KROSS-SPUR RACING
2019
280-2
ARIANE
LÜTHI MAJA
WŁOSZCZOWSKA
BEST RESULT
1st (2014, 2015, 2016)
2 x XCM Swiss champion BEST RESULT
2 x Olympic
Silver medallist
Age: 35
Epics completed: 7
Stage wins: 17
Age: 35
Epics completed: 0
Stage wins: 0
T
he 2018 edition saw a low point in Lüthi’s
illustrious Absa Cape Epic career. After three
wins in the women’s category and two in the
mixed, her DNF will surely fuel the fi re in her to come
back guns blazing. She’s struggled in the past two years
to fi nd the level of partner to replace Langvad, but this
year she’s hit the jackpot with UCI World Cup star Maja
Włoszczowska, former XCO world champ and two-time
Olympic silver medallist.
Former teammate of 2017 XCO world champion Jolanda
Neff , the Pole brings the fi repower necessary to challenge
the Investec-Songo-Specialized duo, and Lüthi has the
experience of seven Absa Cape Epics under her belt to
contribute. Włoszczowska’s form will be primed with the
World Cup season starting soon and if Lüthi hits peak
fi tness by 17 March, there’s no doubt we’ll see a victory
salute from these two at least once during race week.
5 MINUTES WITH MAJA
You have an amazing
mountain biking record
including two Olympic
silver medals (2008,
2016), and you were XCO
world champ in 2010. You
also won marathon world
champs in 2003 as well as
the 2012 world cup here in
SA (Pietermaritzburg). You
even have a race named
after you back home. So
what’s taken you so long to
come to Epic?
I’ve been racing MTB over
20 years now and the
focus has always been on
one-day main events, like
world champs or Olympics.
I started to feel like I was
missing a bit of adventure,
and Cape Epic is famous for
being a unique adventure
– a big dream of many
mountain bikers. It’s also an
Sunshine Cup last year
and to do so, she can’t be
too bad skills wise. Also,
to be able to attack on the
downhills we need to get to
the start of the singletrack
ahead of her, which won’t be
easy, I’m sure.
You aptly described Epic
as “eight days in hell”.
What brings you, and
probably all those queuing
amateurs, back each year?
I sometimes wish I were
better at the short stuff , so
I could spend less time in
74 | MTB | The Untamed African MTB Race
You’re on new KROSS full-
suss machines and you’re
partnered with a multiple
winner who knows the local
trails better than her own
home. No pressure, but it
seems like you’re pretty well
set up for a debut win?
Anything is possible! The
most important thing is that
we try to avoid technical
problems and stay healthy.
We have great support in
our KROSS Racing Team
staff and sponsors. Ariane is
doing her utmost to prepare
us in the best possible way.
So I’m feeling positive and
look forward to fi nally taking
on the challenge!
ARIANE ON THE EPIC
5 MINUTES WITH ARIANE
Every time you have a
disappointing result by your
high standards you seem
to bounce back stronger.
You have a new partner
with serious pedigree, a
new highly-rated KROSS
bike and support team, and
tons of experience. You’re
even racing on your home
trail at Jonkershoek. It’s a
steeper Epic than ever, so
it seems ideal to attack the
favourites on the technical
stuff ? Oh, I’m defi nitely not
going to underestimate
Anna. She won the Cyprus
extreme challenge. And I
need challenges to keep my
motivation high. I’m curious
as to how my body will react.
hell. I’m not a glutton for
punishment, but the Cape
Epic is the most prestigious
stage race in the world,
attracting the toughest
competition, and I like to
measure myself against the
best. It’s what drives me to
train hard. Apart from that,
the Cape Epic is always set
to be a bit of an adventure,
an intense team experience
with unforgettable
memories, and that’s what
brings me, and probably a
lot of amateurs, back year
after year.
“The Cape Epic
is always set to
be a bit of an
adventure, an
intense team
experience with
unforgettable
memories, and
that’s what
brings me, and
probably a lot of
amateurs, back
year after year”
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