The 2010 ABSA Cape Epic presented by adidas has once again come and gone with Team Songo.info being able to reflect on 8 days worth of highs, lows and some mixed fortunes. The final stage was once again from Oak Valley to Lourensford wine estate in Somerset West covering the compulsory portage section of the historical Gantouw Pass.

With many teams still under pressure for a stage win it was once again a day of hard racing taking in the short and steep climbs of the Nuweberg and Grabouw region. Jose Hermida and Rudi van Houts of Merida emerged victors on the day with their first stage win for the race with Songo.info coming in second place ahead of Rabobank/Giant.

With the week that was Burryhad the following to say: “We’re very happy to finish second in this year’s race, but we still want to win,”… “Everything has to get together all eight days of the race, and it didn’t always work out for us. I’m really looking forward to a week’s rest and then to the rest of the season. This is excellent preparation for the World Cups. It gives you such depth – all riders suffer at some point – and in every race you suffer.”

According to Christoph this years race was a real rollercoaster, “The first two stages were tough and at one point we weren’t sure we’d be able to continue, then we were on a high, then I had a stomach bug and so on. At the beginning of today’s race I struggled a bit, but then my legs came back and I felt stronger. I’ll now rest for a week and then start with some short interval training. I’m looking forward to the season as we rode with some of the strongest riders in the world at this year’s event.”

Songo and Sipho capped off a great weeks riding with Sipho crossing the line in Lourensford as the youngest finisher of the 2010 race. This also served as a brilliant reflection of the progress the Songo.info program has managed to achieve in Kayamandi over the three years that it has been active. Check in again with us soon for a full account of Songo Fipaza and Sipho’s ABSA Cape Epic…