Haley Smith and Hayley Preen, collectively racing as team Chemchamp Honeycomb, started Cape Epic’s third stage with a plan. After pulling into fourth overall after the second full race stage, the Canadian/South African duo knew the flatter (by Cape Epic standards, there was still 1,500m of elevation gain over 108km of racing) suited their strengths and were ready to take advantage.
Smith and Preen pull into third position overall
Take advantage they did. The Haley’s finish fourth on the stage, but with a time that vaults them into third overall in a hotly contested women’s field at the 2026 Cape Epic.
After Wednesday’s racing, Smith and Preen hold a 51-second advantage over fourth place team, Rosa van Doorn and Vera Looser of Buff-BH. Torpado FSA Kenda’s Katazina Sosna-Pinele and Giorgia Marchet are another 30 seconds in arrears. With four big days of racing remaining, the Canadian and South African will have their work cut out for them to defend that GC position all the way to the finish line.
Keller and Lill fend off Courtney for another day
Not far up the singltrack, a familiar series of events was unfolding. Kate Courtney and Greta Seiwald (She Sends Foundation) would attack. Current race leaders Alessandra Keller and Candice Lill (Thomus Maxon Sabi Sabi) would respond. And repeat, until the She Sends duo ran out of steam and Keller and Lill were free to ride to another stage win.
“It was a pretty crazy day out there today,” said Lill. “It started off as a nice dry track but then it turned into a complete mud fest. Kate and Greta threw in some nice attacks, and we had to chase a few times. But we had the legs to pull it back.”
That’s four wins in four days of racing (including the prologue) for the Thomus Maxon Sabi Sabi duo.
While She Sends Foundation hasn’t landed a podium just yet, they’re only 4:53 behind. At Cape Epic, that kind of advantage could be wiped out in a day. And Courtney and Seiwald, who were paired together at the last minute when the U.S. rider’s original partner was forced out due to injury, are only getting better at racing together. The reigning world champion isn’t letting the race ride away from her just yet.
“Conditions were formidable, but this is the Cape Epic,” said Courtney, pointing to her muddied legs. “But we were sending it out there and giving it everything.”
On Thursday, the women’s elite race is over 61km with 1,450m of climbing for Stage 4. That moves the 2026 Cape Epic into the latter half of the week, but there’s still a long road to the finish line.
2026 ABSA Cape Epic: Stage 3
Elite Women Stage 3
1. Thomus Maxon Sabi Sabi: Candice Lill, Alessandra Keller (3:58.56)
2. She Sends Foundation: Kate Courtney, Greta Seiwald (4:00.18 | +1:22)
3. Buff-BH | Efficient Infiniti: Rosa van Doorn, Vera Looser (4:03.05 | +4:08)
4. Chemcamp Honeycomb: Hayley Preen, Haley Smith (4:03.06 | +4:10)
5. Torpado FSA Kenda: Katazina Sosna-Pinele, Giorgia Marchet (4:03.07 | +4:10)
Elite Women GC after Stage 3
1. Thomus Maxon Sabi Sabi: Candice Lill, Alessandra Keller (11:22.13)
2. She Sends Foundation: Kate Courtney, Greta Seiwald (11:27.06 | +4:53)
3. Chemcamp Honeycomb: Hayley Preen, Haley Smith (11:52.24 | +30:11)
4. Buff-BH | Efficient Infiniti: Rosa van Doorn, Vera Looser (11:53.16 | +31:02)
5. Torpado FSA Kenda: Katazina Sosna-Pinele, Giorgia Marchet (11:53.46 | +31:32)