Lűthi is very excited to participate in her first ever Absa Cape Epic, stating: “For me it’s a big privilege to be part of the biggest mountain bike stage race in the world. This is an unforgettable experience - the different routes and the awesome scenery, and of course the incomparable atmosphere at the Cape Epic, which I was told would be this great!” As an experienced mountain biker, she managed to win several events during 2010.
Kleinhans (who holds a B.Comm Managing Accounting degree) is taking part for the fourth time; he came in twelfth position overall (together with Oliver Munnik) during 2008’s event. He has also won numerous South African mountain bike events, including Wines2Whales, Klein Karoo Klassiek and the Cape Pioneer, amongst others. It will be the first time that he is participating in the Mixed category which “adds a whole new dynamic”.
He adds: “We met at the 2010 Cape Pioneer and have been together for six months. We’re getting married the weekend after the Cape Epic. It’s great to live with another person who is passionate about the same sport, especially when it comes to our diet, recovery and resting. I love doing stage races and enjoy being there with other mountain bikers and suffering hard with them every day. It’s always great to be part of something fantastic.”
Lűthi says that the reason they met at the Cape Pioneer was due to the fact that she lost her water bottle and was very thirsty. “I saw this guy standing next to the road, busy fixing his bike. He gave me some water and soon after the race was over, we saw each other again. I decided it was time to pay him back for this grand gesture, as I only found out later it was his last bit of water, and invited him to dinner. That’s when everything in the romance department started. I went to visit him in Stellenbosch and we just decided we were meant for each other.”
Commenting on the fact that they are getting married only six months after meeting, Kleinhans says: “Apart from it being love at first sight, it just felt normal for us. Other people might wait five years to get married, but we just felt we shouldn’t – why wait when there’s no one else you want to spend your time with? If just feels so natural. We both cycle and everything she loves, I love too, which is fantastic.”
“Due to the fact that we trained together all the time, we don’t have to find each other now during the race. We trained to do really well, with some big ambitions, and we’re very happy with where we’re currently placed. We’re doing everything we can to keep this second place position,” Lűthi says.
She adds that Kleinhans is the ideal riding partner. “He knows me better than any other person. He knows exactly how he can support me, physically and mentally. He’s the love of my life, and with that the best team partner I can imagine.” Kleinhans shares her sentiments: “We know each other really well and because we’re so close we know the ins and outs of each other. We’re in a very good situation. I know all of her strengths and I know what sections of the route she will struggle with, and I then use words of comfort and motivation. We’re truly blessed, but are definitely still learning a lot. Maybe we can perfect this and come back next year to win the Mixed category.”
He concludes by saying: “We set ourselves the goal to finish on the podium at Lourensford – we’re giving everything to achieve that. But the Cape Epic is brutal and everything can be wiped away in an instant with one unlucky stage.”
After the team’s marriage in South Africa, they will also have a small intimate wedding in Switzerland for Lűthi’s family and friends
