Langvad & Rissveds start at the Absa Cape Epic 2020

Annika Langvad is already statistically the most successful pro rider in the history of the Absa Cape Epic. Her perfect five race wins have come from just five starts. She currently shares the top spot on the overall leaderboard with Karl Platt and Christoph Sauser, who made thirteen and ten starts, respectively, and scored five wins. Langvad, however, could pass them if she starts the 2020 Absa Cape Epic with Jenny Rissveds.

With all due respect to Platt and Sauser, who will both be racing in 2020, it's unlikely that they will add to their title wins, as both legends are in their forties. It's unlikely that Langvad won't add to her list of wins, especially since she's backed by an Olympic champion, but her participation in "The Race That Measures All" is no guarantee.

 "When I sat down and looked at the calendar for 2020, I wasn't sure about racing the Absa Cape Epic," Langvad confessed. "So I asked myself: what or who could motivate me to race again? This year's Cape Epic is Jenny's and my adventure together. It's about making it what we want it to be. I feel like we have a really good connection and understand each other on many levels. That's my motivation for this year!"

The Dane rides for the Specialized Racing XCO team, the American manufacturer's flagship team. Meanwhile, the Swede rides with her own Team 31 aboard Specialized bikes to raise awareness of the United Nations Article 31.

"I've always liked Jenny's approach as an athlete. Yes, we are on the same bike, but that is really a personal choice."

Langvad explained.

"Well, obviously there's a connection with Specialized, but this was just about the connection between Annika and me. We just wanted to do it together",

Rissveds agreed.

A big part of Langvad's five previous wins has been working with the Kayamandi-based charity songo.info. She raced to raise money for the education and cycling charity, which is located in a township on the outskirts of the mountain biking mecca of Stellenbosch. So far, she has participated in two of her five Absa Cape Epics. After those races, her winning bike was auctioned off to raise funds for the organization. songo.info echoes Rissveds' passion for Article 31, which "creates a specific right for all children to rest and recreate, to participate in age-appropriate play and leisure activities, and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts." Langvad and Rissveds will compete in the 2020 Absa Cape Epic as "Team 31: Outride." Outride, a North America-based program, aims to prove that cycling benefits the brain. Through research, school-based cycling programs and grant-making activities, Outride provides evidence-based cycling interventions to improve social, emotional and cognitive health.

It seems it won't just be the children of the world who are encouraged to play and have fun in 2020. Langvad, who tends to be stoic and serious at the Absa Cape Epic, seems to be taking a more light-hearted approach to this year's race. "The Absa Cape Epic can be a good foundation for the rest of the season, but it can also take a lot out of you. The psychological aspect in particular should not be underestimated," stresses the 2016 World Cross Country Champion. "Having the right team and the right settings to get comfortable is key, and I'm already very successful with this year's setup. Jenny and I are trying to define the experience in our own way. And that motivates me."

For the defending Olympic champion, July 28, 2020 is just around the corner. That's when she, Langvad and the world's other best female cross-country riders will compete in Tokyo for the gold medal. "I've talked at length with my coaches and the rest of the team about how the Absa Cape Epic would fit into my schedule during an Olympic year," the Swedish cross-country champion said. "The way we see it, we think it can be a really good part of the overall plan. I'm not really changing anything."

Change seems to be as good as a holiday for Langvad. Rissveds is her fourth Absa Cape Epic partner. Each of them rode out of Val de Vie wearing the last orange women's jersey after eight days of racing. Each of them, along with Annika Langvad, has their name engraved on Isabel Mertz's legendary trophy.

It's hard to bet against Jenny Rissveds following that trend. Not that Langvad is too worried. She's not counting wins. "If I only raced for the sake of records, I would have burned out long ago," she concludes.