Schurter, Colombo win Absa Cape Epic; Langvad, Gomez Villafane victorious

Nino Schurter and Filippo Colombo (SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing) won the 2025 Absa Cape Epic at Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset West on Sunday. 

The win is Schurter’s third Absa Cape Epic title, while Colombo claimed the crown at his first attempt.

In the Aramex UCI Women’s Category, Annika Langvad claimed her sixth Absa Cape Epic title and teammate Sofia Gomez Villafana (Toyota | Specialized) her second, as the well-matched duo controlled the race from Prologue to final pedal stroke over the finish line at Lourensford Wine Estate. 

Langvad’s sixth Absa Cape Epic title - she has competed at the event six times and won every time - makes her the most successful rider in the history of the race, surpassing the five titles shared by Karl Platt and Christoph Sauser.

Even more remarkable, Langvad retired from the sport to have a child and has been working full-time as a dentist only to come roaring back to racing at this year’s Absa Cape Epic alongside a committed and composed Gomez Villafane. 

'JUST WANT TO LIE DOWN'

“This week has just been crazy,” said Langvad. “Our week did not really go to plan and after crashing earlier in the race, I have been in a lot of pain. Sofia has just been the most amazing partner, but I have not been having fun out there. Winning is amazing, though. I gave birth seven months ago. I didn’t ride my bike for years. People think I am some superhuman cyclist. But this week has been very hard. I am tired now. I just want to lie down.”

Gomez Villafane was full of praise for her partner. “Annika has been suffering in silence since that crash. I don’t think I could have done what she has done this week and it’s been my honour to be her partner and help her get that sixth title. I’m excited to get the title back too! After getting third for two years in a row I wanted a partner that was strong enough to do this - they gave me the best one possible.” 

A shortened Stage 7 Grand Finale - due to severe overnight weather affecting the route - was won by Monica Yuliana Calderon Martinez and Tessa Kortekaas (CANNONDALE ISB SPORT).

The CANNONDALE ISB SPORT pair surged late in this year’s event and after two consecutive stage wins, now leave the Absa Cape Epic wondering what might have been.

“Winning today and yesterday makes up for all the bad stuff earlier in the week,” said Kortekaas. “We raced hard from the start today and felt really good, so we are super happy with the last two days.” 

Category, Lucas Braidot and Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria) had it all to do on the 41km shortened stage to close the 32-second gap on overall leaders SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing.

Their efforts throughout the week finally caught up with them, though, and when Georg Egger and Lukas Baum (ORBEA Leatt Speed Company) upped the pace at the front on the Grand Finale, it was only Schurter and Colombo who could respond.

Egger and Baum raced well on the closing kilometres to claim a stage win, with Schurter and Baum rolling over the line in second place a few seconds behind the Grand Finale winners.

“It’s a little bonus to win today and makes us feel good to leave the event with a stage win,” said Baum.

“We knew if we raced hard from the start today we could split the field and potentially get the win. We just went for it and got the reward.”

'A CAREER HIGHLIGHT'

Nino Schurter, who last won the Absa Cape Epic in 2019 riding with Lars Forster, was delighted to claim his third crown.

“That was hard racing all week and it carried on into the final day,” said Schurter. “This is a very sweet victory. Going into the Grand Finale we found we were able to pace ourselves well and it all worked out for us on the day. It’s a very different type of racing to World Cup racing but winning here is always a career highlight. The team dynamic makes it so interesting and when you get the right partner it’s very satisfying.”

Colombo, who looked exhausted as he crossed the line, simply added, “To be honest, it’s just a relief that it’s over! We have been through so much this week, so winning now is very special.”

UCI Men’s Category Stage Results

1 Georg Egger and Lukas Baum - ORBEA Leatt Speed Company - 1:33:22

2 Nino Schurter and Filippo Colombo – Scott-SRAM MTB Racing – 1:34:01 (+39)

3 Matt Beers and Keegan Swenson - Outride | Toyota | Songo - 1:34:20 (+58)

4 Craig Oliver and Ben Oliver - MitoQ NZ Cycling Project - 1:34:37 (+1:15)

5 Miguel Munoz Moreno and Luis Francisco Perez Martinez - Klimatiza Orbea 2 - 1:34:55

UCI Men GC Overall Results

1 Nino Schurter and Filippo Colombo – SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing – 23:12:39

2 Luca Braidot and Simone Avondetto – Wilier-Vittoria – 23:14:10 (+1:32)

3 Marco Joubert and Tristan Nortje – Imbuko ChemChamp A – 23:25:37 (+12:58)

4 Samuele Porro and Marc Stutzmann – Klimatiza Orbea – 23:35:52 (+23:13)

5  Lukas Baum and Georg Egger - ORBEA Leatt Speed Company - 23:54:34

Aramex UCI Women’s Category Stage Results

1 Monica Yuliana Calderon Martinez and Tessa Kortekaas - CANNONDALE ISB SPORT - 1:54:38

2 Katazina Sosna-Pinele and Claudia Peretti – Torpado Kenda FSA WMN - 1:55:11 (+33)

3 Vera Looser and Alexis Skarda – Efficient Infiniti SCB SRAM - 1:58:01 (+3:23)

4 Bianca Haw and Hayley Preen – TitanRacing SE Honeycomb - 1:58:06 (+3:28)

5 Haley Smith and Ella Bloor - MAAP - 1:58:35 (+3:57)

Aramex UCI Women’s Category GC Overall Results 

1 Annika Langvad and Sofia Gomez Villafane – Toyota | Specialized – 29:03:10

2 Vera Looser and Alexis Skarda – Efficient Infiniti SCB SRAM – 29:24:42 (+21:32)

3 Bianca Haw and Hayley Preen – TitanRacing SE Honeycomb – 29:41:17 (+38:07)

4 Monica Yuliana Calderon Martinez and Tessa Kortekaas - CANNONDALE ISB SPORT - 29:43:16 (+40:06)

5 Katazina Sosna-Pinele and Claudia Peretti – Torpado Kenda FSA WMN – 30:04:29 (+1:01:19)

Courtesy of the official Absa Cape Epic website. For the full results and more, visit epic-series.com/capeepic