Alleman and Stosek Strike Late as Beers and Nortje Save Yellow on Dramatic Stage 1

Stage 1 Race Report – 2026 Absa Cape Epic

Montagu, Western Cape – 90km | 2,150m climbing

The opening marathon stage of the Absa Cape Epic delivered exactly what the race is famous for: drama, tactical racing and early general classification tension. Stage 1 started and finished in the historic town of Montagu and immediately reminded riders why the event is widely considered the toughest mountain bike stage race in the world.

The eight-day race will cover 707 kilometres and nearly 16,000 metres of climbing across the rugged landscapes of the Western Cape. Day one is traditionally a brutal introduction, and this year’s 90km stage with 2,150 metres of climbing was no exception. The course profile resembled a jagged sawblade, constantly forcing riders up rocky climbs and down dusty descents through the harsh terrain of the Klein Karoo. With the prologue producing one of the tightest leaderboards in the race’s history, the opening marathon stage promised fireworks.

A Knife-Edge Men’s Race

After the prologue, the elite men’s classification was separated by less than a minute. Leading the race were three-time champion Matt Beers and partner Tristan Nortje of Toyota Specialized Imbuko, holding a slender six-second advantage.

Close behind were the Italian pairing of Luca Braidot and Simone Avondetto riding for Wilier-Vittoria, while David Valero Serrano and Marc Stutzmann of Klimatiza Orbea were only 13 seconds off the lead. It meant that when the gun fired outside Montagu on Monday morning, the race exploded into action immediately.

The first 30 kilometres of rolling gravel roads saw the elite teams tightly packed together, each trying to avoid early mistakes while maintaining good positioning before the technical terrain began. But wearing the Yellow Zebra leaders’ jersey comes with pressure. Every move is watched and every rival is waiting for weakness. And weakness came in the form of bad luck.

Disaster for the Yellow Jersey

Around 1 hour and 20 minutes into the stage, Toyota Specialized Imbuko’s race nearly unravelled. Nortje sliced open the sidewall of his tyre on the unforgiving Karoo terrain. Despite attempts to plug the leak, the tyre could not be sealed. The leading team was forced to stop while rivals rode away.

Help eventually came from within the Specialized support network. Marco Joubert from the first support team attempted to assist but did not have the necessary equipment to solve the issue. It was the second support team rider, Jaedon Terlouw, who ultimately provided a lifesaving wheel. By the time Beers and Nortje were rolling again, they were almost four minutes behind the leaders. In a race often decided by seconds, it looked like a devastating blow.

The Chase Begins

What followed was one of the most impressive comeback rides of the stage. Beers and Nortje quickly found rhythm with a strong chasing group that included European champion Andreas Seewald and partner Jakob Hartmann, as well as the Torpado Kenda FSA pairing of Casey South and Fabian Rabensteiner. The gap began to fall. Beers, the experienced three-time champion, carefully managed the effort, knowing the stage was still long and brutal. Nortje, ten years younger, communicated that he felt strong and pushed the pace whenever possible. Gradually the deficit shrank. By the 77-kilometre mark, the defending champions had pulled off the improbable — they were back with the leaders. With just 13 kilometres remaining, the race reset itself.

A Tactical Finale

Seven teams entered the final kilometres together, setting up a tense tactical showdown.

Among the contenders were:

• Wout Alleman and Martin Stosek (Buff-BH)
• Braidot and Avondetto (Wilier-Vittoria)
• Valero Serrano and Stutzmann (Klimatiza Orbea)
• Antoine Azzaro and Filippo Zanotti (Origine-Wilier)

On the final climb Alleman made the decisive move, hoping his powerful teammate Stosek could follow and create separation. The attack briefly opened a gap. But Beers and Nortje were quick to respond, closing the move before it became decisive. With the race hurtling toward the finish, positioning became everything. Riders jostled for the front as the pace surged through the final technical sections back toward Montagu.

Stage 1 Victory

In the final sprint it was the Buff-BH team who proved strongest. Alleman and Stosek launched their final effort and surged clear to take a commanding win on Stage 1, securing their first victory of the race.

Men’s Stage 1 Results

1️⃣ Wout Alleman / Martin Stosek – Buff-BH
2️⃣ Luca Braidot / Simone Avondetto – Wilier-Vittoria
3️⃣ Matt Beers / Tristan Nortje – Toyota Specialized Imbuko

Despite their earlier mechanical disaster, Beers and Nortje’s remarkable recovery ensured they retained the Yellow Zebra leaders’ jersey heading into Stage 2.

Given the time lost to the wheel change, finishing third felt almost like a victory.