South Africa’s Candice Lill finally won her first Absa Cape Epic title with Alessandra Keller after the pair won their seventh stage out of eight in the women’s elite race of the 2026 Absa Cape Epic Grand Finale, at Coetzenburg, Stellenbosch, on Sunday, 22 March 2026.
Lill and Keller (Thömus Maxon Sabi Sabi) crossed the line first on the 58km final stage, with the top three teams together at the 23km checkpoint before the orange jersey holders edged clear, eventually finishing 2 minutes 27 seconds ahead of Monica Calderon and Tessa Kortekaas (Massi ISB Sport), with Hayley Preen and Haley Smith (Chemchamp Honeycomb) third, 4 minutes 32 seconds adrift.
After the withdrawal of Greta Seiwald through illness on Saturday morning, Lill and Keller were imperious on the final day. The Thömus Maxon Sabi Sabi pair were not in the mood to gift anyone a stage win, pushing hard on the singletracks all the way to the finish line.
“It’s been a long time coming,” said the 34-year-old Lill.
“But sometimes you have to go through those deep, dark situations to get to where I am today. It makes it sweeter, and I’m very grateful to everyone around me who helped me get here.”
2026 Absa Cape Epic Champion, Candice Lill
For Keller, the current World Short Course champion, taking part in the Absa Cape Epic was always a dream.
“It’s a bit like winning a World Cup series overall because you have to be consistent over eight days. So, this means a lot to me, especially because you are doing it as a team,” Keller said. “It’s a race I’ve always wanted to do… it’s an adventure.”
Preen and Smith’s consistency throughout the week was rewarded with second place on the overall classification, 52 minutes 58 seconds behind the winners, after She Sends Foundation’s Greta Seiwald withdrew through illness on Saturday.
The ever-consistent Torpado FSA Kenda team of Katazina Sosna-Pinele and Giorgia Marchet were third overall, over an hour behind.
Candice Lill and Alessandra Keller Seize Control in Their Most Dominant Cape Epic Performance
Kate Courtney and Greta Seiwald Break Through with Stage 4 Cape Epic Win
Unstoppable Candice Lill and Alessandra Keller Press their Advantage with a Stage 3 Cape Epic Win
Team Lill and Keller Overcome Big Challenge to Extend Overall Cape Epic Lead after Stage 2
Candice Lill and Alessandra Keller Turn Up the Heat in Stage 1 to Extend Overall Cape Epic Lead
Candice Lill and Alessandra Keller Lead From Start to Finish in Sweltering Cape Epic Prologue
In the Toyota Mixed category, Jenny Rissveds and Simon Andreassen (Team 69) completed their own dominant campaign, winning the GC with a cumulative time of 31:29.38.
Elite Women Stage 7 Results for the 2026 Absa Cape Epic on Sunday, 22 March, 2026
1. Thömus Maxon Sabi Sabi: Candice Lill & Alessandra Keller (2:48.27)
2. Massi ISB Sport: Monica Calderon & Tessa Kortekaas (2:50.54 | +2:27)
3. Chemchamp Honeycomb: Hayley Preen & Haley Smith (2:52.59 | +4:32)
4. Symbtech.net: Margot Moschetti & Claudia Peretti (2:54.18 | +5:51)
5. Torpado FSA Kenda: Katazina Sosna-Pinele & Giorgia Marchet (2:56.46 | +8:19)
2026 Absa Cape Epic Elite Women Grand Classification
1. Thömus Maxon Sabi Sabi: Candice Lill & Alessandra Keller (24:32.38)
2. Chemchamp Honeycomb: Hayley Preen & Haley Smith (25:25.36 | +52:58)
3. Torpado FSA Kenda: Katazina Sosna-Pinele & Giorgia Marchet (25:41.37 | +1:08:59)
4. Symbtech.net: Margot Moschetti & Claudia Peretti (25:46.17 | +1:13:39)
5. Massi ISB Sport: Monica Calderon & Tessa Kortekaas (25:55.56 | +1:23:18)
2026 Absa Cape Epic Grand Classification Special Jerseys
Toyota Mixed GC
Team 69: Jenny Rissveds & Simon Andreassen (31:29.38)
Absa African Women GC
Sani2C Efficient Infiniti: Samantha Sanders & Bianca Haw (26:17.26)
Open Women GC
Joy Ride: Jennifer Burtner & Callah Robinson (44:48.47)
GIC Grand Masters Women GC
UAG Epic: Martha Koekemoer & Jenny Rönngren (41:22.17)
Elite Women Prologue Results for the 2026 Absa Cape Epic on Sunday, 15 March, 2026
Elite Women Stage 1 Results for the 2026 Absa Cape Epic on Monday, 16 March, 2026
Elite Women Stage 2 Results for the 2026 Absa Cape Epic on Tuesday, 17 March, 2026
Elite Women Stage 3 Results for the 2026 Absa Cape Epic on Wednesday, 18 March, 2026
Elite Women Stage 4 Results for the 2026 Absa Cape Epic on Thursday, 19 March, 2026
Elite Women Stage 5 Results for the 2026 Absa Cape Epic on Friday, 20 March, 2026
Elite Women Stage 6 Results for the 2026 Absa Cape Epic on Saturday, 21 March, 2026
Original Copy: The Epic Series Global MTB, with editing by gsport
Main Photo Caption: South Africa’s Candice Lill finally won her first Absa Cape Epic title with Alessandra Keller after the pair won their seventh stage out of eight in the women’s elite race of the 2026 Absa Cape Epic Grand Finale, at Coetzenburg, Stellenbosch, on Sunday, 22 March 2026. All Photos: Michael Chiaretta / The Epic Series Global MTB
Photo 2 Caption: Samantha Sanders & Bianca Haw earned the 2026 Absa African Women GC Special Jersey after wearing the red jersey since the Prologue. Photo: Sam Clark / The Epic Series Global MTB
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