Team 36One - Songo - Specialized, Burry Stander and Christoph Sauser, head back to the Cape Epic to defend their title from last year. This year Kohei Yamamoto and Max Knox join the team as well. Team Burry/Christoph looked good and got right back into the swing of things by taking the yellow jersey with a 3 minute buffer to 2nd place. Kohei and Max rolled in on the podium in 4th place looking to move up in the coming days.
Stage 1:
Burry Stander and Christoph Sauser of 36One - Songo - Specialized continued dominating the 2012 Cape Epic race in stage 1 by putting another 5 minutes into the pack on one of the stage's massive climbs.
Stage 2:
Christoph Sauser and Burry Stander use the easier route of stage 2 to relax, rehydrate and recover while maintaining a gap of 9 minutes on second place. With half the climbing of yesterday's stage there were few places to attack. The stage ended in a group sprint with Burry and Christoph saving their strength and settling for 3 on the day but the yellow over-all. Kohei Yamamoto and Max Knox rolled in close behind for 8th as Kohei recovered from some dehydration.
Stage 3:
Christoph Sauser and Burry Stander of 36One-Songo-Specialized are looking unstoppable in stage 3 of the Absa Cape Epic after once again finishing first and adding more time to their overall lead - now at 18 minutes! Kohei Yamamoto and Max Knox pulled in at 10th and the team crew continue their own epic race to keep the bikes in top shape for the next stage.
Stage 4:
It feels a little like Ground Hog's day: Christoph Sauser and Burry Stander continue their dominance of the Absa Cape Epic with another 1st place finish on another climbing stage. Burry says he's nervous (which is a good thing) and it must have paid off as they add to their overall lead - now at 25 minutes!
Stage 5:
The team suffers through a brutal day as the weather takes a massive change for the worse over night. Rain, hail and cold soak the field but Burry Stander and Christoph Sauser prevail again, taking first place in another sprint finish and adding another minute to their GC lead, now at 26 minutes!
The rain seemed to speed up Kohei and Max as they rolled in at 6th having held 5th for most of the race.
Seems like for everyone the Absa Cape Epic just wouldn't be the same without a little dose of misery!
Stage 6:
On the penultimate stage, Christoph Sauser and Burry Stander can play it safe thanks to a big lead and the right equipment.
Stage 7:
Christoph Sauser and Burry Stander put an exclamation point upon their dominating performance, capping an incredible week for Specialized Racing.
Specialized still make the f*cking best Videos out there. They are so clean and everything. You can't compair them with Videos from the Coastle Crew or Silva cause that's another Style. But still the best Team Vids out there. And Congratulations to Christoph and Burry
And Congratulations to Christoph and Burry