{"id":74677,"date":"2026-01-20T20:22:54","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T18:22:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/?p=74677"},"modified":"2026-01-27T12:40:48","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T10:40:48","slug":"cape-epic-announce-changes-to-the-elite-womens-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/cape-epic-announce-changes-to-the-elite-womens-race\/","title":{"rendered":"Cape Epic announce changes to the Elite Women’s Race"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In 2026, the Elite Women\u2019s race at the Absa Cape Epic will feature parity in duration with the Elite Men\u2019s, rather than parity in distance. The Absa Cape Epic\u2019s meticulous research and comprehensive stakeholder engagement suggest that this will produce faster and more competitive racing, while allowing for increased visibility for the athletes and teams taking part in the race broadcast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Absa Cape Epic is an event that has innovated since its inception and consistently led the field in athlete experiences. 2026 will see another pioneering adaptation, which is designed to foster more strategic and competitive racing in the Elite Women\u2019s category. This, along with a shift in how the broadcast is presented, will provide increased coverage of the race for the Orange CIOVITA jerseys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the core of the change is the desire to bring stage racing in line with the norms of cycling more generally. This will see the Elite Women race for the same duration, rather than across the same distance as the Elite Men. The adjusted distances will encourage earlier attacks, smaller time gaps, and closer competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe change to parity in race time will sharpen the spectacle,\u201d Shannon Valstar, Race Director for the Absa Cape Epic, promised. \u201cThis innovation follows naturally from the granting of the UCI HC status to the Elite Women\u2019s race, prize money parity, and the institution of a separate start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Annika Langvad and Sofia Villifane headd up the Paarl Mountain during Stage 4 of the 2025 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held at Fairview, Paarl, Cape Town, South Africa on the 20th March 2025. Photo by Dom Barnardt\/Cape Epic<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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“We were brought into this process by a team who did the work \u2014 who asked the right questions, studied the data, and listened to the riders, experts, and industry opinions. We\u2019ve been part of the conversations, and we stand here because we believe in what\u2019s coming next.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Annika Langvad | 6-time Absa Cape Epic Champion<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The 2026 edition will feature dedicated Elite Women\u2019s routes, where the course will deviate from the general Absa Cape Epic route, reducing the total distance to align the expected winning time of the Elite Women with that of the Elite Men. On point-to-point stages, the Elite Women will enjoy a separate remote start. While on stages that loop back to the same start\/finish venue, the Elite Women will deviate from the general route to maintain time parity with the Elite Men. The Elite Women will race the general Prologue and Grand Finale routes, due to the fact that the racing duration falls within the time parity outlines set by the event\u2019s management team. These initiatives will only be rolled out in the Elite Women\u2019s category and will not affect the Open, NTT Masters, or GIC Grand Masters Women\u2019s competitions, nor will they impact the women taking part in the Toyota Mixed category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A bried game of cat and mouse during Stage 2 of the 2024 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race from Saronsberg Wine Estate to Saronsberg Wine Estate, Tulbagh, South Africa on 19 March 2024. Photo by Max Sullivan\/Cape Epic<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cThis is how we grow the field. How we invite more women from more disciplines and more countries to this start line. This is about raising the level, deepening the rivalries, and pushing the sport forward for years to come.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Candice Lill | 5-time Absa Cape Epic Silver Medallist<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201c2026 will be a landmark year for Elite Women\u2019s mountain biking,\u201d Jonathan Meintjes, the Global Head of the Epic Series, predicted. \u201cOn behalf of the Absa Cape Epic, the event sponsors, and the women who will be contesting for the title, come March, I\u2019d like to invite you to tune in to the live broadcast. It will be a thrilling race! And I look forward to the stories that will unfold and the new heroines the race will introduce us to. While cross-country lap racing is undoubtedly exciting, it cannot rival the untamed beauty of the Absa Cape Epic, or the platform it provides for riders to tell their own stories and connect with fans. Parity in time on the broadcast may well prove to be the biggest impact of this change for the Elite Women\u2019s competitors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2026 Elite Women’s Race Route<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 2026, the Elite Women will race across a route that is designed to enable them to match the daily winning time of the Elite Men. The shorter stages enable time parity on six of the eight days, while they will race the general Prologue and Stage 7 courses. On the opening and closing days of the race, the expected Elite Women\u2019s winning time falls within the race\u2019s criteria for the percentage of time acceptable for the women\u2019s winners to exceed the men\u2019s by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stages 1, 2, 4, and 6 will see the Elite Women deviating from the general route to finish in the same time as the Elite Men. While on Stage 3 and 5, when the race moves from Montagu to Greyton, and from Greyton to Stellenbosch, the Elite Women will start at Weltevrede Wine Farm, in Bonnievale, and at Beaumont Wines, in Botrivier, respectively. These changes result in a 560-kilometre total route length, and a course which boasts 13 350 metres of accumulated ascent for an average of 23.83 metres of climbing per kilometre. This is, in fact, more than the 23.19 metres of climbing per kilometre the rest of the 2026 Absa Cape Epic field will take on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prologue<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

15 March 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venue: Meerendal Wine Estate, Durbanville<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Distance: 20km<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climbing: 650m<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Familiar Ground<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nerves are, more often than not, the biggest hurdle of the Absa Cape Epic Prologue. However, at Meerendal, the pace will be fierce after a calm start allows for the rapid finding of rhythm. The Stairway to Heaven Climb leads to the unforgiving pitches of Dorstberg, where fans and supporters will line the trails, their cheers echoing across the lands. It will be easy to get carried away on the Prologue and venture into the red. But remember, no team has ever won the Absa Cape Epic on Prologue day. If smarts are applied, the opening 20 kilometres of the race can kickstart the momentum that will be so necessary for success in what is set to be an Absa Cape Epic for the ages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stage 1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

16 March 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venue: Montagu<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Distance: 70km<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climbing: 1 800m<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reignition of Tradition<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has been nearly two decades since the Absa Cape Epic last ventured into the dry lands of Montagu. Inhospitable but beautiful, Montagu is set to reignite traditions of yesteryear and spark memories of glories past. Stage 1 will be a roller coaster through the Klein Karoo that trends upward just as much as it does down. The main protagonists of the race will likely find themselves together until the Dead Man\u2019s descent separates those who are willing to risk short-term gain from long-term success. An arduous set of climbs and descents follows, driving home the fatigue under the burning African sun. On an opening stage like this, anyone who arrived sans form will be left wanting and with an extremely long week ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stage 2<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

17 March 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venue: Montagu<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Distance: 83km<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climbing: 1 850m<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Out of Sight, Out of Mind<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long and unrelenting, Stage 2 asks questions that build on those asked in Stage 1. The climbing begins immediately, and cold legs will ache all the way to the summit of Ouberg Pass. At the top, a long ridgeline stretches out as far as the eye can see, though if the wheel ahead is dropped, the teams ahead may disappear out of sight, out of mind, and out of reach. The descent of Slagkloof is tough but leads to the welcome respite of African Game Lodge. But still, the Karoo is unforgiving, unpredictable, and a moment too long spent enjoying the views could prove race-ending. The final third of the stage offers little relief, especially if the sun blazes and the winds rip. Stage 2 is a test of patience, endurance, and resolve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stage 3<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

18 March 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venue: Weltevrede Wine Estate, Bonnievale, to Middleplaas, Greyton<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Distance: 107km<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climbing: 1 450m<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Friend Indeed<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stage 3 of the Absa Cape Epic will be an ode to the past. A long day across open roads. A stage that will have the Amabubesi members who last raced here smiling. Starting outside the small town of Bonnievale, the Elite Women cross the Breerivier, before the test of Drecaso threatens to break the day apart. Teams will need grit, focus, and determination with more than half the journey still ahead. Open roads stretch ahead with unsurpassed views of vineyards and orchards, and the Langeberg Mountains on the horizon. A brief, ironic pass through Riviersonderend reminds riders how long this stage really is, before a gradual trek leads to Greyton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stage 4<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

19 March 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venue: Middleplaas, Greyton<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Distance: 73km<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climbing: 1 450m<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Country Favourite<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though short on distance, Stage 4 will by no means be short of demand. The battle-worn trails surrounding Greyton and Genadendal are characterised by energy-sapping climbs and rolling descents that offer no real respite. After a relatively flat first quarter, the action begins, and every turn will offer a choice: risk and reward, or safe and steady. A line taken too boldly over a moment of caution may result in immediate consequences. The final quarter of the stage looms heavy in the distance as the UFO climb and its infamous ramps are part and parcel of MTB legend in the region. Teams who overcome burning lungs and legs will have no time to rejoice as the Toyota Tough section arrives immediately after on the descent to Middelplaas. With the end in sight, will this be the time to roll the dice and hope for glory \u2014 or not? Choose wisely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stage 5<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

20 March 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venue: Beaumont Wines, Botrivier, to Coetzenburg, Stellenbosch<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Distance: 89km<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climbing: 2 150m<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Real Queen<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stage 5 rules over the Absa Cape Epic with an iron fist. It is, without doubt, one of the biggest, meanest stages that the race has seen in years, and the numbers alone tell a story of extreme distance, massive elevation, and relentless trials from Beaumont Wines to Stellenbosch. The Elite Women will climb from the gun, as Katpas stands guard of the Cape Floral Kingdom in Grabouw. Here, trails abound before the portage down the historic Gantouw Pass tests minds and legs alike. The descent will lull teams into a false sense of security, but all they need to do to remind themselves that they\u2019re in the Absa Cape Epic is to cast their eyes across the Helderberg basin to the wall that is the Lourensford Nek. And then begin the grind to the top. When over the Nek, a taste of what\u2019s to come in the final two stages will cap off an epic day and guarantee a good night\u2019s sleep for those who make it to the new race village intact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stage 6<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

21 March 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venue: Coetzenburg, Stellenbosch<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Distance: 60km<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climbing: 1 850m<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Home of Mountain Biking<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The penultimate stage of the Absa Cape Epic will be a day where the start line feels like a lifetime ago, and the finish line feels within reach \u2013 this is, arguably, the biggest mental hurdle of the week. Stellenbosch, the home of mountain biking in South Africa, presents a route that is tailored to the strengths of the cross-country specialists, offering them the opportunity to claw back time on marathon specialists or drive home their lead. Strong legs will be vital from the gun as the climbing begins almost immediately up Botmaskop. Banhoek Berms, Nick Naks, Klipwerf, and Old Rocky follow. The sawtooth profile relents lightly for a few kilometres near halfway before relaunching itself up and down back to Stellenbosch via the Idas Valley Trails and a check-in with The Doctor for the descent back to Coetzenburg. This is the stage for the racers and the trail lovers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stage 7<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

22 March 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venue: Coetzenburg, Stellenbosch<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Distance: 58km<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Climbing: 2 150m<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grand Finale<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By this stage, teams will be begging for an easy day. But at the Absa Cape Epic, nothing comes easy. The Grand Finale will be no pleasure cruise to the finish line, rather it\u2019s a concluding demand for fatigued minds and aching bodies. But hand in hand with the demands come the pleasures of the Jonkershoek trail network, where the trail builders wear the dirt on their shirts like badges of honour. The trails will be lined with hundreds of spectators chanting teams onwards, from the very front of the field to the very back. For the racers, the trail-laden route will make it tough to pull away. If the title is up for grabs this late in the day, there\u2019s no telling what will happen. If the Jersey wearers start the Grand Finale with a healthy gap, then the title is theirs to lose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In 2026, the Elite Women\u2019s race at the Absa Cape Epic will feature parity in duration with the Elite Men\u2019s, rather than parity in distance. The Absa Cape Epic\u2019s meticulous research and comprehensive stakeholder engagement suggest that this will produce faster and more competitive racing, while allowing for increased visibility for the athletes and teams […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":74678,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[24],"featured_location":[338],"class_list":["post-74677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events","tag-cape-epic","featured_location-bottom-row"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74677","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=74677"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74677\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":74708,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74677\/revisions\/74708"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/74678"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74677"},{"taxonomy":"featured_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/featured_location?post=74677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}