Beers and Nortje win the Cape Epic 2026 after a decisive comeback in the final stage

The Absa Cape Epic 2026 already has winners: Matthew Beers and Tristan Nortje (Toyota Specialized Imbuko) completed a spectacular comeback on the final day to take the overall title after a week marked by equality, constant attacks, and plot twists. The South African duo, who arrived at the final stage just 13 seconds behind the leaders, seized the slightest opportunity to turn the race around in a thrilling conclusion.

All or nothing in the final stage of the Cape Epic 2026

The final stage started with the most open script possible. Beers and Nortje set off just 13 seconds behind the leaders, while the battle for the podium was also heating up with only 5 seconds separating Canyon and Valero-Stutzmann. The terrain, short but explosive, invited attacks from the start, and that’s exactly what happened.

In the first major climb, Beers launched a sustained attack that broke the race apart from the very first minutes. The pair from Wilier-Vittoria quickly fell behind, and the overall standings began to shift. At the same time, the fight for third place intensified with Gaze's move, which temporarily left Schwarzbauer behind, a situation that Valero and Stutzmann took advantage of to try to get onto the podium. But the race still had more twists: mechanical issues for Beers, likely in the transmission, and a puncture for the Klimatiza Orbea pair altered the course of the stage.

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After overcoming the initial chaos, Beers managed to reconnect with Nortje, and both set a pace that ultimately sank Wilier. With 32 km to go, the virtual overall was already in the hands of the South African team. Ahead, Canyon reorganized and ended up taking the stage, while Beers and Nortje crossed the finish line controlling the advantage that gave them the final victory.

Stage 7 Results Cape Epic 2026

1. Luca Schwarzbauer / Sam Gaze (CANYON) – 2:19:54
2. Marco Joubert / Travis Stedman (TOYOTA SPECIALIZED IMBUKO 2) +1:04
3. Matt Beers / Tristan Nortje (TOYOTA SPECIALIZED IMBUKO) +1:08
4. Luca Braidot / Simone Avondetto (WILIER-VITTORIA) +2:26
5. Samuele Porro / Luis Francisco Pérez (KLIMATIZA ORBEA 2) +3:06
6. David Valero / Marc Stutzmann (KLIMATIZA ORBEA) +3:25
7. Andrin Beeli / Lorenzo Trincheri (BIKE BUSTERS | BIKEFIX MANNO) +4:39
8. Nicola Taffarel / Eskil Evensen-Lie (METALLURGICA VENETA MTB) +5:55
9. Nicolas Samparisi / Lorenzo Samparisi (KTM SPADA | BRENTA BRAKES) +6:22
10. Wout Alleman / Martin Stosek (BUFF-BH) +6:43

Matt Beers and Tristan Nortje win the Cape Epic 2026 after a week of wear and tear that was decided on the last day

The 2026 edition has been one of the most open in recent years. Beers and Nortje started dominating with a victory in the prologue, but the control of the race soon passed to Braidot and Avondetto, who built their lead with consistency and a key victory in the queen stage. For several days, they seemed to have the race under control, but without managing to open a definitive gap.

Behind them, teams like Canyon and Buff-BH animated the race with partial victories, while Toyota Specialized knew how to wait for their moment. That moment came in the penultimate stage, where they cut a large part of the deficit, leaving the overall standings completely open for the final day. In the final stage, aggressive strategy and accumulated fatigue ultimately decided an overall title that changed hands in the last breath.

Valero and Stutzmann, competitive until the end

The pair of David Valero and Marc Stutzmann once again demonstrated that they are among the most solid in the international scene. Throughout the week, they remained in the fight for the podium, arriving at the final stage with real chances of seizing third place.

On the decisive day, they read the initial movements well and even managed to temporarily surpass Schwarzbauer in the race. However, a puncture suffered at a key moment halted their aspirations. Even so, they finished the Cape Epic with a commendable fourth position in the overall standings, confirming their consistency and ability to compete at the highest level in one of the most demanding events on the calendar.

Final Overall Classification (Top 10)

1. Matt Beers / Tristan Nortje (TOYOTA SPECIALIZED IMBUKO) – 26:55:51
2. Luca Braidot / Simone Avondetto (WILIER-VITTORIA) +1:04
3. Luca Schwarzbauer / Sam Gaze (CANYON) +3:33
4. David Valero / Marc Stutzmann (KLIMATIZA ORBEA) +12:08
5. Wout Alleman / Martin Stosek (BUFF-BH) +19:00
6. Marco Joubert / Travis Stedman (TOYOTA SPECIALIZED IMBUKO 2) +21:03
7. Hans Becking / Teus Ruijter (DOUBLE DUTCH) +31:00
8. Samuele Porro / Luis Francisco Pérez (KLIMATIZA ORBEA 2) +31:55
9. Nicola Taffarel / Eskil Evensen-Lie (METALLURGICA VENETA MTB) +45:44
10. José María Sánchez / Enrique Morcillo (SCOTT CALABANDIDA) +56:27

The Spaniards shine in the Top 10, with Cala Bandida as the best national pair

The Cape Epic 2026 once again showcased a very prominent Spanish presence in the overall classification, with up to three pairs in the Top 10, confirming the high level of national MTB in one of the most demanding events on the calendar.

The best Spanish pair was SCOTT Cala Bandida, formed by José María Sánchez and Enrique Morcillo, who finished the race in a commendable 10th final position. Their performance improved throughout the week, managing a very demanding race well and taking advantage of their consistency to climb positions in the overall standings in the final days.

In front, with David Valero alongside Swiss Marc Stutzmann (Klimatiza Orbea), we had the most competitive Spaniard in the fight for the top spots, coming close to the podium at several points in the race and ultimately finishing in a solid 4th position. They are also joined by Luis Francisco Pérez, along with Samuele Porro (Klimatiza Orbea 2), who finished in 8th position, completing a very comprehensive collective performance of Spanish MTB in this edition.

Overall, Spain not only placed several pairs in the Top 10 but also had a real presence in the race, especially with Valero-Stutzmann, who were in contention with the best for a good part of the week.