Get ready for the 2015 Absa Cape Epic new route
The annual highlight on the Absa Cape Epic calendar (besides the race of course) is just around the corner! The much-anticipated launch of the 2015 route will take place in the mother city for the very first time on 22 October. Photo Credit: Stage01 Nick Muzik/Cape Epic The Westin Cape Town, on the foreshore, will […]
Absa Cape Epic riding royalty will congregate in Pietermaritzburg on June 29 for the UCI Marathon World Champs
Seven overall winners of the Absa Cape Epic – including 2014 winners Robert Mennen of Germany and Kristian Hynek of the Czech Republic – will compete for the men’s title. Favourite after a compelling win in the Marathon World Championships in Ballyhoura, Ireland, on June 15 will be Absa Cape Epic legend and four-times winner […]
Photo Epic: The 2014 Absa Cape Epic in pictures
With the Absa Cape Epic done and dusted, muddy and sore, we thought it would be great to recap the events through all the beautiful images that encapsulate the event so well. Prologue Stephan Sahm beginning his Epic // Image credit: Karin Schermbrucker/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS Jose Hermida and Rudi van Houts of Multivan Merida Biking // […]
Epic Insider: A little more rain and the smell of home on Stage 7
So the final day of the Epic had arrived and so had the rain again, however this didn’t do much to dampen the mood on the start line. Image credit: Kelvin Trautman/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS The rule for the day was to keep it tidy and upright. We started in C once again at 7:10 and we […]
Absa Cape Epic: Beukes and Heyns claim historic final stage win
German Robert Mennen and his Czech teammate Kristian Hynek (Topeak-Ergon) coolly defended their lead during the seventh and final stage of the Absa Cape Epic to take overall honours in the prestigious mountain bike stage race for the first time. All African Jersey holders Gert Heyns (centre left) and Matthys Beukes (centre right) of SCOTT […]
Epic Insider: Fatigued mind, body, and a bloodied elbow on Stage 6
Its getting a little harder to wake up each morning now as fatigue on body and mind is setting in, it was around 12 degrees this morning too which made it even more difficult. Image credit: Gary Perkin/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS The start this morning was staggered in 15 minute intervals to allow for increased gaps on […]
Absa Cape Epic: Buys and Schurter claim second win in a flat out Stage 6
South African Philip Buys commandingly won his second stage of the 2014 Absa Cape Epic Saturday with Swiss partner Nino Schurter (Team Scott-Odlo) as the race for the overall winners’ yellow zebra-striped jersey was again touched by drama. The podium with Scott-Odlo MTB Racing in first, Topeak Ergon Racing in second and Meerendal Songo Specialized […]
Epic Insider: Hallucinations atop Groenlandberg on Stage 5
It seemed like everyone was on go slow on this misty morning as we entered chute C again today. We were one of three teams ready for the day to start and the move to Elgin. Image credit: Greg Beadle/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS We headed out on the same short hill and district road as yesterday and […]
Absa Cape Epic: Topeak-Ergon retain the lead after near disaster on Stage 5
An act of sportsmanship on Friday’s hot, rugged and mountainous stage five of the Absa Cape Epic may have decided the destination of the race. Roel Paulissen and Riccardo Chiarini of Torpado Factory celebrate as they cross the line to win the 5th stage during stage 5 of the 2014 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike […]
Absa Cape Epic: Buys and Schurter come out tops in a drama filled Stage 4
South African Philip Buys became the first South African to stand on the top step of the Absa Cape Epic podium since Burry Stander in 2012 as the race dished up a host of fresh dramas. Nino Schurter and Philip Buys of SCOTT-Odlo MTB Racing make a break during stage 4 of the 2014 Absa […]
Epic Insider: Single track and more single track on Stage 4
With the route profile that resembled an ECG reading stuck to my cross bar my partner and I headed to start chute C again, a much lighter mood today with lots of joking. Image credit: Nick Muzik/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS The start was spot on 7:10 and we turned left up a grassed hill without even so […]
(Update) Absa Cape Epic: Evans and Knox penalised for unfair advantage
The race for the Absa African jersey took a dramatic turn Thursday when Kevin Evans and Max Knox (FedGroup Itec) were given a one-hour penalty for taking an illegal shortcut. They had been leading the race for the special jersey – for the first all-African team in the Absa Cape Epic – after Thursday’s 88km […]