It’s not over until it’s over. A disastrous rear-wheel puncture saw Scott-SRAM MTB-Racing concede the Yellow Jerseys to Cannondale Factory Racing on Wednesday, proving once again that the Absa Cape Epic is won only when you cross the finish line at Val de Vie Estate during the Grand Finale. Cannondale Factory Racing put on a tactical clinic for the rest of the field on Wednesday’s brutal 107-kilometre Stage 3 and ended up not only taking the stage win, but also moved firmly into first on the overall GC. Henrique Avancini and Manuel Fumic now have a 2:41 buffer over Scott-SRAM MTB-Racing, with the BULLS Heroes outfit of Urs Huber and Simon Stiebjahn in third, 7:45 adrift. Four-time race winner and current Absa Cape Epic Women’s category leader, Annika Langvad’s mantra for the gruelling eight-day event has always been: “Never to take anything for granted until you cross the finish line”. On Wednesday her conservative approach was once again vindicated as the second-placed team of Ariane Lüthi and Maja Wloszczowska (Kross-Spur Racing) were pretty much blown out of contention by punctures. In the dice for the minor placings, Candice Lill and Adelheid Morath (Summit Fin), who were with Lüthi when she had her first puncture, have moved up to second overall after finishing the 107km ride six minutes behind the leaders.

2019 Stage 3 Results

Men
1. Cannondale Factory Racing 3-1 Manuel Fumic (GER) 3-2 Henrique Avancini (BRA) 04:30.00,3
2. BULLS Heroes 6-1 Urs Huber (SUI) 6-2 Simon Stiebjahn (GER) 04:32.24,7 +2.24,4
3. Trek Selle San Marco 10-1 Damiano Ferraro (ITA) 10-2 Samuele Porro (ITA) 04:33.44,1 +3.43,8

Women:
1. Investec-songo-Specialized 50-1 Annika Langvad (DEN) 50-2 Anna van der Breggen (NED) 05:23.43,3
2. Summit Fin 54-1 Candice Lill (RSA) 54-2 Adelheid Morath (GER) 05:29.35,3 +5.52,0
3. Silverback - Fairtree 52-1 Jennie Stenerhag (SWE) 52-2 Mariske Strauss (RSA) 05:43.37,0 +19.53,7