Cape Epic
The Absa Cape Epic or the Cape Epic is an annual mountain bike stage race held in the Western Cape, South Africa. First staged in 2004, it has been accredited as hors catégorie by the Union Cycliste Internationale.
The eight day race consists of a prologue and seven stages, and typically covers more than with some of climbing. Mountain bikers from around the world encompassing over 700 teams compete in teams of two. To qualify for a finish, teams have to stay together for the duration of the race. The Professional race is by invitation only, with the amateurs able to who enter a lottery in order to gain a slot. The times taken to finish each stage are combined to determine the overall winning team in each category at the end of the race. The course changes every year, but the race has always taken place in the Western Cape.
The race was acquired by The Ironman Group in August 2016. Advance Publications bought The Ironman Group in March 2020.
Origins
Kevin Vermaak founded the Absa Cape Epic in 2004 at a time when there were no similar events in South Africa and mountain biking was in its infancy in the country. Today, the Absa Cape Epic is routinely referred to as "the Tour de France of mountain biking". The growth of the Absa Cape Epic has been paralleled by an explosion in the popularity of mountain biking in South Africa, and there are now more than 50 stage races.Vermaak, a Capetonian and UCT electrical engineering graduate, worked in IT in London in the early 2000s and, as a passionate mountain biker, took part in events across the world, including two mountain bike crossings of the Himalayas. He conceived the Absa Cape Epic while taking part in the La Ruta de los Conquistadores in Costa Rica in November, 2002. By February 2003 he was back in South Africa after eight years in London to establish the Cape Epic. Vermaak rode the Absa Cape Epic for the first time in 2016, and again in 2019.
Route
The route starts and finishes in the Western Cape, South Africa. It is redesigned every year. The race lasts eight days and typically covers around. The shortest Absa Cape Epic took place in 2016 at, the longest route being in 2008 at. The route originally was a point-to-point race, beginning in Knysna and ending in the winelands of the Western Cape. This format changed in 2009, when riders spent multiple days in each stage location to ensure the route could fully explore the best mountain biking that the region had to offer.Race concept
Two person teamAll riders must enter as a two-person team. Initially the team concept was developed because stage racing often takes riders through some very remote areas, and having partners who are bound by the race rules to look after each other serves a safety function. Riders in a team must remain within 2 minutes of each other at all times during the race or face a one-hour penalty. This is enforced by means of timing mats places through the stage. After a third offence, the team is disqualified. Teams are expected to reach the finish line by the specified maximum stage time, team dynamics therefore are a major part of the race.
Categories and leader jerseys
All riders aim to win stages, but mostly they want to win in their category. There are six categories: Elite, Open, Mixed, Master, Grand Master and Great Grand Master. The colours denoting the category leaders are: Yellow - Elite Men; Orange - Elite Women, Green - Mixed, Blue - Masters, Purple - Grand Masters and Grey - Great Grand Masters. The category leaders competition is decided by totaling the time each team takes on the daily stages. The team with the lowest overall time at the end of each stage receives ceremonial leaders' jerseys and the right to start the next stage of the race in those jerseys.
There are also two special jerseys: Absa African for leading all-african team, and the Exxaro jersey for the leading development team.
Blue numbers boards
Any rider who does not complete a stage within the maximum stage time for the first time will be classified as a blue board rider. Blue board riders will be entitled to continue the race, but will not be classified as official race finishers. Should any blue board rider fail for the second time to finish a stage within the maximum stage time or fail to start a stage, he or she will not be allowed to continue the race.
Leopard Jersey
Elite licensed riders who lose their partners will be allowed to continue riding but without influencing the outcome of the race. They are required to ride in the Leopard Jersey. Riders in this jersey may not interfere with any team still currently in the race. Any rider or team accepting mechanical or any other assistance from the outcast rider will be penalised. This will give the rider the opportunity to finish the race, be it unofficially, but still be part of the experience.
Internal technical and tactical support
It is allowed - any rider, including riders from the same sponsor can provide technical assistance and equipment from his own bicycle to support another rider. Teams can also form alliances with other riders and teams, even if they are not of the same sponsor.
Pro-Am aspect of the race
Amateurs use the same chute, ride the same course and stay in the same race village as the UCI registered riders, which include world and national champions and Olympic medalists.
History
Timeline from 2002
Past WinnersMen
Women
Stage types
Recent editions of the Absa Cape Epic have started with a prologue followed by seven stages on the following seven days. The prologue is characteristically less than 30 km and held on a course that favours riders with technical skills. The stages normally range from between 80 km to 140 km. The longest stage in Absa Cape Epic history was the 146 km Stage 5 in 2008, which took riders from Swellendam to Bredasdorp.Mass and staggered start
In most stages of the race, teams start together, either in a mass start or in staggered, seeded group starts. As they roll out of the respective start towns, the teams are led by a vehicle, without racing. Once out of the neutral zone is the real start, setting riders on their way. The second member of the first team across the line wins. Riders in a group finish in the same time as the lead rider. Time bonuses for intermediate sprints have been offered in the past. Stage lengths usually vary between 60 km and 145 km. Long stages cause major shifts in the general classification and large time differences between teams. A maximum ride time is allotted for each day and teams must complete the stage within that time. If they arrive after their start group's maximum allotted time they will be listed as unofficial finishers.Time trial
Some years, an individual time trial appears midway through race week, this is a two-man team time trial, where teams usually leave at timed intervals. Like the prologue, it's an all out effort. The distance varies but typically is around 30 km, which is regarded by the main field, who are not contending for overall victory, as an 'easy' day.A brief history of the racing to date
20042004 saw Karl Platt team up with Namibian Mannie Heymans, one of the world's top marathoners at the time to win six out of the eight stages, with a 20-minute lead overall.
2005
In 2005, Olympic gold medalist and mountain biking legend Bart Brentjens partnered with Roel Paulissen to win the race.
2006
The Swiss team of Christoph Sauser and Silvio Bundi won this edition; previous winner Platt only managed 3rd, partnered with Carsten Bresser. This was to be the Absa Cape Epic's most convincing win yet, with Sauser and Bundi's 29min 08sec lead over Johannes Sickmuller and Christian Heule.
2007
Karl Platt formed a new team with Stefan Sahm, named the Bulls. They won the first stage in a tight race against Roel Paulissen and Jakob Fuglsang of Cannondale Vredestein. While this group had a back-and-forth battle throughout the week with the leader jerseys changing shoulders four times, Platt and Sahm ultimately won, wearing their yellow leaders' jerseys on the final stage into Lourensford Wine Estate.
2008
Roel Paulissen and Jakob Fuglsang returned and delivered a strong performance early on as the Bulls suffered. Though Cannondal Vredestein experienced tyre problems near Bredasdorp, they ultimately prevailed.
2009
The songo.info team, consisting of Burry Stander and Cristoph Sauser, won the first several stages but their hopes were dashed when Stander's front wheel was smashed. Ultimately the Bulls of Platt and Sahm won the competition.
2010
The Bulls entered the race as favorites, though Team MTN Qhubeka's Kevin Evans and Alban Lakata took the lead after Stage 1. As the race wore on, however, MTN Qhubeka experienced tyre failures and Stander won three stages—enough to push the Bulls over the finish line in first place.
2011
Burry Stander and Cristoph Sauser won 5 of 7 days, making Stander the first South African to win the Absa Cape Epic.
2012
Stander and Sauser again turned in a winning performance, beating team 360Life by almost 30 minutes.
2013
Team Burry Stander-Songo, Christoph Sauser and Jaroslav Kulhavý, won the 2013 Absa Cape Epic by 7:10. With this fourth win, Christoph Sauser tied Karl Platt for the most Absa Cape Epic victories. In second place in an overall time of 29:47.55,3 were Team Bulls' Karl Platt and new partner Urs Huber, followed by teammates Thomas Dietsch and Tim Boehme with a time of 30:07.35,9.
2014
Topeak Ergon's Kristian Hynek and Robert Mennen emerged as overall winners after a dramatic event in which the lead changed several times. Pre-race favourites Karl Platt and Urs Huber of the Bulls team pulled out on Stage 4 after the German, bidding for his fifth win, injured his knee in a crash. Switzerland's Christoph Sauser, also seeking to be the first to win five times, and his Czech partner Frantisek Rabon finished second after a race plagued by mechanical problems and punctures. The women's event was comfortably won by Ariane Lüthi and Annika Langvad after they overcame a poor Stage 1 in which they too were plagued by punctures.
2015
Christoph Sauser because the first person to win the Absa Cape Epic five times after finishing with his partner Jaroslav Kulhavý. Defending champions Ariane Lüthi and Annika Langvad won the Women's category by more than an hour.
2016
Karl Platt of Germany manages to equal Christoph Sauser with his fifth Absa Cape Epic win when he sails to victory with racing partner Urs Huber as Team Bulls. Ariane Lüthi and Annika Langvad take home the women's trophy once again with a third consecutive win. The Women's category rule change ensuring that women started in a separate batch to the men made for exciting racing with Yana Belomoyna and Sabine Spitz claiming three stage wins from the reigning champions.
2017
The Swiss duo of Nino Schurter and Matthais Stirnemann were first time winners of the men's race after taking over the yellow zebra jersey on Stage 6 while Esther Süss and Jennie Stenerhag of Meerendal CBC claimed the Hansgrohe Women's category after taking the orange jersey at the end of Stage 1 and wearing it for the balance of the race.
2018
Jaroslav Kulhavy earned his third win on the men's side, partnering with American Howard Grotts as team Investec Songo Specialized. Annika Langvad and American newcomer Kate Courtney, also team Investec Songo Specialized, won every stage save one and won the overall event by 46 minutes.