Thömus maxon – Sabi Sabi holds on and defends overall lead
The Thömus maxon – Sabi Sabi team, featuring Alessandra Keller (SUI) and Candice Lill (RSA), delivered a strong performance on Stage 4 of the Absa Cape Epic, finishing second in a sprint finish. After 61 kilometers and 1,450 meters of elevation gain, with the start and finish in Greyton, the duo was narrowly beaten by the “She Sends Foundation” team. However, Keller and Lill remain in the lead in the overall standings.
The stage was intense and fast-paced from the start. The “She Sends Foundation” team, in particular, featuring marathon world champion Kate Courtney (USA) and Italian Greta Seiwald, repeatedly set the pace with aggressive moves and launched attack after attack. But Keller and Lill once again demonstrated their consistency and race awareness, responding confidently to every attack and keeping the race under control at all times.
No time lost in the overall standings
In the sprint finish, Courtney and Seiwald acted tactically smart and, with an early attack by Seiwald, defeated the leaders Keller and Lill. «We’ve ridden every day so far as if it were a XCO race. ‘She Sends’ was strong, aggressive, and constantly attacking again today. But we were always there and could always react. I couldn’t sprint in the final. Second place in today’s stage is okay—we haven’t lost any time in the fight for the overall victory,» Keller analyzed shortly after crossing the finish line.
Candice Lill, for her part, highlighted the extremely high level of competition among the women and the intense tactics: «Everyone agrees that the new format with the shorter women’s stages is a huge success. The new format shows that the shorter stages are really exciting.»
Perfect equipment setup
A decisive factor in the team’s success so far, alongside their athletic strength, is their perfectly tuned equipment setup. With Thömus bikes, equipped with Shimano components, DT Swiss wheels and suspension, and Schwalbe tires, the team has been able to perform at the highest level under all conditions. The synergy between technology and the athletes is working perfectly—a key factor in ensuring that everything has gone according to plan so far.
Looking ahead to tomorrow’s stage, the next major challenge awaits: 90 kilometers and 2,150 meters of elevation gain from Beaumont Wines in Botrivier to Coetzenburg in Stellenbosch will once again demand everything from the riders. However, Team Thömus maxon – Sabi Sabi heads into the upcoming race day with confidence and the overall lead behind them.