Nino Schurter and Kate Courtney win their first XCO of the year in South Africa

A large part of the XCO elite continue their preparation in South Africa and are taking advantage of the local races to get into the rhythm of competition. This time it was at the first round of the Western Cape XCO Cup in Stellenbosch, where SCOTT SRAM dominated with wins for Nino Schurter and Kate Courntey. 

SCOTT SRAM takes Western Cape XCO Cup in Stellenbosch 2023 by storm

The Stellenbosch event was an XCO race with a course very similar to that of any World Cup. In fact, its spectacular course was full of wooden platforms and artificial obstacles reminiscent of some sections of races like Nove Mesto.

The entire SCOTT SRAM team has been in South Africa for a few days and this was the first race of the year for some of its members. It was the case of the American Kate Courntey who, despite being her first competition, won with relative ease against strong rivals such as the Swiss Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Team) and her compatriot, the current winner of the overall World Cup, Alessandra Keller (Thomus Maxon).

 

 

 

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The men's race was an exhibition for SCOTT SRAM, who dominated the race from start to finish and took all the podium places. Nino Schurter took his first victory of the year, Filippo Colombo was second and Andri Frischknecht third.

It would not be unusual that after this XCO race we will see many of the riders who are preparing their season in South Africa competing in the next Tankwa Trek. A stage race that has traditionally been considered the prelude to the Cape Epic and that last year Schurter and Colombo won as a pair.