It was another commanding performance from the all-star pairing of Annika Langvad and Sofia Gomez Villafane racing in Toyota Specialized colours, winning Stage 2 of the 2025 Absa Cape Epic in the Aramex UCI Women’s Category to extend their overall lead in the Western Cape on Tuesday, 18 March, 2025.
Much was made of the Stage 2 time trial being the first point-to-point time trial to take place at the event – and of the 66km distance – the longest ‘short’ stage in the race’s history.
In the build-up hype, it seems that riders forgot to take into account the route conditions and the weather. Long, flat sections meant extra work for the legs – this as the temperature rapidly rose from warm to scorching.
But, starting last in the women’s race in the time-trial format, Belgian Langvad and Argentina’s Villafane showed precision and power to claim the stage win in a time of 2:43:14, and they now lead the Aramex UCI Women’s Category by just over nine minutes, ahead of Vera Looser and Alexis Skarda (Efficient Infiniti SCB SRam).
The Namibian and USA pair retain their second place in the General Classification, despite finishing Tuesday’s stage in third behind Monica Yuliana Calderon Martinez and Tessa Kortekaas for Cannondale ISB Sport.
“We started last today, so our plan was to see how the other teams rode and then to respond to that. The problem was, once we started catching teams we got a bit too excited and started going faster. Then the heat kicked in and took us a little by surprise.”
Stage 1 of the 2025 Absa Cape Epic Leader, Toyota | Specialized’s Annika Langvad
Langvad’s Absa Cape Epic experience kicked in and race management then became the order of the day. “There was some self-inflicted damage, so we had to slow down a bit and manage that for a while.”
“Riding into the finish, it felt like we were in an oven. We definitely paid the price for riding too hard. I am glad that stage is over but happy overall with the way I am feeling. We built some more time into our overall lead today and that’s a great result.”
South Africa’s leading TitanRacing SE Honeycomb team of Bianca Haw and Hayley Preen improved their position, crossing the stage race finish line in fourth position, one better than Monday, with Buff Megamo’s Rosa van Doorn and Janina Wüst dropping out of the top five finishers in Stage 2 and settling in fifth place, in the GC’s standings.
The South African pair remain the only local riders in a star-studded international top 10 finishing team selection after the second stage, Sarah Hill lies in 11th place in the GC with Mauritian racer Aurelie Halbwachs for #SheUntamed, and the SA Songo Kolisi Foundation team of Ila Stown and Cherise Willeit are one place behind them in twelfth position.
Aramex UCI Women’s Category Stage 2 Results
1. Annika Langvad and Sofia Gomez Villafane – Toyota | Specialized – 2:43:14
2. Monica Yuliana Calderon Martinez and Tessa Kortekaas – Cannondale ISB Sport – 2:45:23
3. Vera Looser and Alexis Skarda – Efficient Infiniti SCB SRam – 2:45:38
4. Bianca Haw and Hayley Preen – TitanRacing SE Honeycomb – 2:47:26
5. Katazina Sosna-Pinele and Claudia Peretti – Torpado Kenda FSA WMN – 2:48:25
Stage 1 Results
1. Annika Langvad and Sofia Gomez Villafane – Toyota | Specialized – 4:43:35
2. Vera Looser and Alexis Skarda – Efficient Infiniti SCB SRam – 4:49:17
3. Rosa van Doorn and Janina Wüst – Buff Megamo – 4:51:37
4. Monica Yuliana Calderon Martinez and Tessa Kortekaas – Cannondale ISB Sport – 4:53:41
5. Bianca Haw and Hayley Preen – TitanRacing SE Honeycomb – 4:55:02
Aramex UCI Women’s Category General Classification
1. Annika Langvad and Sofia Gomez Villafane – Toyota | Specialized – 8:39:22
2. Vera Looser and Alexis Skarda – Efficient Infiniti SCB SRam – 8:48:44
3. Monica Yuliana Calderon Martinez and Tessa Kortekaas – Cannondale ISB Sport – 8:54:49
4. Bianca Haw and Hayley Preen – TitanRacing SE Honeycomb – 8:58:18
5. Rosa van Doorn and Janina Wüst – Buff Megamo – 9:01:09
Original Copy: Absa Cape Epic, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: It was another commanding performance from the all-star pairing of Annika Langvad and Sofia Gomez Villafane racing in Toyota Specialized colours, winning Stage 2 of the 2025 Absa Cape Epic in the Aramex UCI Women’s Category to extend their overall lead in the Western Cape on Tuesday, 18 March, 2025. All Photos: Michael Chiaretta /Cape Epic
Photo 2 Caption: Langvad and Villafane claimed the stage win in 2:43:14, and now lead the Aramex UCI Women’s Category by just over nine minutes.
Photo 3 Caption: Monica Yuliana Calderon Martinez and Tessa Kortekaas – Cannondale ISB Sport powered to a second place finish in Tuesday’s Time Trial.
Photo 4 Caption: Vera Looser and Alexis Skarda retain their second place in the General Classification, despite finishing Tuesday’s stage in third.
Photo 5 Caption: SA’s leading team of Bianca Haw and Hayley Preen improved their position, crossing the stage race finish line in fourth position.
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