Team Scott-SRAM MTB-Racing won the Prologue of the 2019 Absa Cape Epic on the slopes of Table Mountain ahead of Cannondale Factory Racing and KROSS-SPUR on Sunday 17 March. Cross country specialists, Nino Schurter and Lars Forster finished in a time of 00:43:41.5, some 41 seconds ahead of Manuel Fumic and Henrique Avancini to claim the Yellow Leader’s Jersey. Conditions on the day were cloudy and cool with some rain early on, making for fast racing (the winning time was two minutes faster than in 2018) but also producing a few bumps, bruises and upsets. “The course suited us quite well,” commented 32-year-old Schurter, who won the 2017 Absa Cape Epic with Matthias Stirnemann. Mountain biking World Champion Annika Langvad and her road riding World and Olympic Champion partner Anna van der Breggen put down a marker in the opening Prologue of the Absa Cape Epic at the University of Cape Town on Sunday. The Investec-songo-Specialized pair removed any doubt they are going to be the team to beat this week as they powered along the slopes of Table Mountain and completed the 20km stage in a time of 51 minutes and 44 seconds. They will take a big two-minute 35-second lead into Stage 1 which starts and finishes in Hermanus on Monday.

2019 Prologue Results

Men
1. Scott-SRAM MTB-Racing 4-1 Nino Schurter (SUI) 4-2 Lars Forster (SUI) 00:43,41,5
2. Cannondale Factory Racing 3-1 Manuel Fumic (GER) 3-2 Henrique Avancini (BRA) 00:44,22,6
+1.00,0
3. KROSS-SPUR 14-1 Sergio Mantecon Gutierrez (ESP) 14-2 Ondřej Cink (CZE) 00:44,34,2
+1.00,0

Women
1. Investec-songo-Specialized 50-1 Annika Langvad (DEN) 50-2 Anna van der Breggen (NED) 00:51,44,7
2. Kross-Spur Racing 53-1 Ariane Lüthi (SUI) 53-2 Maja Wloszczowska (POL) 00:54,19,9 +3.00,0
3. Summit Fin 54-1 Candice Lill (RSA) 54-2 Adelheid Morath (GER) 00:54,33,8 +3.00,0