Wrap-up: Ferreira and Ilias blitz Stellenbosch trails on penultimate stage
Periklis Ilias and Tiago Ferreira notched up a thrilling debut Absa Cape Epic stage win on the trails of Stellenbosch today as Sabine Spitz and Yana Belomoina fired another shot across the bows of the women leaders. Periklis Ilias and Tiago Jorge Ferreira Oliveira of Team Dolomiti Superbike during stage 6 of the 2016 Absa […]
Homerun on Madolo’s home trails
Sipho Madolo and Christoph Sauser had their best day of the 2016 Absa Cape Epic, and one of Madolo’s best days on a bike ever, as they blazed through their home trails to race to an astounding 16th place on Stage 6 around Stellenbosch on Saturday. The Investec songo Specialized pair managed a time of […]
A grand Grand Finale for the 2016 Absa Cape Epic
Now for the last stretch. Just 86km to go with the least altitude gain of any stage – riders will ascend 1 200m during Stage 7 from Boschendal in Stellenbosch to Meerendal, Durbanville, where their journey began a week ago. Photo by Gary Perkin/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS The Absa Cape Epic Grand Finale is, though, one of […]
Get ready to enter for the 2017 Absa Cape Epic
The Absa Cape Epic 2017 entry process has changed with the introduction of an international lottery. As happened in previous years, 100 Early Bird entries will be available on 21 March – the day after this year’s event. These slots are available to anyone, South African or international, on a first-come-first-served basis. The advantage of […]
Bikes of the Epic: Ariane Kleinhans’ Specialized S-Works Era
This year leading lady Ariane Kleinhans is riding on the female specific Specialized Era after riding the men’s variant for some time. The key difference compared to the brother bike, the Epic, lies in the frame geometry and contact points. The Era features a lower standover height and shorter reach, said to provide a better […]
Dominant SA duo close to Epic glory
It appears that for the first time since its introduction, the Absa African special jersey will be worn by a new team at the culmination of the Absa Cape Epic. Since 2013 Scott Factory Racing has dominated the category. In 2016, though, it’s been USN Purefit leading the way from start to finish. South Africa’s […]
Second stage win and second place for Spitz and Belomoina
Sabine Spitz and Yana Belomoina may well be in the market for shares in Boschendal after winning consecutive Absa Cape Epic stages at the Stellenbosch wine estate. Sabine Spitz and Yana Belomoina during stage 6 of the 2016 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race from Boschendal in Stellenbosch, South Africa on the 19th March […]
Another new stage winner at the Absa Cape Epic
Team Dolomiti Superbike today became the fourth team to claim a stage win at the 2016 Absa Cape Epic after boldly gambling on an early break. Periklis Ilias and Tiago Jorge Ferreira Oliveira of Team Dolomiti Superbike enjoy the single track during stage 6 of the 2016 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race from […]
Stage 6 Wrap-up: Spitz gets a taste of Absa Cape Epic victory
Cycling legend and Olympic gold medallist Sabine Spitz of Germany seems to be taking a liking to the Absa Cape Epic and today she and teammate Yana Belomoina swept to an impressive win in the race’s Queen Stage. Spitz and her Ukranian partner (Sport for Good) punched the airy as they finished the 93km Stage […]
Stage 6: Shortest stage, but lots of up and down
Stage 6 is the shortest of the 2016 Absa Cape Epic and is bound to be targeted by cross country specialists. Between the start and finish at the Boschendal Wine Estate, Stellenbosch riders will traverse 69km of the local countryside, gaining an accumulated 2 100m of altitude in that time. [/center][/center]Not long after the start, […]
Q&A with Absa Cape Epic founder … and now rider
After 13 years working behind the scenes Kevin Vermaak has finally decided to experience the race he founded from a unique angle; his saddle. Team “Finally”, Vermaak and riding partner Cedric ”Jakes” Jakobsen, a downhiller with six Cape Epics to his credit, completed Stage 5 of the tough race on Friday – and it’s now […]
Bikes of the Epic: Hermann Pernsteiner’s Centurion Numis XC
German brand Centurion are a little known name in the South African context, but have been producing bikes since 1976. We chatted to one of their engineers about the new Numis XC, a bike specifically designed around the riding format of events like the Absa Cape Epic. The Numis XC is based on the Numis […]