March 31, 2007 – Team Bulls (Karl Platt/Ger-Stefan Sahm/Ger) have won the fourth edition of the Absa Cape Epic over Cannondale-Vredestein (Kashi Leuchs/NZL)-Axel Bult/NL) in second and Dolphin Mountainbike Team (Brentjens Bart/NL)-Rudi van Houts/NL) in 3rd.

ABSA PRO (Geddan Ruddock/South Africa-Jean Ann McKirdy/Canada) finished third today on the final Stage 8, Kleinmond-Lourensford Wine Estate/ Somerset West, 80 km, with 1,285m of climbing and placed third overall in the Mixed category.

Results

Stage 8

Men
1. Team Texner-Stoeckli – Zahnd Thomas (Switzerland), Spaeth Sandro (Switzerland) 3:24.51
2. Cannondale-Vredestein 1 – Paulissen Roel (Belgium), Fuglsang Jakob (Denmark) 3:24.55
3. Team Bulls – Platt Karl (Germany), Sahm Stefan (Germany) 3:25.05

Ladies
1. DURAVIT РErlank Anke (South Africa), De Villiers Yoland̬ (South Africa) 4:06.52 2. ADIDAS FIAT Rotwild РBrachtendorf Kerstin (Germany), Troesch Daniele (France) 4:31.00
3. Texner BMC-Thoemus – Saugy Myriam (Switzerland), Heinzmann Fabienne (Switzerland) 4:31.46

Mixed
1. Maloja-BTS-Time for Travel – Kraft Ivonne (Germany), Pfitzenmaier Nico (Germany) 3:59.33
2. IMC/Mongoose – Speedy Yolande (South Africa), Cordes Paul (South Africa) 4:02.14
3. ABSA PRO – Ruddock Geddan (South Africa), McKirdy Jean Ann (Canada) 4:08.40

Masters
1. ABSA Masters – van Onselen Linus (South Africa), Brown Doug (South Africa) 3:52.20
2. Cycle lab – Mclean Andrew (South Africa), Booth Damian (South Africa) 3:52.27
3. Team Checkers – Viljoen Andre (South Africa), Pike Guy (South Africa) 3:56.06
33. Crazy Canucks – Hunt Andrew (Canada), Thompson John (Canada) 4:54.20

Final overall after Stage 8

Men
1. Team Bulls – Platt Karl (Germany), Sahm Stefan (Germany) 33:08.00,7
2. Cannondale-Vredestein 1 – Paulissen Roel (Belgium), Fuglsang Jakob (Denmark) 33:11.24,0
3. Dolphin Mountainbike Team – Brentjens Bart (Netherlands), van Houts Rudi (Netherlands) 33:51.45,6

Ladies
1. DURAVIT РErlank Anke (South Africa), De Villiers Yoland̬ (South Africa) 39:55.53,3
2. Texner BMC-Thoemus – Saugy Myriam (Switzerland), Heinzmann Fabienne (Switzerland) 44:16.45,8
3. ADIDAS FIAT-Rotwild – Brachtendorf Kerstin (Germany), Troesch Daniele (France) 44:45.06,9

Mixed
1. IMC/Mongoose – Speedy Yolande (South Africa), Cordes Paul (South Africa) 39:06.06,1
2. Maloja-BTS Time for Travel – Kraft Ivonne (Germany), Pfitzenmaier Nico (Germany) 39:23.43,4
3. 32. ABSA PRO – Ruddock Geddan (South Africa), McKirdy Jean Ann (Canada) 40:27.16,2

Masters
1. Cycle lab – Mclean Andrew (South Africa), Booth Damian (South Africa) 37:48.34,0
2. 16. ABSA Masters – van Onselen Linus (South Africa), Brown Doug (South Africa) 38:14.13,0
3. Red Mongoose – Franken M.C. (South Africa), Coleske Fred (South Africa) 39:08.51,7
32. Crazy Canucks – Hunt Andrew (Canada), Thompson John (Canada) 48:35.04,9

2007 Absa Cape Epic notes…

– Team Bulls – Karl Platt (D) and Stefan Sahm (D) win the fourth edition of the Absa Cape Epic in a total time of 33 hours and 8 minutes
– First stage race win ever for Stefan Sahm
– The winners rode the 886 kilometers with 15,045 vertical metres in an average speed of 27 km/h
– Team Cannondale-Vredestein 1’s Roel Paulissen (B) and Jakob Fuglsang (DK) place 2nd overall — 33:11.24
– Team Dolphin Mountainbike’s Bart Brentjens (NL) and Rudi van Houts (NL) place 3rd Overall — 33:51.45
– Swiss Team Texner-Stöckli’s Thomas Zahnd (CH) and Sandro Spaeth (CH) win final stage of the 2007 Absa Cape Epic
– Team IMC/ Mongoose’s Yolande Speedy (RSA) and Paul Cordes (RSA) win Mixed category in a total time of 39.55.53
– Team Cycle lab’s Andrew McLean (RSA)/ Damian Booth (RSA) win Masters category in a total time of 38:14.13,0
– Team Duravit’s Anke Erlank (RSA) and Yolande De Villiers (RSA) win Ladies category in a total time of 39:06.06
– Team Raleigh MTB Energade 1’s Kevin Evans (RSA) and Brandon Stewart (RSA) are the Best African Team in the race — total time 36:10.21
– Team Absa Africa’s David Kinjah Njau (KEN) and Davidson Kamau Kihagi (KEN) are second fastest African team in the final leg of the Absa Cape Epic — 3:36.15
– * previously communicated to be 75 km but the Absa Cape Epic received a last minute permit for a more attractive and safer route through Vergelegen Wine Estate. Therefore the final leg of the Absa Cape Epic was 5 km longer.

For more photos www.mtbsector.com

For more info and results visit www.cape-epic.com