The queen stage shakes up the Cape Epic 2025: Schurter-Colombo win with authority and Langvad-Gómez do it by the minimum

The sixth stage of the Cape Epic 2025 was considered the queen stage of the edition due to its toughness. A decisive day with many movements at the front. Nino Schurter and Filipo Colombo took care of resolving the men's race with a devastating downhill attack. But in the women's race, the victory was closely contested until the final meters where Annika Langvad and Sofía Gómez had to give their all to secure their sixth victory.

Dominant victory for SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing in the Queen Stage

Stage 5, considered the queen stage of this Cape Epic 2025, lived up to all expectations. With almost 100 km and 3000 meters of positive elevation gain, it was an epic day in every sense. The final climb to The Neck, located at kilometer 85, was the decisive point in a stage marked by multiple attacks, changes of pace, and weather conditions.

From the early kilometers, the leading pairs of this edition positioned themselves at the front. SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing, with Nino Schurter and Filippo Colombo, Wilier-Vittoria with Luca Braidot and Simone Avondetto, and Imbuko ChemChamp with Marco Joubert and Tristan Nortje set the pace.

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During the first half of the stage, the time gaps were minimal and several teams were in and out of the lead group. Orbea Leatt Speed Company, with Lukas Baum and Georg Egger, even briefly led the race before falling back before the halfway point.

The first major move came near kilometer 60. Filippo Colombo launched an attack on a demanding uphill trail that stretched the lead group. His teammate Nino Schurter had to push hard to stay in contact. This acceleration left SCOTT and Wilier at the front, opening a gap with Imbuko ChemChamp.

But the situation changed just a few kilometers later. The group regrouped and Imbuko ChemChamp seized the opportunity to launch a strong attack with 23 km to go, just before facing the climb to The Neck. They gained a lead of almost a minute and a half, with SCOTT and Wilier in pursuit.

However, the long and grueling climb to The Neck, with rain starting to fall, shaped the stage. Wilier and SCOTT managed to neutralize Imbuko's breakaway at the beginning of the climb, and from there SCOTT-SRAM took the lead to launch a definitive attack that started just a few meters from the summit and continued on the endless descent to the finish line.

In the final descent, Nino Schurter once again showed why he is one of the best descenders in the world. Accompanied by a strong Filippo Colombo, they both put on a spectacular descent that gave them the victory in the queen stage with a lead of 1:10 over Wilier Vittoria in second place. Imbuko ChemChamp closed the podium 3 minutes behind.

With this result, SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing consolidates their lead in the general classification, showing a superior level in the technical and decisive sections of the race. The Swiss pair once again proves they are the strongest in this edition of the Absa Cape Epic 2025.

Stage 5 Classification - Absa Cape Epic 2025 Men's Elite

1. SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing - Nino Schurter & Filippo Colombo 4:13:27
2. Wilier-Vittoria - Luca Braidot & Simone Avondetto 4:14:37 (+1:10)
3. Imbuko ChemChamp A - Marco Joubert & Tristan Nortje 4:16:30 (+3:03)
4. Torpado Kenda FSA 2 - Jakob Dorigoni & Gioele De Cosmo 4:19:38 (+6:11)
5. Klimatiza Orbea - Samuele Porro & Marc Stutzmann 4:20:06 (+6:39)
6. BULLS Mavericks - Simon Schneller & Axel Roudil-Cortinat 4:20:18 (+6:51)
7. BUFF MEGAMO 1 - Wout Alleman & Martin Stošek 4:20:19 (+6:52)
8. ORBEA Leatt Speed Company - Lukas Baum & Georg Egger 4:23:05 (+9:38)
9. Toyota Specialized - Johan Van Zyl & Travis Stedman 4:23:09 (+9:42)
10. Klimatiza Orbea 2 - Miguel Muñoz Moreno & Luis Francisco Pérez Martínez 4:25:08 (+11:41)

General Classification after Stage 5

1. SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing - Nino Schurter & Filippo Colombo 17:47:27
2. Wilier-Vittoria - Luca Braidot & Simone Avondetto 17:49:19 (+1:52)
3. Imbuko ChemChamp A - Marco Joubert & Tristan Nortje 18:00:22 (+12:55)
4. Klimatiza Orbea - Samuele Porro & Marc Stutzmann 18:07:36 (+20:09)
5. BUFF MEGAMO 1 - Wout Alleman & Martin Stošek 18:09:43 (+22:16)
6. Torpado Kenda FSA 2 - Jakob Dorigoni & Gioele De Cosmo 18:17:27 (+30:00)
7. ORBEA Leatt Speed Company - Lukas Baum & Georg Egger 18:20:46 (+33:19)
8. Klimatiza Orbea 2 - Miguel Muñoz Moreno & Luis Francisco Pérez Martínez 18:31:54 (+44:27)
9. Insect Science Cycling - Arno du Toit & Keagan Bontekoning 18:35:34 (+48:07)
10. Toyota Specialized - Johan Van Zyl & Travis Stedman 18:36:19 (+48:52)

The queen stage also shakes up the women's race

The queen stage also lived up to its name in the women's race, where the day followed a very different script than in previous stages.

The day started with the leading pair of Toyota Specialized, Annika Langvad and Sofía Gómez Villafañe, riding behind Cannondale ISB Sport, with Monica Calderón and Tessa Kortekaas, and Efficient Infiniti SCB SRAM with Vera Looser and Alexis Skarda.

What seemed like a strategy from Toyota Specialized—given their dominance in previous days—turned into a challenging situation when, trying to take control of the race halfway through, they couldn't open the gaps as in previous stages. The rain, mud, and the monstrous climb to The Neck revolutionized the day's development.

Sofía Gómez struggled to stay on the bike due to the large amount of mud on the wheels, while the Cannondale ISB Sport team took advantage of this situation to overtake the leaders on the climb. The race then entered into intense fog that made the already difficult ascent even tougher.

Despite the difficulties, Toyota Specialized managed to regain the lead towards the end of the climb and reached the top in front. However, in the long final descent, Cannondale ISB Sport closed in dangerously, leading to an exciting chase to the finish line.

At the finish line, Annika Langvad and Sofía Gómez Villafañe secured their sixth consecutive victory, although it was undoubtedly the most demanding one so far. Cannondale ISB Sport finished just 12 seconds behind, while TitanRacing SE Honeycomb, with Bianca Haw and Hayley Preen, completed the day's podium with a 7-minute and 40-second delay.