Kate Courtney and Melisa Rollins (She Sends Foundation) were heading into the 2026 Absa Cape Epic as one of the most closely watched teams in the women’s category, but then disaster struck for the pairing of the former winner with the gravel specialist who had prepared meticulously for her debut in the gruelling eight-day mountain bike event.
Rollins – a gravel specialist who had prepared meticulously for her debut in the gruelling eight-day mountain bike event – crashed, breaking her left elbow and injuring her right wrist.
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“In life, you don’t always get to choose your challenges – but you can choose how you respond,” said Courtney in an Instagram post. “While we never would have chosen this turn of events, we’re grateful for the chance to make some magic out of a week filled with really difficult moments.
“Let’s do this, Greta Seiwald.”
The Italian Decathlon Ford rider won the four-stage Tankwa Trek with Sara Cortinovis at the end of last month, beating two riders who will be among her competitors at Cape Epic – Vera Looser and Samantha Sanders. They also certainly weren’t the only rivals at Tankwa using it as a suitable pre Cape Epic tune up, which indicates that it might too just be the ideal run in for Seiwald’s unexpected late partnership.
