MERIDA powered teams show strong performance at the Absa Cape Epic

With the Absa Cape Epic now more than halfway over, and the challenging Queen Stage recently completed, the two MERIDA-powered teams (thanks to MERIDA Italy, MERIDA Nordic and MERIDA Czech Republic), Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team and D2Mont MERIDA Team, are looking back on some challenging days, but are really starting to find their feet in the event.

After Wednesday's 140 km stage, which was physically and mentally demanding for both teams, yesterday's shorter stage was a welcome change and an opportunity to make up some lost ground. Both teams managed to do just that, with the Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team finishing the stage in 11^th position and moving closer to the top ten overall by finishing the day in 13^th position in the GC. Similarly, despite some early setbacks earlier in the week, the D2Mont MERIDA Team achieved a solid result, crossing the line in 18^th position and moving up to 24^th place overall.

Today’s queen stage, featuring 2,750 metres of climbing over the gruelling 134-kilometre course, was the next hurdle the teams had to overcome. On top of the challenging distance and elevation, the riders faced wet conditions that turned parts of the course into a mud bath and made certain sections extremely slippery. Both teams started with high ambitions to continue their progress in the GC, and neither disappointed.

After more than five hours and ten minutes, the Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team, consisting of Nicola Taffarel and Eskil Evensen-Lie, crossed the finish line in sixth position. Meanwhile, the D2Mont MERIDA Team, consisting of Hermann Pernsteiner and Filip Rydval, finished in 13^th place. This puts the two teams in 10^th and 23^rd position in the general classification, respectively.

A strong result for the two teams and an exciting position to be in with just two more stages to go.

To follow the latest news from the Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team, please keep an eye on their Instagram feed: @metallurgicaveneta_proteam, and to keep up to date with the D2Mont MERIDA Team's progress, follow @d2mont_meridacyclingteam.

We will share news on our social media channels, add a story to our international website, and provide a roundup of the event at the beginning of next week.