Maltese riders have completed the fourth day and third stage of the Absa Cape Epic, reaching the halfway mark of what is widely regarded as one of the toughest endurance races in the world.
The stage, the longest of the event, saw riders depart Montagu for Greyton on a demanding 140km route featuring 1,750 metres of elevation gain. Overcast and windy conditions provided some welcome relief from the intense heat experienced in previous stages, although the course remained relentlessly challenging.
Epic Team Deloitte (Mark Bonnici / Luke Borg), coming off a challenging stage yesterday where both riders were unwell, showed resilience to complete the gruelling course in 6:04:27.3. While still not fully recovered, both riders managed their effort carefully. Today’s stage suited the team, with sections of flat gravel roads and singletrack allowing them to capitalise on their time trial strengths and maintain a strong average pace, delivering a result that exceeded expectations.
“Maintaining hydration remained a priority throughout, particularly as solid nutrition proved difficult to digest under the circumstances” commented Bonnici.
Team Gaudos (Stephen Grima / Brandon Sultana) followed closely, finishing in 6:09:05.9. Remarking on the day’s progress, Grima said: “The long stage suited us well today. We maintained a strong pace through the opening two thirds, and drew on last year’s experience to approach the final third more conservatively, focusing on recovery with the days ahead in mind. With the race only at the halfway point, it’s important to manage effort over such a demanding 140km stage rather than push at full intensity throughout. Overall, we’re satisfied with the performance and the time achieved, there’s still room for improvement, but the priority remains to stay consistent and race smart.”
Team Kalamba Racing completed the course in 6:40:45.3, with Etienne Bonello describing the stage as “muddy, with never ending roads, especially towards the end.” Following the demanding efforts of recent days, fatigue is beginning to take its toll, making pacing increasingly critical with four challenging stages still to come. As Bonello noted, “tomorrow we continue, knowing that half is already behind us.”
In the general classification, Epic Team Deloitte saw a slight shift in positions after yesterday’s challenging stage, but bounced back well to recover ground today. Meanwhile, Team Gaudos continue their consistent climb up the rankings in a competitive field of 173 teams. In the Mixed Category, Team Kalamba Racing maintain their upward momentum and currently sit in 22nd place out of 61 participating teams.
Attention now turns to tomorrow’s stage in Greyton, where riders will face a shorter 87km route. Despite the reduced distance, the stage will still feature a series of demanding climbs, ensuring that the challenge remains firmly intact.
Epic Team Deloitte (Luke Borg & Mark Bonnici) is sponsored by Deloitte with additional support from Foster Clark Products, Akkura, Visit Malta with further support from Nduranz, The Cyclist and Wheel Wizard.
Team Gaudos (Stephen Grima & Brandon Sultana) are supported by Extra Carte, Visit Malta, SG Woodworks Ltd, Raico, National Gypsum Limited Malta, Wurth Malta, Pitre Hardware, Lourdes Opticians, JV Pharma, A. Caruana Enterprises Ltd and Xlendi Supermarket.
Team Kalamba Racing (Etienne Bonello & Marie Claire Aquilina) are sponsored by Kalamba Games, with further support from Garmin and Visit Malta. Technical partners include 226ERS, Ascend Creative Studio, BBB Cycling, IDMatch Bikefit Lab, The Sports Medics, Tristar Travel, and Würth.
