Due to extreme overnight weather and a lot of rain, the start of the Grand Finale was delayed and rerouted. The distance was shortened to 40km in distance and 1.050m in climbing, which resulted in the shortest marathon stage in the history of the race.
The race went full gas from the very beginning, and it was the German team OBREA Leatt Speed Company of Lukas Baum (GER) and Georg Egger (GER), who took their first stage win this year at the Grand Finale.
The wearers of the yellow leaders’ jersey Nino Schurter (SUI) and Filippo Colombo (SUI) of team SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing went into the last day with a gap of 32 seconds crossed the finish line in second place and were able to defend their top position in the General Classification, taking the coveted Absa Cape Epic 2025 title.
WILIER-VITTORIA of Luca Braidot (ITA) and Simone Avondetto (ITA) finished only in sixth today, but they were able to secure their runner-up position in the GC after a strong overall performance.
In the women’s category CANNONDALE ISB Sport of Monica Calderon (COL) and Tessa Kortekaas (NED) took today’s stage victory after 1 hour 54 minutes 38 seconds, their second consecutive stage victory.
However, Toyota | Specialized of Annika Langvad (DEN) and Sofia Gomez Villafane (ARG) were able to celebrate. They entered the final stage with a comfortable lead of more than 23 minutes and played it safe after a few accidents earlier in the race.
Langvad and Villafane took home the title, despite crossing the finish line only in sixth place today. Annika Langvad (DEN) wrote history as she is the only rider with 6 UCI Cape Epic titles to her name to date.
| STAGE 7 – MEN | STAGE 7 – WOMEN |
| 1. ORBEA Leatt Speed Company – 15-1 Lukas BAUM (GER) & 15-2 Georg EGGER (GER) 1:33:22 | 1. CANNONDALE ISB SPORT – 57-1 Monica CALDERON (COL) – 57-2 Tessa KORTEKAAS (NED) 1:54:38 |
| 2. SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing – 2-1 Nino SCHURTER (SUI) & 2-2 Filippo COLOMBO (SUI) 1:34:01 // +39 | 2. Torpado Kenda FSA WMN 59-1 Katazina SOSNA-PINELE (LTU) & 59-2 Claudia PERETTI (ITA) 1:55:11 // +33 |
| 3. Outride | Toyota | Songo – 1-1 Matthew BEERS (RSA) & 1-2 Keegan SWENSON (USA) 1:34:20 // +58 | 3. Efficient Infiniti SCB SRAM – 53-1 Vera LOOSER (NAM) & 53-2 Alexis SKARDA (USA) 1:58:01 // +3:23 |
| OVERALL / GC – MEN | OVERALL / GC – WOMEN |
| 1. SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing – 2-1 Nino SCHURTER (SUI) & 2-2 Filippo COLOMBO (SUI) 23:12:39 | 1. Toyota | Specialized – 51-1 Annika LANGVAD (DEN) & 51-2 Sofia GOMEZ VILLAFANE (ARG) 29:03:10 |
| 2. WILIER-VITTORIA – 9-1 Luca BRAIDOT (ITA) & 9-2 Simone AVONDETTO (ITA) 23:14:10 // +1:31 | 2. Efficient Infiniti SCB SRAM – 53-1 Vera LOOSER (NAM) & 53-2 Alexis SKARDA (USA) 29:24:42 // +21:32 |
| 3. Imbuko ChemChamp A – 17-1 Marco JOUBERT (RSA) & 17-2 Tristan NORTJE (RSA) 23:25:37 // +12:58 | 3. TitanRacing SE Honeycomb – 62-1 Bianca HAW (RSA) & 62-2 Hayley PREEN (RSA) 29:41:17 // +38:07 |
