Schurter/Colombo with a perfect start to the World Championship season

Nino Schurter (left) and Filippo Colombo cross the finish line at the Cape Epic as winners

Keystone

Nino Schurter and Filippo Colombo launch the mountain bike world championship season with a prestigious victory. The Swiss duo wins the Cape Epic in South Africa.

Keystone-SDA

23.03.2025, 17:24•23.03.2025, 17:29

Schurter/Colombo took the lead on the second day of the eight-day multi-stage race over a good 600 km and 16,500 vertical meters and defended it until the end. Only the second-placed Italians Luca Braidot/Simone Avondetto were able to keep the gap within limits at 1:31 minutes.

For the 38-year-old Schurter, it was his third victory at the Cape Epic after 2017 (with Matthias Stirnemann) and 2019 (with Lars Forster). Colombo from Ticino, who is eleven years younger, triumphed for the first time in his second participation.

Annika Langvad became the record winner in the women's event with her sixth overall victory. The Dane competed with the Argentinian Sofia Gomez Villafane. The best Swiss rider was Janina Wüst with Rosa van Doorn from the Netherlands in 6th place.

For Schurter/Colombo, the Cape Epic was the prelude to the 2025 season with the home World Championships in Valais in September.