The Aspirations and Expectations of the Aramex Women’s Category
UCI Women’s defending champion, Vera Looser, starts her fourth Absa Cape Epic with a first-timer teammate. Alexis Skarda is no stranger to marathon racing and has already seen similarities in the terrain between the Western Cape of South Africa and her native Grand Junction, Colorado. “The Absa Cape Epic is my first partner race, so learning to communicate will be important,” the American XCM Champion confessed. “It’s also my first time in South Africa. I’ve been here a week and it’s exceeded my expectations so far.”
Having a newcomer as a teammate, on the Efficient Infiniti Insure SCB SRAM team, would be a source of stress for most riders. Yet, Looser has a more philosophical approach to the race. “I’m not putting pressure on myself,” the Namibian Champion stated. “I might be the defending champion, but I have a new teammate and new rivals, many of whom are new teammates themselves. We’ll take it day by day and focus on doing our best.”
“Our aspirations are to set the bar high; I’ve got big shoes to fill,” Skarda smiled. “We might as well say it, we’re going for victory. But along the way the goal is to start together, to finish together, and to do the best we can, day by day.”
Another former winner is in a similar situation to Looser. Sofia Gomez Villafane had never raced, or even ridden with Samarah Sheppard before they arrived from America and Australia for the 2024 Absa Cape Epic. Yet the Toyota Specialized NinetyOne team are expecting to find their feet as a combination, fast.
“It’s going to be brutal,” Sheppard predicted. “I’m expecting it to be all out, every day, from the Prologue to the Grand Finale. The Absa Cape Epic is the biggest challenge in mountain bike stage racing and I’m riding with a winner, on a winning team. So, we have to go out and try to win it.”
Similarly to South Africans, Gomez Villafane – who hails from Argentina but lives in the United States of America – says the Absa Cape Epic provides a platform for South American riders. “The Absa Cape Epic gives South Americans a chance to shine,” she praised. “We don’t get an opportunity to race on a global stage that often. Winning the Absa Cape Epic gave me a lot of recognition and helped with my confidence. It also helped with Specialized and allowed me to focus on gravel and other marathon distance mountain bike races. But also, because they know I always want to race the Absa Cape Epic the brand has been amazing in supporting me and helping me find a partner to try to win this year’s race alongside.”
In order to achieve her goal Gomez Villafane, and Sheppard, will need to defeat the powerful Cannondale Factory Racing team. In Mona Mitterwallner the squad has the reigning XCM World Champion, while Candice Lill supplies the Absa Cape Epic know-how, gained from four second-place finishes. “It’s the 20th edition, which is really special,” Lill started. “As a South African rider, the Absa Cape Epic is not only personally important but it vital to my sponsors too. After finishing as the runner-up in the last four editions I’d really love to get the victory this year, to repay the support of my sponsors and the South African mountain biking community at large.”
“That being said, you can only control what you can control,” she philosophised. “Winning the race isn’t the goal. We’re not focusing on anyone else, just focusing on the process. Spending our energy focusing on the details and working on what’s in our control.”
“I’m looking forward to racing in a team,” Mitterwallner added. “And to share the privilege of the pressure we’ll be under. I’m hoping for a big challenge and for that to bring a fresh approach to my season.”
When asked if she was in the form required to win the race, Lill shied away from answering directly. “I’d like to say I’m in good shape,” she downplayed. Mitterwallner had no such compunctions: “I can confirm Candice is in great shape!”