Candice Lill Partners with Impressive Tyler Jacobs to Defend their Wines2Whales Stage Race Title

Team SeattleCoffeeCo eFORT ALMAR’s Candice Lill and Tyler Jacobs dominated the third stage to win the 2024 FNB Wines2Whales Chardonnay in the Western Cape, on the final day of the race on Sunday, 3 November, 2024.

The two partnered to put in a performance worthy of a five-star review as they completed a perfect clean sweep of FNB Wines2Whales Chardonnay stage wins, with enough time to stop for a selfie at the sponsor’s picture frame on their way to victory at Benguela Cove. 

Their accomplishment runs to an astonishing six successive FNB Wines2Whales Chardonnay stage victories spanning two editions, in which no team has been able to best Candice Lill and Tyler Jacobs, even for a single day. 

When the dust settled on the three days of racing, Lill and Jacobs were joined on the final general classification podium by Efficient Infiniti Racing’s Vera Looser and Sarah Hill in second place, and Team e-FORT’s Margot Moschetti and Costanza Fasolis completing the podium.

The final stage took the Chardonnay teams along a 64 kilometre route from Oak Valley, in Elgin, to Benguela Cove, on the banks of the Botrivier Lagoon, and featured an undulating start before the descent down Katpas, to Botrivier, Wildekrans and Genevieve MCC. Perched on the hillside overlooking the lagoon, the finish line was a beacon for the last kilometres and the festive welcome it provided called the teams home in style.

Having established an early lead on Stage 1, and ridden the first half of Stage 2 conservatively before cantering to victory, Lill and Jacobs let their rivals take the initiative on Stage 3. Looser and Hill set the early tempo, which at times distanced Elrika Harmzen-Pretorius and Felicitas Geiger, as well as Tiffany Keep and Bianca Haw. Though both the e-FORT 2 and Sani2C teams used the Kat Pas descent to regain contact with the lead group.

“It was an interesting start to the stage,” Hill noted. “One of the e-FORT riders came into a corner a bit hot and nearly took Candice [Lill] out, and then we got to a closed gate. 

“While we were figuring out what to do, Bianca [Haw] went into adventure racing mode, threw her bike over and hopped over it herself. It was like we were playing different sports while racing our mountain bikes, and it was pretty exciting and fun!”

2024 FNB Wines2Whales Chardonnay co-Champion, Candice Lill

The winning team’s dominance notwithstanding, the race was a captivating three days of endurance. Stage 1 saw Keep puncture and, despite her and Haw’s bush mechanic skills, loose nearly 45 minutes fixing a side wall cut. Later in the day Moschetti faltered, which allowed Elrika Harmzen-Pretorius and Felicitas Geiger to secure third on the stage. 

The next day Almari de Milander, Monique du Plessis, and Nicola Walker all crashed dramatically, and only the Pretty Pedal woman was able to continue. Jacobs also had a small off on Stage 2, but it only served to remind her to remain fully focused throughout Stage 3.

“The biggest difference between Tyla [Jacobs] this year, compared to last, is her confidence. For any athlete, confidence is so important, and Tyla has grown so much in that in the last twelve months. Today I told her we’d be following her race plan, and I’m really happy with her decision making.”

It was not all easy going and plain sailing for the women in the orange CIOVITA leaders’ jerseys. “That last, long, climb really hurt,” Jacobs confessed. “I was on or over the limit there!” As were Looser and Hill though, and with Jacobs setting the tone for the attack she and Lill edged away from the Efficient Infiniti Racing combination. By the summit the gap was 90 seconds, which Jacobs and Lill were then able to further extend on the single-track descent.

Such was their buffer the pair were able to stop at the sponsor’s picture frame to spend a few precious seconds, going on to win the stage by 2 minutes and 39 seconds. Efficient Infiniti Racing were second on the day, wrapping up three days of second places to secure silver overall. 

e-FORT 1’s strong Stage 2 and 3 secured them third on the general classification ahead of e-FORT 2 and Fortress Real Estate Investments, while Team Sani2C’s disastrous Stage 1 cost them a top five overall place. Despite finishing fourth on the last two days, they were unable to do enough to wrestle fifth from Ila Stow and Katie Lennard.

2024 FNB Wines2Whales Chardonnay Results

Elite Women’s General Classification after Stage 3

SeattleCoffeeCo eFORT ALMAR: Candice Lill & Tyler Jacobs (9:16:05)
Efficient Infiniti Racing: Vera Looser & Sarah Hill (9:30:40 | +14:34)
e-FORT: Margot Moschetti & Costanza Fasolis (9:49:11 | +33:06)
e-FORT 2: Elrika Harmzen-Pretorius & Felicitas Geiger (9:52:27 | +36:21)
Fortress Real Estate Investments: Ila Stow & Katie Lennard (10:11:02 | +54:56)

Elite Women | Stage 3

SeattleCoffeeCo eFORT ALMAR: Candice Lill & Tyler Jacobs (2:52:01)
Efficient Infiniti Racing: Vera Looser & Sarah Hill (2:54:40 | +2:39)
e-FORT: Margot Moschetti & Costanza Fasolis (2:55:53 | +3:51)
Sani2C: Tiffany Keep & Bianca Haw (2:58:46 | +6:44)
e-FORT 2: Elrika Harmzen-Pretorius & Felicitas Geiger (2:59:18 | +7:17)
Fortress Real Estate Investments: Ila Stow & Katie Lennard (3:05:25 | +13:24)
Bike Hub SHEovita: Kylie Hanekom & Rebecca van Huyssteen (3:13:06 | +21:05)
BELL EPT: Janice Venter & Hayley Smith (3:14:08 | +22:06)
Pretty Pedal: Kate Slegrova & Nicola Walker (3:20:39 | +28:38)
Paceline Racing 1: Robyn Williams & Tarryn Povey (3:23:55 | +31:54)

Master’s Women General Classification after Stage 3

Bodyandbike: Maureen Jordaan & Jenny Close (11:08:29)
Xpert Wealth: Chantelle Bosch & Martha Koekemoer (11:22:53 | +14:24)
Charlie & Lola: Sally Ferguson & Caren Maytham-Mills (12:25:46 | +1:17:16)
Indlulamithi: Caroline Jack & Julia Westoby (12:27:29 | +1:18:59)
Die Stofstreep Sisters: Maria Elizabeth Cave & Lisette Roos (12:40:40 | +1:32:11)

Master’s Women | Stage 3

Bodyandbike: Maureen Jordaan & Jenny Close (3:20:55)
Xpert Wealth: Chantelle Bosch & Martha Koekemoer (3:24:23 | +3:28)
Indlulamithi: Caroline Jack & Julia Westoby (3:28:11 | +7:15)
Charlie & Lola: Sally Ferguson & Caren Maytham-Mills (3:42:28 | +21:33)
GIC Ladies: Lesleigh Beukes & Nicolle Weir (3:46:24 | +25:25)

Grand Master’s Women’s General Classification after Stage 3

Tiletoria Ladies: Jane Seggie & Michelle Lombardi (11:26:21)
Rola Motors: Fiona Austin & Comine Claasen (12:20:25| +54:03)
One Earth: Marleen Lourens & Louise Ferreira (12:30:11 | +1:03:50)

Original Copy: FNB Wines2Whales Media, with editing by gsport

Main Photo Caption: Team SeattleCoffeeCo eFORT ALMAR’s Candice Lill and Tyler Jacobs dominated the third stage victory to win the 2024 FNB Wines2Whales Chardonnay in the Western Cape, on the final day of the race on Sunday, 3 November, 2024. Photo: Sam Clark / Wines2Whales

Photo 2 Caption: As the senior partner in the team, Candice Lill was very impressed with Tyler Jacobs’ growth in the last twelve months. Photo: Max Sullivan / Wines2Whales

Photo 3 Caption: Team Efficient Infiniti Racing’s Sarah Hill enjoyed the action packed final stage of the 2024 FNB Wines2Whales Chardonnay Photo: Max Sullivan / Wines2Whales

Photo 4 Caption: Lill: “Today I told [Tyla Jacobs] we’d be following her race plan, and I’m really happy with her decision making.” Photo: Sam Clark / Wines2Whales

Photo 5 Caption: The Elite Women’s General Classification Podium (from left to right): Vera Looser, Sarah Hill, Candice Lill, Tyler Jacobs, Costanza Fasolis, and Margot Moschetti. Photo: Max Sullivan / Wines2Whales