Despite a weight of cross-country, cyclo-cross, and road racing experience between them, Ghost Factory Racing's Anne Terpstra and Nicole Koller were debutants at this year's Absa Cape Epic.

• Bike check: Nino Schurter's Scott Spark
• Bike check: Daryl Impey's Scott Spark RC 900 World Cup
• Bike check: Matt Beers' Specialized S-Works Epic 8

Still, the Swiss Dutch pairing took the fight to the event. Their red special-edition kit lasted all of one day as they won the Prologue and wore the orange leader's jersey throughout, winning the following seven stages. Thus in the event's twenty years, Terpstra and Koller are only the second team in history to win all eight days. 

Admirable consistency was the order of the day as Ghost Factory Racing managed to hold off the stiff competition from Cannondale's Candice Lill and Mona Mitterwallner, Specialized's Sofia Gomez Villafane and Samara Sheppard, as well as some protagonists at times from pairings such as 2023 winner Vera Looser and 2024 debutant Alexis Skarda. 

off.road.cc braved dehydration and the cauldron of 40-degrees Celsius Wellington race village to seek out Terpstra's race steed.

While the Ghost Lector FS Team bikes do bear a close resemblance to the retail listed models, there are some key changes in setup and components. The most obvious being the six-spoke Bike Ahead wheelsets. Ghost uses a 'superfit' system based on 100,000 bike fits data to determine sizing in their geometry.

A Fidlock magnetic mount sits beneath the top tube. The team would alternate between a variety of bottles and/or hydration pack usage through stages as required. For example, both Terpstra and Koller used bottles on the final stage. A testament to the Fidlock system's reliability. 

Ghost Factory Racing was one of a few teams with the new Flight Attendant and also one of the first trunion mount framesets we've seen it with. Terpstra runs 100mm travel front and rear. 

A svelte set of Crankbrothers Eaggbeater 11 with traction pads.

Setting this bike apart from many is a pair of Bike Ahead Components six-spoke monocoque wheels. Terpstra and the team have been running these over several World Cup XCOs and they've proven successful throughout Cape Epic. According to the team manager, Thomas, they offer some vertical compliance while retaining lateral stiffness for more responsive handling.

South African brand, Ryder, appears on yet another bike, the CO2 cartridge holders are proving a simple and lightweight carrying system withstanding the rigours of Cape Epic. Beneath the nozzle is also some padding to protect the frame.

Those six-spoke wheels are wrapped with Maxxis Aspen 2.25in tyres front and rear. The team had experimented with larger-volume tyres yet Terpstra settled with 2.25in on the 28mm internal width wheels as her preferred combo.

SRAM Level ULT brakes with 160mm rotors. Enough to slow down but not stop a winning Epic streak.

Terpsta's bike benefits from an integrated bar and stem from Bike Ahead Components. Note the neatly tucked away tightening bolt.

Sahmurai Sword preloaded into the spindle with large tyre plugs and secured with insulation tape for extra safety. 

You know you've arrived when you can have your name laser etched into your ESI grips. 

An AXS dropper post holds a carbon-railed Selle Italia saddle. Mounted far forward on its rails, Thomas noted that it's specific to Anne Terpstra. 

Neat silicon-padded velcro straps keep squeaks and rub marks away. Big Ziptie won't be happy.

A neat detail we nearly missed, spare quick links are wedged between the grips and bars for quick and easy access.

Ghost Factory Racing's Anne Terpstra and Nicole Koller enjoyed the week in orange with their team.

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