2026 Absa Cape Epic┃Stage 5 Highlights

Stage 5 of the Absa Cape Epic, the Queen Stage, delivered a brutal and decisive day from Greyton to Stellenbosch, with rain, mud, and 130+ km of relentless racing pushing riders to their limits.  In the men’s race, the pace was high but controlled for much of the day, with multiple teams testing the leaders but no decisive break sticking early on. As the race wore on, the key contenders remained locked together before the final push to the finish. Despite a late crash, Luca Braidot and Simone Avondetto powered to a huge stage win, extending their overall lead, while the battle for the podium tightened behind them. The women’s race saw a major turning point. Candice Lill and Alessandra Keller seized their opportunity early, riding aggressively to build a massive gap and take a dominant stage victory. Their performance extended their general classification lead significantly, putting them firmly in control of the race. Behind them, the fight for second intensified as teams battled through the tough conditions. With only a few stages remaining, the Queen Stage reshaped the race, creating gaps, exposing fatigue, and setting up a dramatic final push to the finish. 🔔 Subscribe to our YouTube channel: 🌐 Visit our website to access more content: https://www.epic-series.com/ 📲 And Follow us on all our social networks: Instagram: www.instagram.com/capeepic/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/capeepic Twitter: twitter.com/capeepic 🔔 Subscribe to our YouTube channel: 🌐 Visit our website to access more content: https://www.epic-series.com/ 📲 And Follow us on all our social networks: Instagram: www.instagram.com/capeepic/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/capeepic Twitter: twitter.com/capeepic