Vera Looser and Kim le Court (Efficient Infiniti Insure) are the 2023 Absa Cape Epic Champions, after leading the final general classification standings on Sunday, 26 March 2023.
Stage 7 was won by Greete Steinburg and Monica Yuliana Calderon Martinez.
The efforts of the week seemed to finally take their toll on Amy Wakefield and Candice Lill (e-FORT.net | SeattleCoffeeCo). After a freak accident and subsequent surgery for Wakefield, and the drama of the broken rim on Stage 6, the e-FORT. net | SeattleCoffeeCo pair dropped off the pace early into the Grand Finale.
Orange jersey wearers Looser and Le Court led the stage throughout the 80km, alongside eventual stage winners Steinburg and Calderon (Cannondale Vas Arabay). There was little incident to speak of in the Women’s race, with the leading two teams seemingly happy to ride together. Once on the Val de Vie Estate finish stretch, Le Court and Looser dropped back slightly, allowing Cannondale Vas Arabay to take the stage.
“This is amazing,” said Steinburg of the team’s stage win.
“This is our first season together and to win the Grand Finale of the Absa Cape Epic is something incredibly special. We started well, stuck with the leaders and just kept going.”
2023 Absa Cape Epic Champion Le Court, could barely get her words out. “We did it” was all she could muster as champagne sprayed all around her.
“This is such an amazing feeling,” added Looser.
“It’s been a long hard week and we had to dig really deep, but we made it. I think we need a week or two to let it sink in!”
Taking a moment to compose herself, Le Court added, “We had a reasonable time gap this morning, so we knew we just had to ride well and stay consistent. We were happy to let Cannondale Vas Arabay do the work at the front. We did say to them ‘if you guys do the work you can have the glory of the stage win and we’ll have the glory of the overall win’.”
For Wakefield and Lill, it was a brutal week of emotions but they still managed to finish the final stage with smiles. “Yesterday I was so bleak,” admitted Wakefield. “But then I looked at all the messages on social media and I was in tears. I was so touched by the support. You couldn’t make up the things that happened to us this week, but we just kept going.”
Lill added succinctly, “It’s been an insane week. We’ve been through all the highs and lows.” Proof, yet again, that anything can happen at the Absa Cape Epic.
Results: 2023 Absa Cape Epic Stage 7
1. Cannondale Vas Arabay: Greete Steinburg, Monica Yuliana Calderon Martinez – 04:02:50.5
2. Efficient Infiniti Insure: Kim le Court, Vera Looser – 04:03:08.9 (+00:00:18.4)
3. e-FORT. net | SeattleCoffeeCo.: Amy Wakefield, Candice Lill – 04:10:20.8 (+00:07:30.3)
2023 Absa Cape Epic General Classification After Stage 7:
1. Efficient Infiniti Insure: Kim le Court, Vera Looser – 33:11:37.7
2. e-FORT. net | SeattleCoffeeCo.: Amy Wakefield, Candice Lill – 33:44:02.3 (+00:32:24.6)
3. NinetyOne-songo-Specialized: Sofia Gomez Villafane, Katerina Nash – 33:54:55.4 (+00:43:17.7)
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