Mountain bike world champion Alessandra Keller will take part in the Absa Cape Epic for the first time in 2026. The world’s most prestigious MTB stage race marks a new sporting focus for the Swiss rider. Together with South African Candice Lill, Keller will line up highly focused and with clear ambitions – forming the team “Thömus maxon – Sabi Sabi”.
The Cape Epic covers 692 kilometres and nearly 16,000 metres of elevation from Montagu to Stellenbosch and is widely regarded as the most prestigious stage race in mountain biking. For Alessandra Keller, it will be her first participation – while also marking a key milestone in her 2026 season planning and one of the earliest highlights of the year.
Despite lacking personal Cape Epic experience, the Swiss rider will start the race with clear goals:
“I’m incredibly excited about the Cape Epic. I’ve followed this race for many years, but the timing never worked out for me before. In 2026 it finally does. It’s one of the three major highlights of my season – and a race I’m consciously focusing on.”
Keller attaches great importance to the race and has aligned a significant part of her season preparation around it. With Candice Lill, she will be racing alongside an athlete who knows the event extremely well: in eight participations, Lill has finished second five times.
Experience meets world-class performance
The partnership between the two riders is also supported by shared equipment: from the 2026 season onwards, Candice Lill will also compete on Thömus bikes within her own team structure. The combination of Keller’s world-class performances in the World Cup disciplines and Lill’s extensive Cape Epic experience promises a duo that combines sporting ambition with tactical maturity.
Focused preparation and valuable exchange
Currently, Keller is preparing for the season in South Africa and is using the opportunity to get to know her future teammate better off the race course:
“I know Candice from the World Cup. Now that I’m in South Africa for my preparation, we can exchange ideas more intensively. With her experience as a regular podium finisher at the Cape Epic, she can give me valuable insights for this very special race.”
Candice Lill is also highly motivated about the partnership: “After eight participations and five second places, winning the Cape Epic is right at the top of my list. I’m convinced that Alessandra and I have everything it takes together. At the same time, we know how demanding this week of racing is.”
A new challenge with a clear focus
With Alessandra Keller’s first participation and Candice Lill’s experience, one of the most promising duos for the 2026 Cape Epic is taking shape. The ambitions are clearly defined, the respect for the challenge is high – and the preparation is equally focused.