Cape Epic 2024: Schurter-Fini win the stage on the day Beers-Groots take the lead

Matthew Beers and Howard Groots become the new leaders of the race. The Buff Megamo surrenders and yields the yellow jerseys to the pair from Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne. The fourth stage shook the Cape Epic with still three days of competition to go.

A stage worth 2 minutes: Beers and Groots conquer the leadership with a lead that puts pressure on the rest of the favorites

The organization decided to modify the fourth stage due to the extreme heat temperatures that were going to hit the Wellington area where the stage was going to take place. Thus, the 88 km and 3,000 meters of positive elevation gain planned had to be reduced to a still respectable 73 km and 2,550 meters of elevation gain. The race is already entering the final phase, when the legs weigh more and exhaustion becomes more palpable.
 

The race remained compact during the early stages and, as expected, tension increased as the kilometers advanced. Waiting for any move that could unleash the watts that each one keeps under lock and key, the lead group continued to be made up of a large group of cyclists.

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The Canyon SIDI of Andreas Seewald and Marc Stutzmann took the lead around kilometer 20 of the race. Thus, they themselves led the race and only Schurter-Fini and Beers-Groots could respond. Kilometer 46. The three leading pairs managed to put more than 1 minute and 20 seconds of distance between Egger-Baum and the yellow jerseys Becking-Alleman. 

The Buff Megamo surprised and got involved in a constant loss of time from which they were unable to escape. Both members suffered and supported each other to give up as little as possible.

The riders faced a brutal descent in the form of a snail where Schurter spread his wings in a display of mastery and skill. The Swiss stretched the group and the distances appeared. Beers-Groots held up quite well, although Seewald-Stutzmann fell behind at kilometer 65.

 

 

 

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Without any way to tilt the balance of the race in any direction, the two leading pairs reached the final part of the stage. Fini's attack was just a gesture when everyone spurred on the pedals with the same force and canceled each other out in a final sprint that also failed to break anyone. The victory went to Schurter-Fini who are closing in on a leadership now led by Beers-Groots with a two-minute advantage.

The stage took its toll on the Buff Megamo. After several days that ended with outstanding results, today both riders suffered and paid the price. When they got off the bike, they were realistic and faced the rest of the race with optimism.

Cape Epic 2024 Results - Stage 4 - Men's

1. Nino Schurter - Sebastian Fini (World Bicycle Relief) 3 h 22' 39"
2. Matthew Beers - Howard Groots (Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne) +0"
3. Andreas Seewald - Marc Stutzmann (Canyon SIDI) +1'10"
4. Georg Egger - Lukas Baum (Orbea Leatt Speed Company) +3'59"
5. Roberto Bou - Miguel Muñoz (Klimatiza Toteemi Cabberty) +6'04"
6. Hans Becking - Wout Alleman (Buff Megamo) +6'50"
7. Simon Stiebjahn - Jakob Hartmann (Singer Racing) +10'25"
8. Sergio Mantecón - Pawel Bernas (Scott Calabandida-Mazowsze) +12'05"
9. Lubomir Petrus - Karel Hnik (D2MONT MERIDA) +12'06"
10. Philip Buys - Pieter Du Toit (PYGA Euro Steel) +12'58"

Cape Epic 2024 General Classification

1. Matthew Beers - Howard Groots (Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne) +15h 54' 04"
2. Nino Schurter - Sebastian Fini (World Bicycle Relief) +2'
3. Hans Becking - Wout Alleman (Buff Megamo) +5'03"
4. Georg Egger - Lukas Baum (Orbea Leatt Speed Company) +9'33"
5. Andreas Seewald - Marc Stutzmann (Canyon SIDI) +11'36"