Four-time Absa Cape Epic winner Karl Platt (36) and former Swiss mountain bike champion Urs Huber (28) of the Bulls will participate in this year’s Absa Cape Epic. The demanding race, now in its eleventh year, will kick off with the Prologue at Meerendal Wine Estate on Sunday, 23 March and finish eight days later (Sunday, 30 March) at its long-established Lourensford Wine Estate finish.
Image credit: Greg Beadle/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
Platt is one of only nine riders to have completed all 10 races. He stood on the podium in eight of these, and won four times – sharing the limelight with Christoph Sauser as the two most successful riders at the race. The German credits three out of four of those victories to the legendary partnership he had with fellow German Stephan Sahm. Even with such big shoes to fill, his new teammate Urs Huber is more than up to the task. Platt has also won the Transalp six times and was the German Marathon Champion in 2008.
Huber won the bronze medal in the World Marathon Championships in Italy (2008), the European Championships in Germany (2008) and the Swiss Championships (2009 and 2012). He is also a three-times winner of the Grand Raid (2008, 2011 and 2013) which is the hardest one day races in the world with more than 5 000m climbing. He won the iXS Swiss Bike Classic three times (2007 to 2009) and is a two times winner of the Crocodile Trophy in Australia (2009 and 2010). In 2011 he was the Swiss Marathon Champion and Transalp winner in the same year. This will be his 5th Absa Cape Epic, of which he completed four after breaking his arm in 2011.
Says Platt: “I think we had a very successful partnership last year and look forward to this year’s Absa Cape Epic.” To the question of their chances of an overall win, he throws it right back. “What do you think?” For Platt, friendship in the partnership is the number one factor. “It’s all about the team. I can’t remember if we have any weaknesses, and if we do, I’m not going to tell.” Huber adds that their second place in last year’s event was a sign that they are a good team. “After our first experience together, we now know that we can be a very strong team. Of course it’s our goal to win the overall! But this is the Absa Cape Epic – you can’t plan that. We have to be focused and concentrate for the duration of the week. And of course make no mistakes.”
Image credit: Nick Muzik/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
With regards to their training, Platt says: “In the first part of our preparation, we trained separately because of having our own habits. But from January onwards, we’ve been training together to get used to each other and compare our levels of fitness. This is very important as last year I only got in shape the week before the Absa Cape Epic and it was a bit too close. This time around I had a long rest and built up very carefully.” Huber continues: “We’ve trained in South Africa in January and February to ride the Tankwa Trek and Sabie together. We’ll train together again just before the start of the Absa Cape Epic. Our strength is that we’re pretty equal and we don’t have any weaknesses.”
Platt is excited about this year’s route. “I really look forward to visiting some familiar towns again and to see how much the trails have changed to previous years. The Absa Cape Epic is always hard and you have to be 100% prepared.” For Huber, it will be a hard week on the bike and “one would need to plan it day by day”, he says.
Platt enjoys the whole Absa Cape Epic package. “I have so many nice memories of this race – too many to mention. We’re going to go ‘vollekanonne’.” Huber comments: “I’ll always remember my first stage win at last year’s event. It was amazing!”
Lourensford Wine Estate will once again host the finish of the race and The Grand Finale celebrations on 30 March 2014. The Grand Finale will include the Liqui-Fruit Vineyard Trail and MTB races (http://www.vineyard-races.co.za/vr/), live entertainment, a Farmer’s Market, delectable food and wine as well as glorious scenery. Absa Cape Epic vantage points will be accessible to the general public, so that all can enjoy the mountain biking action. There will also be a Kids Zone offering fun activities such as a cycling race, jumping castles, games, face painting and more. Entrance is free.
