54
SUMMIT FIN
55
2019
DORMAKABA LADIES
2019
280-2
280-2
CANDICE
LILL
Age: 27
Epics completed: 2
Stage wins: 0 ADELHEID
MORATH Age: 34
Epics completed: 2
Stage wins: 0 AMY
MCDOUGALL SAMANTHA
SANDERS
BEST RESULT
4th (2018)
2 x XCO African
Continental champion BEST RESULT
3rd (2016)
2015 Swiss Epic winner BEST RESULT
2017 Cape Pioneer
Trek winner BEST RESULT
8th (2017)
2013 XCO South African
champion
T
outed in pre-race predictions for 2018 as serious
GC podium contenders, Lill and Morath’s campaign
ended before it began, with Morath fracturing her
scaphoid at the Stellenbosch World Cup. The pair showed
their talents later in the year at Wines2Whales, reassuring
them that the combo is well-dialled.
Lill’s raw ability was apparent early in her career, taking
third at the junior XCO world champs behind Pauline
Ferrand-Prevot. Morath has been a regular top 10 fi nisher
on the UCI World Cup circuit and is a former German
champ. With her international experience and Lill’s local
knowledge of the trails, the time is right to reach their full
potential and prove the analysts right, albeit a year later.
56
Age: 29
Epics completed: 3
Stage wins: 0
Age: 35
Epics completed: 2
Stage wins: 0
I
n 2018 dormakaba fi elded two teams and won
the inaugural women’s Absa African jersey
competition. Even though they’re down to one
team now, it’s still highly likely that the red jerseys will end
up on the shoulders of this pair. Sanders and McDougall
rode with diff erent partners last year but they are highly
familiar with each other’s capabilities, backing each other
up in local races throughout last year.
McDougall won the mixed category at the 2017 Cape
Epic, and has had a number of successful stage race wins
at other events. Both McDougall and Sanders excel on
technical terrain, so expect them to come into their own on
the rocky trails around Stellenbosch.
GALILEO RISK
2019
280-2
S
THERESA
RALPH
Age: 43
Epics completed: 8
Stage wins: 0
BEST RESULT
2nd (2012)
2018 joBerg2c winner
76 | MTB | The Untamed African MTB Race
arah Hill holds newbie status, so Theresa
Ralph will act as mentor, being one of the
more experienced Absa Cape Epic riders
in the fi eld. Ralph has placed second, third, fourth
and fi fth which will be diffi cult to top, given the
quality of the fi eld assembled. That won’t deter
them from aiming at the Absa African jersey
competition though. She and Hill aren’t the types
to let dormakaba have it easy.
It’ll be a head-to-head battle between Ralph
and Hill and dormakaba’s McDougall and Sanders.
With the prize money and prestige of wearing
red at stake, they’d best be served taking the
pragmatic approach – leave the UCI World Cup
stars to fi ght it out and focus on the other all-
South African teams. In this rare case, it’s a case
of “less risk, more reward”.
SARAH
HILL
Age: 25
Epics completed: 0
Stage wins: 0
BEST RESULT
2018 joBerg2c winner