SUPPORT T EAM
20
INVESTEC-SONGO-
SPECIALIZED 2
2019
280-2
CHRISTOPH
SAUSER
Age: 42
Epics completed: 12
Stage wins: 38
BEST RESULT
1st (2005, 2011, 2012,
2013, 2015)
2008 XCO world champion
SIMON
ANDREASSEN
Age: 21
Epics completed: 0
BEST RESULT
2 x Junior XCO
world champion
5 MINUTES WITH SUSI & SIMON
Christoph, you are over
20 years older than
your riding partner. You
are only one win from
a record sixth title and
have the experience to
win it. Do you aim to win
it, or are you only at the
race to guide the team
and groom a young rising
star? If Simon and I fi nish
around top 10 that would
be nice, but what’s most
important is that Jaroslav
and Howard can defend
their title. Hopefully Simon
and I can help as best as
we can for our A1 shots.
My attendance is clearly
not a comeback, it is for
the love of the sport, the
event, and being part of a
good and fun team.
Which of your 12 fi nishes
was the toughest route
and why? What one piece
of advice could help a
back marker fi nish Epic?
It has never been the route
for me, it is the speed and
competition that makes
it tough. I would say that
2013, the year Burry died,
was probably the hardest.
We wanted to win so
badly, like never before.
After stage three we sat
about 10 minutes back in
GC due to a wrong turn
and mechanicals. It was
very diffi cult to accept
those circumstances, and
it was not easy to turn it
around in our favour.
Switzerland must be so
diff erent to South Africa,
yet you have spent so
much time here. What
is it about Africa that
you have learnt to love
so much? My fi rst visit to
South Africa was back
in 1997. I came to train
and to learn English. I
knew there was no time
diff erence travelling here
from Switzerland, and who
can resist beautiful Table
Mountain? Every time I
come back I’m fi lled with
joy. I love the lifestyle,
people, food and wine,
training and all the good
races I can take part in.
Last but not least, Africa is
an interesting place, where
I don’t mind if things don’t
always work perfectly. I’ll
always be connected to
South Africa, especially
with my local charity,
songo.info.
Simon, you’re a two-
time Junior XCO world
champ and we saw you
and our own U23 world
champ, Alan Hatherly,
battle fi ercely on our
trails late last year at
Wines2Whales. Do you
enjoy team multi-stage
racing, and what are you
expecting from your fi rst
Cape Epic? I really enjoy
stage racing. Last year
was my fi rst experience
with it, and I instantly
started to like it. I know
the Cape Epic is going to
be really tough but I can’t
wait to tackle it.
Christoph has completed
12 Epics, won fi ve, and
he’s double your age.
How did you decide
to ride together and
what’s the team dynamic
and plan? Presumably
you’d like to draw on his
experience to beat the
likes of Sam Gaze and
Alan? I think for my fi rst
experience with Epic, Susi
is the mentor to learn
from. He knows the game
and will carry me a long
way. Hopefully we can
beat Sam and Alan on a
few stages!
What are your thoughts
on riding bikes and
hanging out in Africa?
What have you told the
Danes about this hot,
dry place? I love coming
to South Africa to train
and actually just to spend
time here. It’s the best
conditions for pre-season
build-up. And I really like
all the people here.
The Untamed African MTB Race | MTB | 43