Mechanical trouble and an epic comeback: Schwarzbauer win Stage 4 of the 2026 Cape Epic, and secure a spot on the overall podium

The Absa Cape Epic 2026 has definitely entered its most demanding phase with a stage 4 that completely changed the script from previous days. Shorter than the marathon stage of the previous day but much more technical, the stage of 87 km and 1,750 meters of accumulated elevation took the race to a much purer mountain bike terrain, where selection came early and differences were built on the trails.

Canyon responds in a decisive stage 4 of the Cape Epic marked by the trails and the great final climb

Before the start, the Spaniard David Valero, third until today in the overall standings alongside Marc Stutzmann, was already anticipating what was to come: after the wear and tear of the queen stage, everything would depend on recovery and how the legs would respond. “Now is when the Cape Epic really starts to get tough,” he made clear.

A fast start and a total change of scenery

As is customary in this edition, the start was explosive on wide tracks, allowing a very large group of favorites to stay compact during the first kilometers. Luca Braidot and Simone Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria) debuted the yellow jersey achieved in stage 3, while Marc Pritzen and Felix Stehli (Honeycomb 226ers), winners the previous day after their long attack, took the lead again from the start, setting the pace at the front.

But soon the terrain changed completely. The entry into the first technical trails before kilometer 20, along with the first demanding climb of the day, began to stretch the group.

The trails select the race

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As the stage progressed, the course became increasingly technical, with long stretches of singletrack both uphill and downhill. By kilometer 44, the leading group was already reduced to about ten pairs, with Mathis Azzaro (Origine-Wilier) setting the pace at the front.

Among the favorites, Luca Schwarzbauer and Sam Gaze (Canyon) were also riding, although they suffered mechanical problems again, in this case a flat tire that forced them to stop and lose contact with the main group. A situation that has already repeated itself on several days for the Canyon duo.

However, and once again, they managed to recover. Their ability to bounce back in the race was key and they managed to return to the leading group at a critical moment, just before the big climb of the day.

The decisive climb breaks the stage

With 19 kilometers to go, the leading group included practically all the contenders: Canyon, Toyota Specialized Imbuko, Wilier-Vittoria, Buff-BH, Klimatiza Orbea, and other teams still in the fight.

It was then that the key point of the day arrived. The hardest climb of the day definitively blew the race apart. Wout Alleman and Martin Stosek (Buff-BH) took the initiative and imposed a very high pace that left the front reduced to just four teams: Wilier-Vittoria, Buff-BH, Klimatiza Orbea, and Toyota Specialized Imbuko.

But the race turned again in a matter of seconds. As soon as they crested and began the descent, Stosek suffered a fall that broke the group they had selected, leaving Buff-BH out of the fight for victory.

Canyon comes back into play

The long and technical descent that followed was another key point of the stage. While Braidot and Avondetto tried to open a gap at the front, Schwarzbauer and Gaze staged a new comeback, regaining ground until they connected with the leaders.

This move was decisive. Wilier-Vittoria and Canyon managed to open a gap of over 20 seconds on Beers and Nortje (Toyota Specialized Imbuko), a difference that began to have a direct impact on the overall classification, reinforcing the lead of the Italians and bringing Canyon fully into the fight for the podium.

With that scenario, the race interests aligned. In the final kilometers, already on fast tracks, the leading teams began to collaborate, taking turns constantly to consolidate their advantage over the pursuers.

Canyon's attack and sprint resolution

When the course narrowed again on a trail, the rotations broke down. Canyon launched an attack with the clear intention of going for the stage, but the equality was maximum and everything ended up being resolved in a sprint.

In that finish, Luca Schwarzbauer and Sam Gaze confirmed their speed and took the victory with a time of 3:29:31, beating Luca Braidot and Simone Avondetto by just half a second. Matthew Beers and Tristan Nortje completed the podium 23 seconds later.

Stage 4 results Cape Epic 2026 (Top 10)

1. Schwarzbauer / Gaze (Canyon) – 3:29:31
2. Braidot / Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria) +0:00.5
3. Beers / Nortje (Toyota Specialized Imbuko) +0:23.9
4. Stiebjahn / Frey (Singer KTM Racing 2) +2:06.9
5. Becking / Ruijter (Double Dutch) +2:11.2
6. Alleman / Stosek (Buff-BH) +2:11.8
7. Azzaro / Zanotti (Origine-Wilier) +2:12.2
8. Joubert / Stedman (Toyota Specialized Imbuko 2) +2:15.7
9. Valero / Stutzmann (Klimatiza Orbea) +3:22.3
10. Porro / Pérez Martínez (Klimatiza Orbea 2) +3:22.8

The overall standings of the Cape Epic 2026 tighten after stage 4 and Canyon enters the fight

Stage 4 not only left a new victory for Canyon, but also reordered the overall classification. Braidot and Avondetto consolidate their lead after their second place, but see how Beers and Nortje remain just over a minute and a half behind and, above all, how Schwarzbauer and Gaze climb to third place.

The big loser of the day is Klimatiza Orbea. Valero and Stutzmann drop a position and are now fourth, almost six minutes behind the lead, although still within a fight for the podium that remains completely open.

Behind, Buff-BH loses ground after the fall at the key moment, while teams like Double Dutch or Origine-Wilier take advantage of the chaos to continue climbing positions.

With several stages still ahead and differences still manageable in the Top 5, the Cape Epic 2026 enters its decisive stretch with the overall completely open and with more teams in the real fight for the podium.

Overall classification after stage 4

1. Braidot / Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria) – 16:08:59
2. Beers / Nortje (Toyota Specialized Imbuko) +1:37
3. Schwarzbauer / Gaze (Canyon) +5:10
4. Valero / Stutzmann (Klimatiza Orbea) +5:51
5. Alleman / Stosek (Buff-BH) +7:05
6. Becking / Ruijter (Double Dutch) +12:39
7. Azzaro / Zanotti (Origine-Wilier) +17:51
8. Porro / Pérez Martínez (Klimatiza Orbea 2) +17:59
9. Joubert / Stedman (Toyota Specialized Imbuko 2) +18:24
10. Stiebjahn / Frey (Singer KTM Racing 2) +19:25

Stage 5 will mark the true turning point

The Cape Epic shows no mercy and stage 5 presents itself as one of the toughest days of the entire week. With 134 kilometers and 2,750 meters of positive elevation between Greyton and Stellenbosch, it will be the most demanding day so far in terms of accumulated effort, with a long, uneven course and hardly any respite.

The profile chains multiple ascents and technical areas, with several long climbs spread throughout the day and a particularly demanding central section where the race can definitively break apart. In addition, the accumulated wear from four days of competition may start to take its toll, opening the door to long-range attacks and movements in the overall standings.

On paper, it is a stage conducive to significant differences. Teams like Wilier-Vittoria will have to defend the lead under pressure, while Canyon, after their victory, and Toyota Specialized Imbuko, still very close in the overall, will have a clear opportunity to stretch the race from afar. It will also be a key day to measure the real options of Valero and Stutzmann in the fight for the podium.

With a longer, harder, and more selective course, stage 5 could mark a before and after in the Cape Epic 2026.