Courtney and Seiwald break Keller and Lill's streak at the 2026 Cape Epic

The women's Cape Epic experienced its most open day yet in Greyton. After three stages and a prologue dominated with authority by Candice Lill and Alessandra Keller, the fourth stage changed the script. Kate Courtney and Greta Seiwald, who had been pushing hard for days without reward, finally found victory on a day marked by strategy, constant attacks, and a very close finish.

Courtney and Seiwald break Keller and Lill's dominance in a tactical and tense stage at the Cape Epic

The 61-kilometer route with 1,450 meters of elevation gain once again provided perfect terrain for tactical play, with long stretches of singletrack where positioning was key. From the start, the race remained very controlled, but with constant tension.

The leading group stayed together for a good part of the day, and as they had done in previous stages, Courtney and Seiwald took on the offensive role. Their moves did not quite break the race, but they forced Keller and Lill to respond continuously, increasing the wear and tear.

The situation became tense on the climb to UFO, the key point of the day. There, the real differences began to emerge. Keller took the initiative at the front, with Seiwald responding, while the rest started to give way. Everything pointed to a new direct duel between the two top pairs in the overall standings.

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Control, patience, and final attack: the perfect formula of Lill and Keller to win their fourth stage in the Cape Epic 2026

In the subsequent descent, with loose and technical terrain, the race broke apart definitively after Rosa van Doorn's fall, which forced her team to stop and practically lose their chances in the overall standings. From that moment on, the leading group was reduced to the main favorites.

With the race selected, a true tactical battle began. Seiwald launched a move ahead while Courtney played to block from behind. Keller and Lill, who had controlled all situations until now, found themselves for the first time without a clear response.

The stage was decided in the final sprint where Courtney and Seiwald won by just 2.6 seconds ahead of Lill and Keller. Behind them, Hayley Pree and Haley Smith confirmed their consistency with a new podium finish, although already more than a minute behind the two main references of the race.

Stage 4 Results – Elite Women

1. Kate Courtney / Greta Seiwald (She Sends Foundation) – 2:56:37.6
2. Candice Lill / Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon Sabi Sabi) +2.6
3. Hayley Pree / Haley Smith (ChemChamp Honeycomb) +1:43.9
4. Katazina Sosna-Pinele / Giorgia Marchett (Torpado FSA Kenda) +3:59.1
5. Margot Moschetti / Claudia Peretti (Symbtech.net) +4:22.2

The overall standings remain controlled but the race changes

Despite Courtney and Seiwald's victory, the overall standings remain under the control of Lill and Keller, who maintain almost a five-minute lead. However, the feeling now is that Courtney and Seiwald have shown they can win, and tomorrow is the queen stage of the race.

Overall Standings after Stage 4

1. Candice Lill / Alessandra Keller (Thömus Maxon Sabi Sabi) – 14:18:54.0
2. Kate Courtney / Greta Seiwald (She Sends Foundation) +4:50.2
3. Hayley Pree / Haley Smith (ChemChamp Honeycomb) +31:52.3
4. Katazina Sosna-Pinele / Giorgia Marchett (Torpado FSA Kenda) +35:29.4
5. Margot Moschetti / Claudia Peretti (Symbtech.net) +42:55.4
6. Samantha Sanders / Bianca Haw (Sani2c Efficient Infiniti) +51:19.7
7. Monica Calderon / Tessa Kortekaas (Massi ISB Sport) +1:00:42.0
8. Jenna Rinehart / Leah Van der Linden (Wolf Tooth Components) +1:03:48.6
9. Faranak Partoazar / Lejla Njemcevic (Pump for Peace) +1:32:49.9
10. Ila Stow / Cherise Willet (Fortress Toyota) +1:37:02.1