Montagu, South Africa – Marc Pritzen of South Africa and his Swiss teammate Felix Stehli (Honeycomb 226ers) claimed victory in the longest stage of the 2026 Absa Cape Epic on Tuesday, March 18th, showcasing a bold attack 40 kilometers from the finish. The duo completed the 175km stage from Montagu to Greyton in 4 hours, 19 minutes, and 52 seconds, averaging 32.33 km/h. This win is particularly notable as Stehli rode a bike equipped with 32-inch wheels, a departure from the traditionally used 29-inch wheels.
“We didn’t plan anything, we just reacted instinctively,” Pritzen said, according to a news release from the Absa Cape Epic. “Suddenly we saw a gap of around ten seconds and went for it. When we realized the wattage had already risen too high, they were far behind us.”
Stehli’s choice of 32-inch wheels proved advantageous. “Ideal for these conditions, they roll better and helped me,” he stated, adding a personal touch by mentioning he rides with a photo of his mother, who passed away six weeks ago, affixed to his bike frame.
The stage saw a shakeup in the overall general classification (GC). While Pritzen rode a Stoll M3 with 29-inch wheels, the team’s performance propelled them into contention. However, the biggest change at the top came as a result of misfortune for the previous leaders. Matt Beers and Tristan Nortje (Toyota Specialized Imbuko) suffered an early puncture, costing them valuable time and ultimately the yellow jersey.
Taking advantage of Beers and Nortje’s setback, Luca Braidot and Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria) now lead the overall standings, holding a 1 minute and 14 second advantage. Martin Stošek and Wout Alleman (Buff-BH) secured second place on the stage after a close sprint finish, edging out Braidot and Avondetto by just one tenth of a second. Their strong performance moved them up to fourth 4 minutes and 53 seconds behind the new leaders.
The Czech pairing of Vojtěch Neradil and Filip Adel (Superior Lions) faced a challenging stage. After losing contact with the leading group in the first hour, they fought their way back into contention, navigating muddy conditions. However, a significant incident 15 kilometers from the finish threatened to derail their race. Adel crashed after failing to spot a rock hidden in the grass.
“I hit it and it catapulted me over the handlebars, the bike went flying too. At that moment, I didn’t believe I’d be able to get up,” Adel recounted. Despite the dramatic fall, Adel escaped with only minor scrapes and bruises. The crash, however, caused substantial damage to his bike, specifically the chainring.
“We had to stop and straighten the chainring. Eventually, we used a stone, Allen keys, and our hands. It took almost fifteen minutes, but we managed it,” Neradil explained. The resourceful repair allowed them to finish the stage, albeit in 40th place, and maintain their 28th position 1 hour, 15 minutes, and 28 seconds behind the leaders.
Further down the field, Filip Rydval and Hermann Pernsteiner (D2Mont Merida) likewise experienced mechanical issues, finishing 36th overall and sitting 29th in the GC, 1 hour, 25 minutes, and 17 seconds back. Milan Damek and Sébastien Burnet (Scott France) remain in 34th position overall.
In the veteran’s category, Christoph Sauser and Craig Uria extended their lead to 4.9 seconds over Pavel Gonda and Tobias Lüthi.
The women’s race saw Candice Lill and Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxxon Sabi Sabi) continue their dominance, securing their fourth consecutive stage win despite strong challenges from Kate Courtney and Greta Seiwald (She Sends Foundation). Lill and Keller now lead the overall standings by 4 minutes and 53 seconds. “Crazy day, we started in the dry and finished in the mud,” Lill said after the stage.
In the mixed category, Jenny Risveds and Simon Andreassen continue to lead by a significant margin, holding a 23 minute and 27 second advantage.
Stage 4, scheduled for Thursday, will cover 87 kilometers with 1750 meters of climbing, including the legendary Ufo climb. The women will tackle a 61km stage with 1450m of elevation gain.
Complete results can be found here.
The Absa Cape Epic continues to deliver thrilling racing and unexpected twists. With the general classification now wide open, the coming stages promise even more intense competition as riders battle for the coveted title.
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