The Untamed African Mountain Bike Race, the Absa Cape Epic, has announced its new premium cycling apparel sponsor, ASSOS of Switzerland. Race founder Kevin Vermaak recently travelled to Switzerland to finalise the sponsorship and participated in a ride with the ASSOS Werksmannschaft (the in-house product development team), including ASSOS Chief Engineer/CEO Roche Maier.
Alain Prost during the Prologue of the 2013 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held at Meerendal Wine Estate in Durbanville outside Cape Town, South Africa on the 17 March 2013.
Photo by Greg Beadle/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
Says Vermaak: “We’re proud to announce that ASSOS has joined the Absa Cape Epic as Official Cycling Apparel Sponsor. Every year the vast majority of riders lining up in the start chute have donned their ASSOS riding shorts with pride and have managed to maximise their comfort on the challenging routes as a result.”
Vermaak continues: “The Absa Cape Epic and ASSOS have a number of similarities in the sense that they constantly strive for innovation in all aspects of their respective businesses. At the ASSOS Competence Center in Switzerland, members of the research and development laboratory share over 350 years of combined expertise in cycling apparel.”
According to ASSOS of Switzerland Chief Engineer/CEO, Roche Maier: “The ASSOS way is to Sponsor Yourself and this ethos will carry through to the amateur riders who get to race and live alongside the pro riders during the 8 days of the prestigious Absa Cape Epic. ASSOS has always been on the forefront of innovation and was the first company to launch a carbon bicycle back in 1976, quickly moving into cycling apparel, developing the first Lycra bike shorts in the same year. With this rich history in the sport, riders in the 2014 Absa Cape Epic can look forward to decades of experience, technology and innovation when spending long hours riding. Comfort is crucial at the Absa Cape Epic considering that in 2013, riders spent an average of 47 hours in the saddle.”
Vermaak concludes: “2014 will see brand new versions of the iconic Zebra-Striped Leader Jerseys that have become synonymous with hard work, dedication and excellence in the sport of mountain biking. ASSOS is a dynamic company, and is therefore the perfect partner to our event. We’re closely aligned in terms of superior quality, attention to detail, innovation and maximising rider experience and enjoyment. We believe the Absa Cape Epic, with its history of champions, is the ideal match for the ASSOS brand.”
Maybe this explains why CRAFT were selling off EPIC kit at bargain prices