![\"ccs-62657-0-78786400-1438691622.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-78786400-1438691622-1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nAbsa Cape Epic spokesperson Chris Whitfield explained that the new start batch was being introduced \u201cto ensure that the women professional teams start on an even footing each day\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the past a team that fell back on one particular day would start in a batch further back in the field on the next, making it very difficult to make up lost time and effectively handicapping that team.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will improve the women\u2019s race as a spectacle too,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The new rules about logos would ensure that strong pairings of women could ride together \u201cand lead to the women\u2019s racing becoming even more competitive\u201d, said Whitfield.<\/p>\n
UCI-registered riders are only allowed to receive assistance on the route from riders in the same category.<\/p>\n
The rule changes at the Absa Cape Epic over the 12 years since it was launched have often been based on rider feedback, \u201cwhich we take extremely seriously\u201d, said Whitfield.<\/p>\n
An example of this was the introduction of the Outcast jersey for professionals whose partners withdraw from the event. Back in 2009, if a UCI rider could not continue racing, his team mate had to withdraw from the race too. The Outcast jersey enables professional riders to complete the event but without interfering with the racing at the front of the field. This was suggested by New Zealand professional rider Kashi Leuchs after his partner withdrew in 2009.<\/p>\n
The event actively encourages such feedback from riders after each race.<\/p>\n
The Absa Cape Epic\u2019s team-based stage race model was unprecedented when it was launched in 2004 and there were no specific UCI rules for this type of event: the race organisers had to evolve them over the years. This has resulted in constant change and development.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn recent years we have placed a significant emphasis on the women\u2019s race and the consequent improvement in the field demanded that we review the rules relating to the category,\u201d said Whitfield.<\/p>\n
\nThe 2016 Absa Cape Epic stage race takes place from 13 to 20 March and the much anticipated route will be announced at the official route launch gala dinner on 14 October 2015. The 2016 race will host the 100th stage in the history of the event on Tuesday 15 March.\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In 2012 the Absa Cape Epic women\u2019s race received UCI HC (beyond categorisation) classification and in 2014 it introduced equal prize money for the Women\u2019s category. Now the Cape Epic has announced additional far-reaching and innovative changes to the rules governing the elite women\u2019s race for 2016 and beyond. From 2016 UCI-registered women will start […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":56083,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[76,24],"featured_location":[],"class_list":["post-19522","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events","tag-absa-cape-epic","tag-cape-epic"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19522","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19522"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19522\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56083"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19522"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19522"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19522"},{"taxonomy":"featured_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/featured_location?post=19522"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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<\/a><\/p>\n