Candice Lill and Alessandra Keller dominate the 2026 Cape Epic

The Absa Cape Epic 2026 already has its champions, and there has been no room for surprises. Candice Lill and Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon Sabi Sabi) have confirmed their superiority throughout the week, also securing victory in the final stage and sealing a general classification they dominated practically from the first day.

A final stage without surprises to confirm the hierarchy

The final stage, with 58 km and over 2,100 meters of elevation gain, presented a demanding and explosive profile, with the ascent of Red Phoenix as a key point. However, the women's race was practically decided after what happened in previous days, especially after Greta Seiwald's withdrawal, which eliminated the only real threat in the general classification.

Lill and Keller controlled the race with the same authority shown throughout the week and capped off their performance with a new victory in 2:48:27. Following them, the Massi ISB Sport team of Mónica Calderón and Tessa Kortekaas finished second in the stage, while Hayley Preen and Haley Smith (Chemchamp Honeycomb) completed the podium for the day.

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Stage 7 Results Cape Epic 2026

1. Candice Lill – Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon Sabi Sabi) – 2:48:27
2. Mónica Calderón – Tessa Kortekaas (Massi ISB Sport) +2:27
3. Hayley Preen – Haley Smith (Chemchamp Honeycomb) +4:32
4. Margot Moschetti – Claudia Peretti (Symbtech.net) +5:51
5. Katazina Sosna-Pinele – Giorgia Marchet (Torpado FSA Kenda) +8:19

Candice Lill and Alessandra Keller win the Cape Epic 2026 after a week of absolute dominance since the prologue

The final triumph of Lill and Keller is not the result of a single day, but of a Cape Epic built with authority from the start. Even in the prologue, they marked significant differences and since then, they chained victories and controlled the race, imposing their pace on all types of terrain.

The only pair capable of challenging them was formed by Kate Courtney and Greta Seiwald, who even managed to secure a stage victory in Greyton. However, mechanical problems first and Seiwald's illness later ultimately broke that direct fight for the general classification.

From there, the race was completely in the hands of Thömus Maxon Sabi Sabi, which not only defended the lead but also increased the gap to finish the general classification with almost an hour advantage.

General Classification Cape Epic 2026 Women Elite

1. Candice Lill – Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon Sabi Sabi) – 24:32:38
2. Hayley Preen – Haley Smith (Chemchamp Honeycomb) +52:58
3. Katazina Sosna-Pinele – Giorgia Marchet (Torpado FSA Kenda) +1:08:59
4. Margot Moschetti – Claudia Peretti (Symbtech.net) +1:13:39
5. Mónica Calderón – Tessa Kortekaas (Massi ISB Sport) +1:23:18