during the Prologue of the 2022 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held at Lourensford Wine Estate, Somerset West, Cape Epic, South Africa on the 20th March 2022. Photo: Dominic Barnardt \/ Cape Epic<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m really looking forward to Stages 3 and 5,\u201d her Swiss partner smiled. \u201cI like the longer and more technical stages. I know the whole race will be tough and the terrain will be rough, but on those stages in particular we\u2019ll need good tyres and enough tyre sealant as an additional precaution.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Adding her views on the ideal bike set-up for the Absa Cape Epic Wakefield said: \u201cI&#8217;ve put a dropper post on, but I&#8217;m undecided on tyre choice. I will be changing them, depending on the stage, and the same goes for front chainring size. If I could, I would have put a bigger fork on; but I&#8217;m too small unfortunately. For most riders I do think a 120 millimetre travel fork is a good idea, though.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe are going for the win,\u201d Wakefield confirmed, before concluding: \u201cThe Absa Cape Epic is certainly a peak event for me. It is one I fully believe I can succeed in, but I just haven&#8217;t got it right yet. It\u2019s the pinnacle of stage racing in the world, the \u2018Tour de France of mountain biking\u2019 as some people say. As a professional athlete, it\u2019s where you want to be performing and ultimately winning.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Amy Wakefield has completed four Absa Cape Epics thus far, winning the inaugural Absa African Women\u2019s Jersey alongside Candice Lill in 2018. In those four finishes she has notched up three top five finishes in the CM.com Women\u2019s category, and a second place in the Toyota Mixed category. Her partner for 2023, Irina Luetzelschwab, will [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":61737,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[24],"featured_location":[337],"class_list":["post-61730","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events","tag-cape-epic","featured_location-top-row"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61730","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61730"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61730\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61739,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61730\/revisions\/61739"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61730"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61730"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61730"},{"taxonomy":"featured_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/featured_location?post=61730"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}