![\"ccs-2-0-97120400-1395690969.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-2-0-97120400-1395690969.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nImage credit: Sam Clark\/Cape Epic\/SPORTZPICS<\/span><\/p>\n The gun fired to let us know that we could leave Arabella Wine Estate. It took a mere 450m before the first crash as there was a touch of wheels and four riders went down.<\/p>\n The next 25km were reasonably comfortable on farm roads until the first real tester of the day: a short very steep sandy fire road that has us walking for 100 meters. After that it became a bit more respectable and we could take to our bikes again and another short sharp rocky climb before a steep gnarly drop onto flat grassy jeep track. As we rounded a corner we could see what was in store for us, a rocky grassed jeep track section that kicked seemingly straight up and went on and on<\/p>\n I dug deep to carry on riding the trail as there were already plenty of walkers and loose rocks were pushing the front wheel all over the place. I managed to recover a few times, but unfortunately a walker ahead that \u201cprobably\u201d didn\u2019t hear my calls of \u201crider up left\u201d ended in me walking too. There were a couple of sense of humour failures as we slogged the few kilometres to the top as I was snapped at for touching the calf in front of me (I’m being VERY polite in the description of this event).<\/p>\n A muddied GoPro captures the slog<\/span><\/p>\n At the top I mounted the bike again and started the descent which was steeper and rockier than the climb up. It was aching hands and smoking brakes to the bottom where we were met with more of the same type of rocky grassy climbs. Only steeper and rockier which resulted in more walking. A lot of it.<\/p>\n At the top I took a short breather and started a nice section of level jeep track that turned into probably one of the gnarliest descents I have ever done. Only a narrow line to ride, rutted on the left and loose rock on the right. Leaning far back I balanced on the brakes as this went on for ages. Hands cramping and brake pads now glowing it ended just in the nick of time as my pads started to soften and braking power was lost. At the bottom a member of one of the top racing teams was with medics looking very groggy after a fall.<\/p>\n Some flat riding on farm roads and a few gentle rises followed and we were into water point 2 with welcome nutrition and fluids.<\/p>\n From there the climb started almost immediately and was gentle for the first few kilometres. Only until more steep, rocky, rutted jeep track punished us for almost 4 kilometres. Close to the top there were a few steep sections that had riders pushing once again. As we crested and started the descent we could see and hear water point 3. I wasn\u2019t fooled as we were still a good 20km\u2019s from that point.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n