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Sun, Sand And Rough Conditions For Absa Cape Epic Riders

A transition stage on the Absa Cape Epic – from one race village host town to another – is sometimes regarded as being easier, but Wednesday’s 128km Stage 3 from Elgin Valley to Worcester was “very rough and really sandy”, according to race leader Christoph Sauser.

Riders further back in the field also spent several hours battling in baking heat as the temperature steadily ticked up towards the 30ºC mark.

Darren Lill of RED-E Blend at the end of stage 3 during stage 3 of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to HTS Drostdy in Worcester, South Africa on the 18 March 2015 - Photo by Shaun Roy/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
Darren Lill of RED-E Blend at the end of stage 3 during stage 3 of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to HTS Drostdy in Worcester, South Africa on the 18 March 2015 – Photo by Shaun Roy/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
Water spot at Eagles Cliff Wines during stage 3 of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to HTS Drostdy in Worcester, South Africa on the 18 March 2015 Photo by Emma Hill/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS PLEASE ENSURE THE APPROPRIATE CREDIT IS GIVEN TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND SPORTZPICS ALONG WITH THE ABSA CAPE EPIC
Water spot at Eagles Cliff Wines during stage 3 of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to HTS Drostdy in Worcester, South Africa on the 18 March 2015 Photo by Emma Hill/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS PLEASE ENSURE THE APPROPRIATE CREDIT IS GIVEN TO THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND SPORTZPICS ALONG WITH THE ABSA CAPE EPIC
Karl Platt of the Bulls drinks water after finishing stage 3 during stage 3 of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to HTS Drostdy in Worcester, South Africa on the 18 March 2015 Photo by Shaun Roy/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
Karl Platt of the Bulls drinks water after finishing stage 3 during stage 3 of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to HTS Drostdy in Worcester, South Africa on the 18 March 2015 Photo by Shaun Roy/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS

An exhaustd Karl Platt of the Bulls after finishing stage 3 during stage 3 of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to HTS Drostdy in Worcester, South Africa on the 18 March 2015 Photo by Shaun Roy/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
An exhaustd Karl Platt of the Bulls after finishing stage 3 during stage 3 of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to HTS Drostdy in Worcester, South Africa on the 18 March 2015 Photo by Shaun Roy/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
Ariane Kleinhans breaks down in tears as Bobby Behan tells her that they may have made up the time they lost in the stage 2 penalty during stage 3 of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to HTS Drostdy in Worcester, South Africa on the 18 March 2015 Photo by Sophie Smith/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
Ariane Kleinhans breaks down in tears as Bobby Behan tells her that they may have made up the time they lost in the stage 2 penalty during stage 3 of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to HTS Drostdy in Worcester, South Africa on the 18 March 2015 Photo by Sophie Smith/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
Riaan Manser cools down during stage 3 of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to HTS Drostdy in Worcester, South Africa on the 18 March 2015 Photo by Dominic Barnardt/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
Riaan Manser cools down during stage 3 of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to HTS Drostdy in Worcester, South Africa on the 18 March 2015 Photo by Dominic Barnardt/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS

Ian Rodger has big drink on hot stage 3 of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to HTS Drostdy in Worcester, South Africa on the 18 March 2015 Photo by Dominic Barnardt/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
Ian Rodger has big drink on hot stage 3 of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to HTS Drostdy in Worcester, South Africa on the 18 March 2015 Photo by Dominic Barnardt/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
Christina Kollmann during stage 3 of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to HTS Drostdy in Worcester, South Africa on the 18 March 2015 Photo by Ewald Sadie/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
Christina Kollmann during stage 3 of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to HTS Drostdy in Worcester, South Africa on the 18 March 2015 Photo by Ewald Sadie/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
Christina Kollmann suffers from heat exhaustion during stage 3 of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to HTS Drostdy in Worcester, South Africa on the 18 March 2015 Photo by Ewald Sadie/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
Christina Kollmann suffers from heat exhaustion during stage 3 of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to HTS Drostdy in Worcester, South Africa on the 18 March 2015 Photo by Ewald Sadie/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS

Christina Kollmann suffers from heat exhaustion during stage 3 of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to HTS Drostdy in Worcester, South Africa on the 18 March 2015 Photo by Ewald Sadie/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
Christina Kollmann suffers from heat exhaustion during stage 3 of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Oak Valley Wine Estate in Elgin to HTS Drostdy in Worcester, South Africa on the 18 March 2015 Photo by Ewald Sadie/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS

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