2016 Absa Cape Epic Ride Guide

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

13-20 MARCH 2016 8 DAYS | 1200 RIDERS | 652 km | 15 100 Climbing EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE WORLD’S PREMIER MTB STAGE RACE WHO TO WATCH • WHERE TO WATCH • ALL ABOUT THE ROUTE • THE LAST LIONS

Boost your birding skills and assist with vital conservation work.

Dawn and evening drives, guided by experienced birding experts.

RIDEGUIDE Editor and Project Manager Samantha Wright Mapping Craig Beech Contributors Bryony McCormick, Chris Whitfield, David Moseley, Jonathan Ancer, Kati Csak, Neil Gardiner, Samantha Wright, Steve Smith, Tim Whitfield Advertising Shelley Diesel Art Director Christo Toua Production Managers Media24 Photographic Contributors Gary Perkin, Nick Muzik, Dominic Barnardt, Emma Harrop, Ewald Sadie, Sam Clark, Kelvin Trautman, Sophie Smith, Damian Schumann, Sportograf Marketing and Communications Sarah Haigh Absa Cape Epic Tel 021 426 4373 info@cape-epic.com www.cape-epic.com

CONTENTS Foreword

4

Route Intro

9

Route Map

11

The Route in Detail

12

Grand Finale

32

Who to Watch

35

The stages, descriptions and predictions

The top contenders

Other Categories

44

SA Challenge

48

The Jerseys

53

The Trophies

55

Hospitality

58

The Rules of the Ride

60

What you should, and shouldn’t, do on a bike

Race Village

64

#8DaysOfCourage

66

The Hippies Made You Do It

70

Mountain bike evolution

The Race That Measures All

74

Where To Watch

78

The Susi and Sipho Show

84

The legend and his protégé

Women’s Race

87

The Last Lions

89

Conquering As One with the Absa Cape Epic

92

The Time has Come

96

Race founder Kevin Vermaak will ride the 2016 race

Epic in Numbers

98

The Wanderer and the Welshman

100

Race Recap

102

A Tale of Two Epics

108

From perky pros to broken backmarkers

Charities

110

The Importance of Choosing the Right Partner

112

Why it makes all the difference

A Day in the Life of a Team’s Support Crew

114

A tribute to Brian Pickering

118

TJDR 58428

Authorised Financial Services Provider

Conquer as one. Prosper.

The toughest team mountain bike race in the world often gives riders its worst, so they can give it their best. They know that finishing the race comes down to one thing: their partners. Partners who are right behind them, pushing them with passion and commitment. Pushing them towards success.

When we work as one, anything is possible.

FOREWORD

A message from the CEO The 2016 Absa Cape Epic is the 13th edition of the event and marks some important progress for us.

In recent years we have placed considerable emphasis on raising the profile of the Women’s category, and have been delighted to see it bearing fruit.

Lynn Naudé CEO

Absa Cape Epic

This year we will welcome another of the sport’s great athletes, Germany’s Olympic gold medallist Sabine Spitz, to the field. She and partner Yana Belomoina of the Ukraine are sure to give defending champions Ariane Kleinhans (Switzerland) and Annika Langvad (Denmark) a great challenge.

We have also introduced a special start batch for the elite women this year and expect closer and more intense racing.

Another important initiative is getting more development riders into the race. We are a proudly South African organisation and have been pleased to see competition for the Exxaro special jersey intensify over the years. This year five-times Cape Epic winner Christoph Sauser will be riding with Kayamandi’s Sipho Madolo, who is a great example of the talent in our communities that is just waiting to be tapped. We will be announcing some new initiatives in this regard in the coming months.

Christoph has retired as a professional but we will welcome back many of the world’s top men’s competitors and some exciting new names such as former Marathon World Champion Periklis Ilias of Greece: the racing is sure to be exciting.

We also welcome three exciting long-term members to our sponsor family: Dimension Data and USN have committed to a five-year relationship, and Land Rover to three years. Partnerships with our sponsors have been key to the successes and I’d particularly like to thank Absa for its amazing support over 11 years: its contribution is immeasurable.

Other relationships that play an important role in delivering the Untamed African Mountain Bike Race are those with land owners, towns, and municipalities which host our route and race villages: thanks very much to all of them. And, of course, to the staff, volunteers and crew who work tirelessly to put together a worldclass event.

Finally, I’m sure that they will all join me in wishing good luck to the man whose vision and hard work has brought the event this far: Cape Epic founder Kevin Vermaak will be riding it for the first time this year and we will be backing him with every pedal stroke.

Good luck to all riders!

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A message from the UCI There is something magic about mountain bike stage racing that sets it apart from other cycling events. The combination of long days in the saddle, tough and sometimes unpredictable terrain, and seemingly endless stretches of wilderness creates an atmosphere unique to this race format. And no matter how gruelling the day is, the next morning the athletes get up for more.

No matter how hard the racing is, the participants don’t have to think about anything but riding. As the athletes move from point to point along the Western Cape, a huge team of organisers and volunteers ensure that, on crossing the finish line, they will have everything they need. I extend my thanks to all involved for enabling so many people to take part in this magnificent adventure.

The Absa Cape Epic is a reference point in the world of mountain bike stage racing.

2016 will be the 13th edition of this race, which brings professionals and amateurs together for an eight-day journey through South Africa’s Western Cape.

The Absa Cape Epic forms part of South Africa’s reputation as a top international mountain bike destination.

Thanks to the commitment of Cycling South Africa and its President William Newman, South Africa has also hosted the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup on four occasions, the UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships in 2013 and the UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships the year after.

It is an incredibly tough race, which requires the athletes to dig deep both physically and mentally. After a prologue and seven stages, there is no doubt that the teams of two know each other inside out: for up to ten hours a day they have ridden together, supported each other through the highs and lows, and shared moments of doubt and exhilaration.

Brian Cookson

President UCI

In 2016, the route of the Absa Cape Epic will be shorter than previous years, but with more singletrack and climbing than ever before. It promises to be another unforgettable event and I wish everyone taking part, men, women, amateurs and professionals, the very best of luck.

A message from Absa Welcome to the 2016 edition of the Absa Cape Epic. Having passed our decadelong association with what is proudly dubbed as the Untamed African MTB Race, as sponsors it has been an absolute privilege to have grown and evolved with this stage race over the years.

With another eight days of courage, determination and perseverance beckoning, we are once again looking forward to collaborating with all key partners to enable those tackling the event to Conquer as One. We are extremely cognisant of the prolonged spells that riders spend away from their families in preparing for the Absa Cape Epic. As you take on the mountainous terrain, no matter how insurmountable the odds seem, draw on

the best wishes, energy and pride of your loved ones to carry you over the line and help you achieve your ambitions for this year’s race.

Our experience over the years shows that it takes a very special type of person to complete the Absa Cape Epic.

It’s therefore fitting that a brand that’s able to boast 325-years of resilience is involved as a partner in a race as special as the Absa Cape Epic.

David Wingfield

Chief Marketing Officer Barclays Africa

We will be at Meerendal Wine Estate, cheering you on over the finish line on Sunday, 20 March 2016 as we all Conquer as One.

2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC RIDE GUIDE

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A message from Dimension Data We are proud and honoured to have partnered with the Absa Cape Epic again this year, following our inaugural involvement with the race in 2015. In fact, Dimension Data has signed a fiveyear deal which will see us continue to collaborate with the Epic as the Official Technology Partner from 2016 through 2020.

Michael Abendanon

Executive South and West Africa Dimension Data Middle East and Africa

Cycling is becoming a high-tech sport and as a technology company, Dimension Data is extremely excited to extend our partnership with the premier mountain bike race in South Africa. We look forward to bringing a new level of innovation to the Absa Cape Epic over the next five years.

By utilising our capabilities, we will not only connect the world to the Absa Cape Epic, but we also look forward to using key learnings and some of the innovative technology solutions we showcased at the Tour de France last year.

To all the riders, we salute you and recognise that it takes blood, sweat and sometimes tears to reach the finish line.

Support and a strong partnership are important to get you through. We will be with you, helping you stay connected to your loved ones during the race. Enjoy the ride and good luck. We will see you at the finish line.

A message from Sasol Sasol is honoured to once again be the Official Fuel Sponsor of the Absa Cape Epic, as well as the sponsor of the Women’s category. 2016 promises to be as thrilling as the previous two years of our participation and we look forward to plenty of nail-biting action in one of the most beautiful parts of our country.

Ed Cameron

Senior Vice President Sasol Energy

Sasol undertakes a number of women empowerment initiatives, one of which is our involvement in the Absa Cape Epic.

We equalled the Women’s category prize money with the Men’s category as an example of our commitment to equal opportunity in sport. This has attracted a record number of female participants to the Epic. This we believe will bring greater competitiveness and development of the sport as we recognise how the Women’s category contributed towards the success of the Epic in the past two years.

Sasol continues to invest in developing technologically advanced fuels and lubricants that bring added value to our end user customer base. We are the only company in South Africa, and indeed in Africa, with the technical infrastructure and capacity to conduct advance fuels research and development.

These research, development and performance improvement standards are carried out at the Sasol Fuels Application Centre which is based in Muizenberg, Cape Town.

Given our presence in Cape Town, we are delighted to be the associated with the Absa Cape Epic.

In 2015, Sasol celebrated its 65th year of existence; a testament to the dedication and tenacity of its people. This spirit is only too evident in the riders of the Absa Cape Epic and we wish all of them an exciting and successful, but above all, a safe race in 2016.

We will see you at the finish line!

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A message from USN As South Africa’s nutritional market leader USN is proud to be associated with the pinnacle of world mountain biking, the Absa Cape Epic. As USN is currently available in 50 countries worldwide, many of these with mountain bikers riding the Absa Cape Epic, it was an easy decision to be a partner in this most challenging of events. We at USN look forward to being the endurance nutritional partner to the riders and supporters in their quest to completing this most daunting of events, as we

know that the fuel you choose will either make or break your performance, therefore making the right nutritional choice is critical. We are committed to help you prepare, fuel and recover your system to take on this challenge.

I am positive that the 2016 event will be a huge success and wish all the participants a successful USN fuelled race.

Albe Geldenhuys

Founder USN

A message from the Premier of the Western Cape Welcome to the 2016 Absa Cape Epic.

We are honoured to host this incredible sporting event.

On behalf of our government, I extend my deepest gratitude to the organisers and participants for your commitment.

Apart from being the largest of its kind in the world, it is also one of the most gruelling on the human body. Anyone who takes part in this race is truly Epic!

I would like to recognise Absa’s role in making this happen in collaboration with its partners.

We value your partnership in bringing this race to our province.

I wish you all the best.

Enjoy the race.

Helen Zille

Western Cape Premier Western Cape

A message from the Mayor of Cape Town Over the years the Cape Epic has established itself as a leading feature on our city’s annual sporting events calendar and it is undoubtedly one of the biggest sport attractions internationally.

The City of Cape Town is once again pleased to support this event which attracts thousands of mountain bike enthusiasts from across the country and the world.

We are blessed with some of the world’s most picturesque views and we are excited to welcome all riders each year and share our beautiful city and province with you all.

The Cape Epic is a key contributor to our status as a leading events destination.

It also supports our strategic objective to build Cape Town into the events capital of Africa connecting people from across the globe.

I would like to wish the organisers well for the 2016 Absa Cape Epic. The years of experience and excellent eventorganising skills will ensure that riders and spectators once again experience a remarkable event.

Patricia de Lille

Executive Mayor City of Cape Town

Welcome and good luck to all the riders from both local and international destinations. May you have a great ride and take time to enjoy the many other offerings in our beautiful Cape Town.

2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC RIDE GUIDE

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If you believe you can do anything, we’re here to help you do it.

Photo by Sam Clark, Sportzpics

The Absa Cape Epic, one of the toughest mountain bike races on the planet, wanted to be the biggest and best mountain bike race in the world. We helped them by providing world-class technology solutions that allowed the media and riders to seamlessly connect with the rest of the world. We’re helping the Absa Cape Epic achieve greatness, imagine what we can do for you.

Visit dimensiondata.com for more information.

DimensionDataZA DiDataMEA

13-20 MARCH

From the Race Director Much has been said and speculated in the run up to the event about the statistics of the 2016 Absa Cape Epic route.

The shortest but not the easiest …

The most amount of climbing per kilometre .. The highest proportion of singletrack ever…

All this is a numbers game, and numbers in mountain biking are often reduced to insignificance by default of their inability to tell you about the trail surface, the scorching African sun, the unexpected rain or the infamous South Easter wind.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not our intention to make the route harder each year, but rather, to deliver you the best riding experience. A select few of us are fortunate enough to

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KM 106 KM 26 DISTANCE DISTANCE

M 2300 M 800 CLIMBING CLIMBING

pre–ride the route in its entirety every year, to make sure it’s wellbalanced and suitably challenging, and come race day, we know what the riders will be going through.

Based on our experience from the trial ride I can say with confidence that you can look forward to one of the best routes to date – what no doubt stood out for us are the more than 100 kilometres of singletrack.

Those who have ridden some of the previous editions of the race, will be all too familiar with the work of our overall route designer, Pieter van Wyk, who has been the driving force in building and establishing the now famous Welvanpas trails, on the doorstep of Wellington.

Since the race first visited Tulbagh in 2011, there has been tremendous development, driven by the local mountain biking community. If you ask a farmer in Tulbagh or the adjacent Witzenberg Valley after the harvest what he’ll be planting next season, you are likely to get ‘mountain biking trails’ as an answer. The quaint town is well-known for the many historic buildings on Church Street but we believe some of the new

trails deserve national monument status too. Returning to Boschendal after 10-years, will be another highlight. Nestled in the Stellenbosch winelands, the penultimate stage will take riders through the protected areas of the Simonsberg and Banhoek conservancies.

18 months of passion, dedication and detailed planning go into putting the Absa Cape Epic route together. Much of which is through private land and our thanks goes to the more than 150 landowners who open up their properties, allowing us to showcase the best the Western Cape has to offer.

To those riding, make sure you soak up the moment as you roll off the start ramp the majestic Table Mountain in the distance as you embark on your 8 days of courage.

Play it safe out there, savour every moment and we look forward to giving you a hero’s welcome at the Grand Finale at Meerendal.

Kati Csak Race Director

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KM 93 DISTANCE

KM 103 DISTANCE

KM 73 DISTANCE

KM 93 DISTANCE

KM 74 DISTANCE

KM 84 DISTANCE

2 200 M CLIMBING

2 150 M CLIMBING

About SANParks and Table Mountain National Park SANParks inherited the Peninsula mountain chain in various states of neglect when it was proclaimed in 1998, with many eroded footpaths and uncontrolled invasive aliens. There was little or no accountability for fire and a range of user groups all with their own unique demands.

Some of the costs now covered by SANParks include essential alien vegetation clearing of about R25 million a year, firefighting at R8m, the infrastructure programme at R30m and safety and security at almost

1CLIMBING 850 M

2 500M CLIMBING

2 100 M CLIMBING

1CLIMBING 200M

R10m. During the past financial year, total conservation expenses reached R100m. Since 1998, SANParks has invested close to a billion rand in the park. Alien eradication, cultural heritage management and fire competence are legal requirements and not optional expenses.

Besides the two million users of free access areas another two million enter through pay points. About 180 000 bring dogs for walks, 150 000 use the mountain for biking and several thousand others ride horses, hang glide or paraglide. There are also hundreds of thousands of hikers and an ever growing number of trail runners.

2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC RIDE GUIDE

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THE ADVENTURE DOESN’T HAVE TO END AT THE FINISH LINE.

The Discovery Sport turns every experience into an epic adventure.

So while you’re testing your limits on 647 kilometers of the most scenic and demanding trails in the Western Cape, we completely understand what it’s like. After all, the Discovery Sport has been tested on all-terrain for more than 18 months in over 20 countries in the most grueling conditions - so it knows about tough. That’s why it’s the perfect Official Vehicle and Route Partner for the Absa Cape Epic. landrover.co.za

ROUTE MAP STAGE 2

NEIL’S PREDICTION FOR THE PROS: 2016 again sees 1200 intrepid riders arrive for registration at the V&A Waterfront in peak form before tackling the rugged expanses of the Western Cape during the world’s most competitive mountain bike stage race. Here’s how they’re likely to fare over the legendary battlegrounds that have marked 12 years of the Absa Cape Epic.

STAGE 1

SARONSBERG TULBAGH

Neil Gardiner Race Commentator CERES

STAGE 3

MALMESBURY

STAGE STAGE44

N7

PROLOGUE

WELLINGTON

PAARL

STAGE 7

STAGE 5 V&A WATERFRONT REGISTRATION CAPE TOWN

MEERENDAL

BOSCHENDAL

N1 STAGE STAGE66

FRANSCHHOEK STELLENBOSCH

SOMERSET WEST

GRABOUW

N2

652km | 15 100m Climbing OFFICIAL VEHICLE AND ROUTE PARTNER

SPONSORS ON ROUTE

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S U N DAY

13 MARCH

Back to the Winelands NEIL’S PREDICTION FOR THE PROS: It’s a 26km race against the clock with highly varied terrain including steep, technical climbs and twisty descents. Those eyeing out the general classification might be riskaverse so early in the race, however the cross country specialists not aiming for overall glory will no doubt throw caution to the wind.

They’ll go deep into their anaerobic zones on the short sharp rise of the Stairway to Heaven and Spykers Hill climb, all for the honour of wearing the year’s first leaders’ jerseys.

START

CLIMBING

FINISH

DISTANCE

Meerendal, Cape Town Meerendal, Cape Town

26km

RATING 400m

300m

TECHNICAL TERRAIN

200m

0

Meerendal 12

800m

6

12 RATING

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Meerendal

PROLOGUE

“The best thing about the Absa Cape Epic is the combination of racing, team spirit, landscape and good African food.”

Christoph Sauser 5 x Absa Cape Epic winner

After rolling off the start ramp the route takes riders straight onto Meerendal’s custom-built trails before they tackle the challenging singletrack climb up “Stairway to Heaven” to the top of Dorstberg, a mountaintop boasting magnificent 360 degree views of world famous landmarks such as Table Mountain, Robben Island and Cape Point.

Pressed for time, teams will have to forgo sight-seeing as they dive straight into a rugged, Renosterveld lined trail that descends into the quarry and adjacent farmlands. A short section of

tar follows before the route heads back onto the groomed trails of Hoogekraal farm, part of the Tygerberg Mountain Bike Club network. A testing singletrack climb affords more spectacular views from the top before a fun roller coaster descent down the other side. The route then heads back through steep vineyards and a steady climb past dairy fields onto the picturesque Meerendal Wine Estate, finishing off with some more singletrack to ensure riders finish the first day with big smiles on their faces.

2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC RIDE GUIDE

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M O N DAY

14 MARCH

Sweet (and Sour) NEIL’S PREDICTION FOR THE PROS: The Prologue is a short preview of the star-studded field. But Stage 1 traditionally gives a clearer idea of the action that’s to come, with the rugged trails of Tulbagh separating the wheat from the chaff. It’ll all split up at the day’s Land Rover Technical Terrain, the Bone Trail, leading the riders into the spikey part of the route’s profile.

As a select group approaches Saronsberg again it’s likely that a sole winning team will prevail in a dramatic finale.

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START

DISTANCE

FINISH

CLIMBING

Saronsberg, Tulbagh Saronsberg, Tulbagh RATING

106km

2 300m

STAGE 1

“There is only one gas and that’s full gas.”

Karl Platt 4 x Absa Cape Epic winner

Over its 300 years Tulbagh has built a reputation for excellent wine. Now the town nestled in a beautiful, lush valley is beginning to earn a name for great mountain biking, thanks to the efforts of local enthusiasts. From the race village at Saronsberg Wine Estate, Stage 1 loops around the town in the Tulbagh bowl with more than a few trips up the slopes of its surrounding mountains. It

will introduce riders to many of the new tracks in the area: watch out for The Bone Trail, The Labyrinth, Confucius’s Bridge and the Fairy Loop. After some early climbing most of the cool sections are between the 45km to 70km marks, but include some rugged ascents – the profile for that section looks like a set of shark’s teeth.

2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC RIDE GUIDE

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T U E S DAY

15 MARCH

#EPIC100 NEIL’S PREDICTION FOR THE PROS: Any team targeting stage wins would surely pick an auspicious day such as this. It’s the 100th stage ever at the Absa Cape Epic.

There’s a long, tricky ascent before the Witzenberg valley that’ll thin things out considerably. But the decisive section will be the final climb followed by the challenging Land Rover Technical Terrain descent back towards Tulbagh – watch out for an all or nothing move from a local team that knows the trails well.

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START

DISTANCE

FINISH

CLIMBING

Saronsberg, Tulbagh Saronsberg, Tulbagh RATING

93km

2 200m

STAGE 2

“It’s a crazy race. It’s gruelling … but just as much as you suffer you enjoy the race.”

Annika Langvad 2 x Absa Cape Epic winner

The 100th stage in the 13-year existence of the Absa Cape Epic will be a memorable one for more than just its place in history. Directly east of Tulbagh lies an old wagon trail over the Witzenberg mountain range which veterans of the 2010 and 2013 Absa Cape Epics will remember well.

On Stage 2 riders will traverse it twice – going up the steep side with portage

sections on the way into the Witzenberg Valley and then on the way back as they descend into Tulbagh towards the finish.

In-between those testing bits of trail they will experience the unique geology of the Witzenberg Valley as they loop through its distinctive sandstone formations on trails carved out by local farmers and mountain bikers. There’s a couple of testing climbs in there too.

2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC RIDE GUIDE

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W E D N E S DAY

16 MARCH

Into the Valley NEIL’S PREDICTION FOR THE PROS: Even though it’s early on in the stage, the tough 4km Waterval climb will be pivotal. The front group are likely to ride conservatively on the rocky trails of Zuurvlakte that includes the day’s Land Rover Technical Terrain, waiting for Bain’s Kloof Pass and the long, tough climb in Welvanpas. The cross country specialists will aim to gap their rivals to get the hole shot into singletrack, and stretch their lead in the run in to their new home for the next two nights.

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START

DISTANCE

FINISH

CLIMBING

Saronsberg, Tulbagh CPUT, Wellington RATING

103km

2 150m

STAGE 3

“I’ve done 17 Ironmans and this was worse. To compare it, Ironman is 3.5km swimming, 180km on the bike, alone, not in a group, then you run a marathon - my time there was 9 hours, 34 minutes and today I did 9 hours 51 minutes with just riding a bike.”

Sef Quies Absa Cape Epic finisher

A transition stage – linking one stage location to another – with a difference.

After the rugged climb on the remote tracks of the Waterval climb riders will cross the Zuurvlakte – a pan fringed by mountains that looks like it belongs in a Western movie. The Zuurvlakte reserve has only just been opened again after devastating fires (but which did have the effect of regenerating the fynbos and proteas). A little while later

it’s on to the tar and the long climb up the Bain’s Kloof Pass, a national monument, before a twirl around the highly-regarded Welvanpas trails near Wellington. Riders new to the Welvanpas network will get a rude introduction to the WTF? climb and some sharp ascents, but will also get to enjoy weaving descents such as the breathtaking Super G.

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BEST OF THE BEST ENGINEERED TO HELP YOU RIDE HARD & FINISH STRONG.

THE HISTORY OF EPICPRO, USN’s flagship allin-one ultra-endurance solution had an interesting beginning. Few know though that it was specially formulated for use at the ABSA Cape Epic.

USN CEO, Albé Geldenhuys, was about to take on the 2009 ABSA Cape Epic. He partnered with Dr. Francois Ebersohn and embarked on a “ride-as-muchas-you-can” training program which soon became apparent as not the way to do it.

Being fearful of the extreme nature of the race, he put in the hours over December 2008 without changing his “2-3 hour supplement strategy”. Three weeks before the Cape Epic, Albé was totally over-trained and couldn’t ride for more than 30 minutes on a flat road. Tests revealed that he became intolerant to sugar, wheat, artificial flavours, sweeteners and colourants like athletes who embark on strenuous training programs. Reality kicked in, he will not be riding the Epic and shared the disappointing news with his partner. Francois wouldn’t accept and Albé simply had to try and recover as much as he could.

In total desperation Albé commissioned the USN Research & Development team, headed up by Irma Botes, to develop the absolute best ultra-marathon endurance drink possible to help him survive the Cape Epic. The team didn’t hold back, cost was irrelevant and the best researched ingredients went into the mix. 5 Days before the start of the ABSA Cape Epic the special mix was 90% done. It was still short of some natural flavour and one or two ingredients that was added before going into the market. “I took three servings a day for the five days leading up to the prologue. Slowly I could feel my energy levels coming back and even though I didn’t ride, I could feel my system getting stronger. At that stage I still had no idea whether I’d be able survive the race. I had started loading with VO2 Max tablets 3 days before and did a 30 minute warm-up ride the day before the prologue. The 2009 ABSA CAPE EPIC was about to start and I felt totally unprepared; to me it was a matter of survival, nothing more”said Albé.

Dr. Francois Ebersohn was one of the 1st independent people, other than Albé Geldenhuys to use “the special Epic mix’, which was later launched as EpicPro. His story: “I was the first lab rat to use “the special Epic mix” when it was developed for Albé for the 2009 Cape Epic however I only started using it before Stage 2 of the race. I decided to stick to USN CytoPower which I trained with. One thing that’s common knowledge is that you don’t change your shoes on the start of a race and you do not change the drink in your bottle.

For the Prologue we got the result I expected.

Prologue - Category position: 123 Overall position: 170 Stage 1 - Category position: 123 Overall position: 178

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During the second half, and especially towards the end of Stage 1, I was a broken rider as the reality of six more days of agony and pain kicked in. The memories from previous editions of the race had me demoralised, knowing what laid ahead. Albé Geldenhuys, my partner doing his first Epic, had been using his “special Epic mix” and he was worryingly strong as he waited for me at the top of a couple of hills, amongst others the ever draining Groenland berg. I took a lot of strain that day while he was fresh and chirpy afterwards.

Feeling completely broken and depleted after a long, hard and hot Stage 1, Albé convinced me to gulp down a full serving of EpicPro. Minutes later I felt a slight tingling sensation all over my skin.

I was quickly told not to worry as it’s simply the amino-acid, Beta-alanine doing its job. Roughly half an hour later it felt like some magic potion was injected into my system. I’ve never experienced such a quick turn-around from tiredness to revival before.

I went for a massage and took another full serving three hours later.

I started Stage 2 with EpicPro in my bottles and I took a couple of extra servings with in a resealable bag. I was amazed how well my body recovered from the previous day and how I seemed to get stronger the further we rode. I felt almost too good.

Every stage got easier and more enjoyable. We were riding within our limits and doing better every day.

I have never done a stage race where I improved so much day on day.

Stage 2 - Category position: 80 Overall position: 114 Stage 3 - Category position: 84 Overall position: 116 Stage 4 - Category position: 66 Overall position: 94 Stage 5 - Category position: 66 Overall position: 90 Stage 6 - Category position: 46 Overall position: 60 The morning of Stage 7 I was very excited and my legs were feeling strong. At this stage in previous Epic races, I was grumpy, physically spent and just wanted to get to the end. But that year I felt great, and for the first time, didn’t want the race to be over.

We ended up having a great stage result for two guys with full-time jobs. It was by far my most enjoyable stage race ever, and I realised just what a massive impact a single nutritional supplement could have on my performance, mood and recovery. I finished stronger than when I started!

USN developed the ultimate all-in-one ultraendurance energy and recovery drink, and since then I have never raced or trained without it.”

Stage 7 - Category position: 34 Overall position: 41 Dr. Francois Ebersohn

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2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC RIDE GUIDE

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T H U R S DAY

17 MARCH

Trails and Tribulations NEIL’S PREDICTION FOR THE PROS: Another legendary battle awaits in the Drakenstein region and the singletrack of Welvanpas will surely suit the pure cross country specialists. Technical skills aside, this terrain requires short hard efforts and with plenty of climbing to be done, those who are underprepared will suffer greatly. The last three ups and downs are sure to have the field in pieces, making a large bunch sprint finish unlikely.

22

START

DISTANCE

FINISH

CLIMBING

CPUT, Wellington CPUT, Wellington RATING

73km

1 850m

STAGE 4

“When you say the Absa Cape Epic it’s like saying Mufasa, it just has so much weight attached to it.”

Andre Ross Absa Cape Epic finisher

The day will be spent almost exclusively on the Welvanpas trail network, included in this is the Land Rover Technical Terrain for Stage 4.

Not long after the start the legs will be tested on the Patatskloof climb, then it’s down Cool Runnings Too, up the Aap d’Huez (with a mere 29 switchbacks) and down Route 66.

The loop also includes the Welvanpas White Route, filled with interesting singletrack and one notoriously bumpy section called the Cheesegrater. A day for the purist mountain biker perhaps, but there are a lot of testing climbs – including three tough ones shortly before the finish. Riders will have to work for their reward.

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F R I DAY

18 MARCH

The Big Five NEIL’S PREDICTION FOR THE PROS: 2 500m of climbing tips this as the Queen Stage of 2016. The climbs of Hawekwas, Slanghoek & Beulah will set the scene for a war between the major contending teams. By this stage in the race, the contest for overall victory should be down to only a few left in the running. With only three stages to go, time’s running out if they’re not in the zebra jersey.

24

START

DISTANCE

FINISH

CLIMBING

CPUT, Wellington Boschendal, Stellenbosch RATING

93km

2 500m

STAGE 5

“I’ve never seen so many grown men cry.”

Karin Schermbrucker Official Photographer

No, not the famous wildlife that roams Africa’s plains: five big climbs dotted across the day’s riding. Being a transition stage there are some forest roads to negotiate, but soon after the start the route turns upwards on the Slangrivier climb. Then it’s on to Patatskloof again – but a different route to Stage 4 – and Beulah, which leads into Hawequa (if you’ve got the time, look out for the great view of the Paarl Rock), and then the

Protea climb. As you get close to the Drakenstein Prison – formerly Victor Verster, where the father of South Africa’s democracy, Nelson Mandela, took his first steps after being freed in 1990 – you will be greeted by the rugged Freedom Struggle climb and its Bone Rattler, Land Rover Technical Terrain, descent. All of which might make this the toughest day of the 2016 Absa Cape Epic.

2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC RIDE GUIDE

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SAT U R DAY

19 MARCH

Bacchus’s Garden NEIL’S PREDICTION FOR THE PROS: The steep trails through the vineyards and some fresh new singletrack around Stellenbosch will test the riders last reserves late in the week. Stage 6 may be short in distance, but the challenges are more concentrated and the true test of the riders’ mettle lies at the end – the final sting in the tail approaching Boschendal.

26

START

DISTANCE

FINISH

CLIMBING

Boschendal, Stellenbosch Boschendal, Stellenbosch RATING

74km

2 100m

STAGE 6

“Good teamwork is definitely a very crucial part of performance, especially when things get tough.”

Ariane Kleinhans 2 x Absa Cape Epic winner

Welcome to the delights of Stellenbosch and surrounds. Not long after the start, and the rare opportunity to ride through the Simonsberg Conservancy, riders will get a stunning view back across the vineyards to Stellenbosch and False Bay, with Table Mountain in the distance. But Stellenbosch is also about great mountain biking: look out for the Tunnel of Love trail through wattle trees, the Murati loop and the series of great singletrack sections that follow it, and the renowned

Skyfall – the Land Rover Technical Terrain – singletrack descent. There’s a whole lot more to come, once again including some testing climbs. The ride back to Boschendal treats riders to a passage through the Banhoek Conservancy and then some quite tricky singletrack.

2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC RIDE GUIDE

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S U N DAY

20 MARCH

A grand Grand Finale NEIL’S PREDICTION FOR THE PROS: The Grand Finale will be fast, with rolling climbs and flat farm roads eating up the early kilometres.

Expect to see a strong group heading towards the trails of the Tygerberg Mountain Bike Club. If the overall GC is well-established, we can expect the yellow zebra jerseys to leave stage victory to the teams targeting this prestigious final day, hoping for a chance to show off their victory salutes on live TV.

28

START

DISTANCE

FINISH

CLIMBING

Boschendal, Stellenbosch Meerendal, Cape Town RATING

84km

1 200m

STAGE 7 “No words.

Experience of a lifetime for sure.”

Mario Roma Absa Cape Epic finisher

The numbers speak for themselves: not too much climbing for the weary as they make their way to the finish at Meerendal Wine Estate. There is some early ascending in the first 25km as the route hugs the Simonsberg Mountain before some district roads take riders on a tour of the local farms and some vineyards. Then it’s into the Tygerberg network’s legendary Hoogekraal, which features the Land Rover Technical Terrain for the day, and Meerendal trails,

where striking views of Table Mountain will remind riders of the beginning of their journey a week earlier. As they get to hear the strains of the PA from the Grand Finale finish they will be introduced to Meerendal’s Stairway to Heaven climb for one last test of the legs before turning on to its fun bermed sections on the way down to the welldeserved status of Absa Cape Epic finisher.

2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC RIDE GUIDE

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Grand Finale

20 March 2016

Meerendal Wine Estate, Durbanville Meerendal Wine Estate has in recent years become synonymous with the Absa Cape Epic, with the relationship developing like the fine wine they produce. From the Prologue venue to the Grand Finale venue for 2015 and now 2016 the estate is a firm Epic favourite, thanks in no small part to its exceptional trails and fast singletrack.

The Grand Finale at Meerendal always offers family and fans the opportunity to live the glory of eight days of racing through witnessing the triumph and celebrations of the courage it takes riders to cross the finish line for the last time.

Due to popular demand the Liqui-Fruit trail runs and kids MTB races will be back, boasting fantastic new routes through the local vineyards; come and participate in some of the action of the day and stay to cheer riders home as Epic Heroes.

New grandstands will provide shade and a big screen truck will maximise viewing capabilities in the race village. The Castle Lite Chill Zone will have guests singing along to the classics by cover band The Professors while the food trucks will keep hunger at bay. The Liqui-Fruit pump track and a dedicated Kids Zone will keep the little ones entertained making this a day out for the whole family.

Winners are expected at 11:00 so allow yourself some time to arrive and pick the perfect viewing spot.

Entrance is free Visit www.cape-epic.com for more information

32

2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC RIDE GUIDE

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Who to Watch

The Absa Cape Epic is the most competitive mountain bike stage race in the world.

Of the sport’s top riders, the event attracts the cream of the crop, year after year.

TOPEAK ERGON RACING Alban Lakata

Kristian Hynek

Age: 36 Stage Wins: 2

Age: 35 Stage Wins: 1

Epics Completed: 7 Best Result: 2nd

2015 XCM World Champion

@TeamTopeakErgon

Epics Completed: 2 Overall Wins: 1

2014 Absa Cape Epic Champion

2 -1

@KristianHynek

2-2

With Epic legend Christoph Sauser now semi retired, and Jaroslav Kulhavy preparing for the Olympics, Alban Lakata and Kristian Hynek are the race favourites after placing second in 2015. Lakata has won the marathon world championships twice but never the Absa Cape Epic.

Hynek has one win – in 2014, riding with Lakata’s understudy Robert Mennen. Topeak Ergon will be well-prepared, with a dedicated back up team (Jeremiah Bishop and Erik Kleinhans) – an essential factor for a team with expectations such as theirs.

Jeremiah Bishop

Erik Kleinhans

Age: 40 Stage Wins: 0

Age: 33 Stage Wins: 0

Epics Completed: 2 Best Result: 11th

Pan American Games Gold Medallist

@JeremiahBishop

Epics Completed: 8 Best Result: 8th

2009 XCO South African Champion

16 -1

@erikkleinhans

1 6- 2

The critical back up team to the race favourites of 2016, Hynek and Lakata have handpicked South African Kleinhans and former US cross country champion Bishop to be ready to lend a hand. Kristian Hynek will remember, all to well, the drama of 2014 when he and Robert Mennen were left stranded on the side of the trails with two flat tyres. Owing their title that year to the kindness of Kaess and Kaufmann, they’ll now leave nothing to chance, hiring in Kleinhans, who was Christoph Sauser’s lieutenant in 2015.

2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC RIDE GUIDE

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THE BULLS Karl Platt Age: 38 Stage Wins: 14

Urs Huber Epics Completed: 11 Overall Wins: 4

Age: 30 Stage Wins: 2

Epics Completed: 5 Best Result: 2nd

2015 XCM German Champion

2011 XCM Swiss Champion

@Plattos

@Huber_urs

3 -1

3-2

In 2015 Christoph Sauser became the only rider in history to win five Absa Cape Epics. With four titles, Platt is left with the task to match him. 2015’s race showed the Bulls were the third strongest on the trails, which pitches them as the prime challengers to Topeak Ergon Racing. The German’s multi-day event titles are impressive and Huber’s speed and horsepower is the perfect complement to his cool head and tactical know-how. He’ll be acutely aware of the several dark horse teams ready to cause an upset, and will surely capitalize on this.

Simon Stiebjahn

Tim Böhme

Age: 25 Stage Wins: 0

Age: 33 Stage Wins: 0

Epics Completed: 3 Best Result: 3rd

Epics Completed: 7 Best Result: 3rd

2012 U23 XCM European Champion

2014 XCM German Champion

@Stiebi90

@TeamBulls

10-1

10-2

It’s not many teams that can say their back up team is capable of taking a podium spot overall. In fact, if Böhme and Stiebjahn were left to race for themselves, they’d be a serious threat to the world’s top teams. But first and foremost, their primary role, as they’ve performed so admirably in the past, is to remain as close to Platt and Huber as possible.

They’ll not only be able to help with pacing and parts donations, they’re an extra card to play in the intricacies of race tactics – an unsung, yet pivotal team in the race.

CENTURION-VAUDE BY MEERENDAL Jochen Kaess

Markus Kaufmann

Age: 34 Stage Wins: 3

Age: 34 Stage Wins: 1

Epics Completed: 5 Best Result: 2nd

2010 XCM German Champion

@CenturionVaude

Epics Completed: 4 Best Result: 6th

2012 XCM German Champion

4-1

@BikeBrazzo

4-2

Kaess is a five-time finisher at the race with his best results a second overall, and three stage wins – most notably in 2015’s dramatic Grand Finale with Daniel Geismayr, holding off a charging Mulitvan Merida. With Kaufmann and Kaess as the current Transalp champions, they’re a dialedin two-man stage racing team, and each has held national marathon championship titles. It’s even odds for a spot on the podium, and now it’s not just down to lady luck – they have an all important back up team on call.

Daniel Geismayr

Hermann Pernsteiner

Age: 26 Stage Wins: 0

Age: 25 Stage Wins: 0

Epics Completed: 2 Best Result: 8th

2012 U23 XCO Austrian Champion

@DanielGeismayr

Epics Completed: 1

2011 U23 XCM European Silver Medallist

17-1

@CenturionVaude

1 7- 2

Fans watched from the edges of their seats during the 2015 Grand Finale, with Kaess and Geismayr attacking on the main climb of the day and holding off Hermida and Van Houts, two over-achievers in the world of mountain biking.

It was a dramatic end to a low-key week. Pernsteiner rode in the support role in 2015 and is well-versed on the drill of swapping parts if Kaess and Kaufmann have a mechanical. In the inevitable event of a flat tyre, these two will earn their salaries three times over.

36

CST SUPERIOR Rudi van Houts

Hans Becking

Age: 32 Stage Wins: 6

Age: 29 Stage Wins: 0

Epics Completed: 4 Best Result: 3rd

2 x XCO Dutch Champion

@rudivanhouts

Epics Completed: 1 Best Result: 8th

2012 XCO Dutch Champion

5 -1

@hansjebecking

5-2

In Multivan Merida kit, Van Houts successfully paired with former cross country world champion and Olympic silver medalist José Hermida over the last few years, gaining four stage wins and two stints in the zebra leaders’ jerseys. The former Dutch champion rode his first Epic in 2007 paired with Bart Brentjens, winning two stages and taking third overall. Now he rides on Brentjens’ trade team. Becking is also handy on knobblies, with a recent win at the Brazil Ride and a runner-up finish at the Dutch cross country championships.

SCOTT LCB FACTORY RACING Matthys Beukes

Gert Heyns

Age: 28 Stage Wins: 2

Age: 22 Stage Wins: 1

Epics Completed: 3 Best Result: 5th

2010 XCO South African Champion

@MatthysBeukes

Epics Completed: 2 Best Result: 6th

2014 U23 XCO South African Champion

6 -1

@GertHeyns

6- 2

It is hard to look further than Heyns and Beukes for a favourite in the Absa African jersey competition. In 2014, the two took the Grand Finale victory and in 2015 Beukes won a stage riding with Philip Buys. Of the Africans, this is the only pair in the race who’ve tasted stage victory together. Both are cross country specialists, but also accomplished marathoners too.

It’ll take a lot for another team to stop them earning themselves another red jersey, and they’ll certainly be in the hunt for yellow too.

INVESTEC SONGO SPECIALIZED Christoph Sauser Age: 39 Stage Wins: 37

Siphosenkosi Madolo

Epics Completed: 10 Overall Wins: 5

Age: 25 Stage Wins: 0

4 x World Champion

@Sauserwind

Epics Completed: 4 Best Result: 30th

2 x Exxaro Special Jersey Winner

1-1

@Team_Spur

1-2

Sauser made history in 2015 by becoming the first rider to win five Absa Cape Epic titles, rounding off one of the most successful careers in mountain biking history. His list of achievements include one cross country and three marathon world titles, an Olympic bronze medal, 14 UCI World Cup wins (plus two overall titles too) and he was junior Swiss downhill champion. What better person to mentor his Songo.info protégée Madolo, who took first place in the Exxaro jersey competition in 2014.

SPUR-SPECIALIZED Howard Grotts Age: 23

James Reid

Epics Completed: 0

Age: 23

2015 XCO American Champion

@howardgrotts

Epics Completed: 0

2015 XCO African Continental Champion

15 -1

@jamesxreid

15-2

Much is expected of this US/South Africa partnership, despite being newbies at the 2016 Absa Cape Epic. Grotts is touted as the big hope for US cross country racing, having taken the national title at 22, beating veteran campaigner Todd Wells. Reid is also a cross country specialist but proved that his skills and physiology transfer well to marathon racing – he’s held both national titles simultaneously.

While the Epic is an unpredictable race, we can be sure they’ll be at the head of affairs in March.

2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC RIDE GUIDE

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L E N S

T E C H N O L O G Y

USN PUREFIT Darren Lill Age: 33 Stage Wins: 0

Waylon Woolcock Epics Completed: 3 Best Result: 7th

Age: 33 Stage Wins: 0

2011 Road South African Champion

@DarrenLil

Epics Completed: 2 Best Result: 7th

2015 Sani2c Winner

7-1

@waylonwoolcock

7- 2

A 7th place overall for the South African pair in 2015 was highly credible, but no doubt they’ll look back ruefully at the opportunities lost. In the running for the Absa African jerseys, a tech zone mixup scuppered their chances – the two former road cyclists (Lill is a former South African champion) sorely missed having a back up team. With the added confidence and experience in preparation, they know they have what it takes to mix it up with the big names, plus they’ll be more motivated than ever.

NAD PRO MTB Gawie Combrinck

Nico Bell

2015 XCM South African Champion

2012 Cape Pioneer Trek Winner

Age: 29 Stage Wins: 0

Epics Completed: 3 Best Result: 6th

@gawiecombrinck

Age: 32 Stage Wins: 0

8 -1

Epics Completed: 5 Best Result: 8th

@nicobellsracing

8-2

After two years of riding in support of Christoph Sauser’s campaign for five Absa Cape Epic titles, Bell achieved the desired result. With Sauser now semi-retired, he’s free to explore his full potential, back with his old partner (they’ve placed as high as 8th overall). Since then, Combrinck has captured a coveted national marathon title and no doubt brings renewed energy and firepower. They might not be the favoured team to win the Absa African jersey competition, but if Beukes and Heyns falter, even for a moment, these two will pounce.

Wheeler-BiXS-iXS Pro Konny Looser

Martin Gujan

Age: 26 Stage Wins: 0

Age: 33 Stage Wins: 1

Epics Completed: 3 Best Result: 11th

2011 U23 XCM European Champion

@konnylooser

Epics Completed: 1 Best Result: 9th

2009 XCO Swiss Silver Medallist

9 -1

@martingujan

9- 2

These two Swiss riders make an interesting match, not least to their rivals. They’re no strangers to the Absa Cape Epic – marathon specialist Looser rode with Urs Huber on his first outing in the Western Cape, sitting in the top five overall till he famously broke his frame on Groenlandberg. Gujan won the 2015 Prologue, paired with UCI World Cup regular Fabian Giger, surprising all but themselves – the terrain and duration of the extreme effort suited them perfectly. All eyes will be on these Swiss riders at UCT. 2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC RIDE GUIDE

39

DOLOMITI SUPERBIKE Periklis Ilias Age: 29

Tiago Ferreira Epics Completed: 0

Age: 27

2012 XCM World Champion

@Periklis_ilias

Epics Completed: 0

2013 Brazil Ride Winner

11-1

11-2

Ilias shocked the field at the 2012 marathon world championships – in an unusually muddy and dangerous course, the Greek rider coped best with the hardships of the day and prevailed to win the title. This mindset will stand the duo in good stead when the going gets tough. Ferreira is the Portuguese marathon champion. It’s an untested partnership and they’re newbies, but even though it’ll be a baptism of fire, they have the experience and pedigree to make an impact on the racing.

CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING Manuel Fumic

Henrique Avancini

Age: 33 Stage Wins: 0

Age: 26

Epics Completed: 1 Best Result: 5th

Epics Completed: 0

2015 XCO Brazilian Champion 2 x XCO German Champion

@ManuelFumic

14-1

@avancinimtb

14-2

Sitting at 5th and 15th in the UCI XCO world rankings, Fumic and Avancini are clearly purebred cross country specialists. Both are their respective countries’ best hopes to medal at the Rio Olympics. Avancini is an Epic newbie and Fumic is a one-time finisher, and for the 2016 race, they will not be bringing a back up team – an essential factor for those with overall GC ambitions. Taking this all into account, the facts lead us to believe that they’ll be targeting stage wins, in particular Stages 4, 7 and of course, the Prologue.

TELKOM Johann Rabie

HB Kruger

Age: 29 Stage Wins: 0

Age: 27

Epics Completed: 2 Best Result: 6th

Epics Completed: 0

2015 South African Track Champion 2014 Joburg2c Winner

@rabiejohann

19 -1

@hbkruger

The Absa Cape Epic is in no small way responsible for luring South African road professionals to mountain biking. Here is another example – two gifted riders who’re keen to make their mark on the world stage. Rabie was 6th in 2015, with him and Combrinck breathing down the necks of Absa Africa jersey winners Scott LCB Factory Racing. He’ll have to guide Epic newbie Kruger, who may have a V12 engine, but is fairly new to mountain biking. If Rabie get’s that right, Telkom will be starring in Beukes’ and Heyns’ nightmares come race week.

40

1 9- 2 Team

SASOL WOMEN

SPUR-SPECIALIZED Annika Langvad

Ariane Kleinhans

Age: 31 Stage Wins: 14

Age: 32 Stage Wins: 14

Epics Completed: 2 Overall Wins: 2

2 x XCM World Champion

@AnnikaLangvad

Epics Completed: 5 Overall Wins: 2

2013 XCM Swiss Champion

5 0-1

@ArianeKleinhans

50-2

They’re the outright favourites for 2016. Highly versatile Langvad has won two Epics, two world marathon titles, national cyclocross and time trial titles and a UCI World Cup. There’re very few races on South African trails that former Swiss marathon champion Kleinhans hasn’t won. Together, this formidable team’s firepower and well rehearsed team dynamic puts them years ahead of their rivals. But the 2016 field looks more threatening, and there’s a certain pressure that comes with being race favourites.

ASCENDIS HEALTH Robyn de Groot

Jennie Stenerhag

Age: 33 Stage Wins: 1

Age: 40 Stage Wins: 1

Epics Completed: 1 Best Result: 2nd

2 x XCM South African Champion

@Robyndegroot

Epics Completed: 3 Best Result: 2nd

2 x XCM Swedish Champion

5 1-1

@JennieStenerhag

51-2

South African marathon champion De Groot and former Swedish road champion Stenerhag rode into second place in 2015. This partnership defied the odds, considering the highly competitive field that the race attracts. With their characteristic cool-headed consistency, they rode within themselves leaving the rampant Kleinhans and Langvad to blaze ahead. The line up for 2016 is nothing less than stellar – but they’ll continue along the same tried and tested strategy, to keep their efforts smooth and pick up the pieces as the others falter.

2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC RIDE GUIDE

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A new limited edition flavour inspired by #8daysofcourage.

MEERENDAL WHEELER Esther Süss Age: 41 Stage Wins: 10

Catherine Williamson Epics Completed: 6 Overall Wins: 1

Age: 34 Stage Wins: 4

2010 XCM World Champion

@Wheelerwind

Epics Completed: 4 Overall Wins: 1

2013 Absa Cape Epic Winner

52 -1

@teammeerendal

52 - 2

Two former winners of the Women’s category pair up for the first time in 2016. While tried and tested partnerships are often stronger than new ones, these two have raced each other often enough to be fully aware of their strengths and weaknesses. For all her abilities, the Swiss former marathon world champion has had a mixed fortunes at the Absa Cape Epic, with illness and mechanical issues. Matching up with the tough and talented Yorkshire woman is an important step in the painstaking preparations necessary for victory.

TOPEAK ERGON Sally Bigham

Adel Morath

Age: 37 Stage Wins: 9

Age: 31

Epics Completed: 4 Overall Wins: 2

Epics Completed: 0

2015 XCO German Champion 4 x XCM British Champion

@IronSally1

53 -1

@TeamTopeakErgon

53 - 2

Iron Sally is a multiple British champion and Transalp winner. She’s also won two Absa Cape Epics (although, like Suss, she’s struggled in the last three events). Morath may not hold as many titles, but she’s proven to be a worthy teammate – as winners of Swiss Epic, their rapport is clearly compatible with high-level mountain bike stage racing. Bigham won the Epic in 2012 with Esther Süss and now they’re on separate teams, but if they want to topple the mighty Kleinhans and Langvad they may have to cooperate.

SPORT FOR GOOD Sabine Spitz Age: 44

Yana Belomoina Epics Completed: 0

Age: 23

2008 Olympic Gold Medallist

@sabinespitz

Epics Completed: 0

2014 U23 World Cup Champion

5 4-1

Not even an hour time penalty and a further time adjustment (for a wrong turn) could stop Kleinhans and Langvad from winning in 2015. They simply had outclassed their rivals, in terms of firepower, preparation and teamwork. In 2016 they’ll need to be on high alert however. Spitz is a former cross country world champion and three-time Olympic medallist (one is gold) and Belomoina was crowned the 2014 UCI World Cup champion in the under 23 category. The partnership may be untested, but Kleinhans and Langvad will have to watch these two closely.

54-2

SPORT FOR

GOOD

2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC RIDE GUIDE

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OTHER CATEGORIES “ Best mountain bike stage race in the world.”

Bart Brentjens 2015 Masters category winner

44

DIMENSION DATA MASTERS In 2015 the Masters category dished up some thrilling racing when Dutchman Bart Brentjens and his Brazilian partner Abraao Azevedo went toe-to-toe with South Africans Nico Pfitzenmaier and Robert Sim for most of the eight days.

Brentjens and Azevedo eventually got home first in the category for riders over 40-years-old and finished a remarkable 16th overall.

The standard of the competition in the Dimension Data Masters category has made it one of the most compelling races within the bigger Absa Cape Epic race. 2016 is shaping up to be a similarly exciting contest.

Brentjens and Azevedo will be back to defend their title as Team CST Superior Brentjens and, in the absence this year of Pfitzenmaier, will start as favourites. But South Africans Nic White and Adrian Enthoven are in the Masters field as Team White Inc and have the pedigree to make it tough at the front end of the field.

A little-known factor will be the Spaniard Team Rojo comprising of Manuel Rojo Nieto and Jorge Lopez Janiero. The former has finished one Cape Epic and the latter is a first timer, but they have both shown the sort of form in other events that suggests they may have a shot here.

GRAND MASTERS The Grand Masters category – both riders have to be over 50 – will see the return of the extraordinary Swiss/Austrian combination of Barti Bucher and Heinz Zoerweg as Team Meerendal BIXS KTM, who won convincingly in 2015. Bucher has previously won the Masters category twice, the Mixed once and the Grand Masters twice. Zoerweg has raced the Cape Epic three times and won the Grand Masters category each time.

This year they will be back mixing it with riders half their age and favourites for the category win. They will have

their work cut out though: Robert Sim will be competing in this category for the first time and will be partnered by the formidable Udo Boelts of Germany, a former Tour de France rider who has previously won the Masters category, they will be racing as Team Robert Daniel.

Others who might fancy their chances are South Africans Andrew Mclean, himself a former Masters and Grand Masters category winner, and partner Doug Brown, riding as Team Cycle Lab.

MIXED The Mixed category is difficult to call, but defending champion Ivonne Kraft of Germany will be back this year as Team Comus/Clif Bars with France’s Jean-Luc Perez. Last year she won the category convincingly with Slovenian Peter Vesel.

South African Nizaam Essa, second last year with Catherine Williamson, will be riding with German Nadine Rieder and determined to go one place better as Team Asrin Cycling.

Another pair of strong riders in the

field will be France’s Jean Francois Bossler and Fanny Bourdon of Team Open – Kappius Components, while South African hopes will be pinned on former Rugby World Cup winner Joel Stransky and Anriette Schoeman, a former road professional who is now a formidable mountain biker as they return as Team Liquifruit Lumos.

2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC RIDE GUIDE

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SA Challenge One of the abiding images of the Absa Cape Epic was captured in 2014 when South African youngsters Gert Heyns and Matthys Beukes celebrated their Grand Finale stage win in front of a cheering crowd at Lourensford.

They had been ushered through the stage by Scott-Odlo teammates Nino Schurter, the reigning cross country world champion from Switzerland, and his South African partner Philip Buys.

Photographers captured Schurter and Buys celebrating with great enthusiasm – as if they had won the stage themselves – in the background as youngsters Heyns and Beukes crossed the finish line ahead of them.

But the celebrations weren’t entirely about a prestigious stage win: Beukes and Heyns had also ensured that they would be going home in the red Absa African special jerseys for the first team from the continent to finish the event.

That was Beukes’s second successive winning of the Absa African special jersey and he did it again in 2015, making it three times in a row.

In 2013 and 2015 he was partnered by Buys.

The Absa African special jersey has become one of the most sought after in local mountain biking and is sure to be fiercely contested again this year. Last year the top three teams contesting the special jersey were less than 15 minutes apart after eight days.

EAI South Africa’s Gawie Combrinck and Johann Rabie finished second behind Buys and Beukes with Red-E Blend’s Darren Lill and Waylon Woolcock third. Interestingly, the three teams finished fifth, sixth and seventh in the overall standings – a solid South African performance in the world’s premier mountain bike stage race.

In 2016 Beukes will be back with Heyns and the two good friends, both 23-years-old, will be hoping for a repeat of their 2014 heroics.

Woolcock and Lill, who led the race for the special jersey in 2015 before succumbing to illness and mechanical problems, will be back but in the colours of USN Purefit and will present a major challenge to the Scott youngsters.

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And Combrinck will be back in harness with his old friend Nico Bell as the NAD Pro MTB team.

They are both hardened stage race riders, have vast experience and will also fancy their chances of going home in red.

They will also have some teams of younger riders in the field who may also be aiming to go home in red. The Cape Epic does, however, favour the seasoned veterans and most of the younger guns might be getting a feel for the event – and perhaps hoping for a stage win – rather than going all out this year.

The winner of this special jersey also takes home the Burry Stander Memorial Trophy. Stander, who twice won the race overall with Christoph Sauser, died tragically in a collision with a taxi while training in January 2013. The Absa African special jersey was first introduced in 2007.

Another Absa Cape Epic special jersey that has become similarly sought after is the green Exxaro special jersey.

The Exxaro special jersey was introduced in 2012 and was awarded to the leading team of previously disadvantaged riders under the age of 26. The inaugural award was won by team Exxaro PWC Academy, riders Siphosenkosi Madolo and Azukile Simayile.

The success of sponsor Exxaro’s commitment to this cause – it also funds a mountain biking academy – can perhaps be best illustrated by the fact that Madolo has gone on to represent his country in the marathon world championships. He will be racing in 2016 with Absa Cape Epic legend and five-time winner Sauser.

Sipho Nkosi, CEO of Exxaro explained the thinking behind the academy and the special jersey: “Exxaro’s MTB Academy was established with the vision to introduce the mountain biking experience to historically disadvantaged communities and individuals, and ultimately assist to transform the sport in South Africa. The Academy formally defined a number of objectives – the main ones being to increase the number of previously disadvantaged riders participating in the sport and events like the Absa Cape Epic; to create change in the lives of communities by providing young people with a healthy lifestyle alternative and inspire them to build a positive future for themselves and their families, thereby creating an environment to fulfill their dreams.”

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OF ALL WE MINE, POSSIBILITY IS THE MOST VALUABLE. At Exxaro, we don’t only believe in powering possibilities for South Africa, but for the people who, given the chance, will one day make our country even greater. Which is why, in August of 2011, the Exxaro MTB Academy was established, as a way to introduce mountain biking to historically disadvantaged communities and individuals, to help transform both the sport and the lives of those who would otherwise never get the opportunity to participate. In the four years since establishing the Exxaro MTB Academy, we’re proud to have provided young riders life skills, education and opportunities to help realise their dreams. Proof that of all we mine, possibility is by far the most valuable.

www.exxaro.com

Our tyres confirm their uniqueness at the Cape Epic Over 8 days none of 40 riders using Textra noticed a single defect.

SOUTH AFRICA Mitas Bicycle Tyres SA

Š Photo: Gary Perkin/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS

@Mitas_SA Cycle Labuschagne Brothers admin@tbcbike.com

www.mitas-tyres.com

THE JERSEYS “ When you pull on the Epic leaders jersey, you already feel that something is going to go wrong, especially if everything has been running smoothly.”

Burry Stander

The Absa Cape Epic category leaders’ and winners’ jerseys have become among the most sought after apparel in international cycling.

The jerseys have evolved with the race, from the initial version in 2004, when the zebra stripes were born, to the current version produced by Assos, the manufacturer which sets the benchmark for cycling apparel excellence.

day one and symbolises the Untamed African nature of the Absa Cape Epic.

One change since then has been the capacity for teams to wear sponsor logos on the leaders’ jerseys. From 2008 these jerseys were printed for all potential winners, but since 2012 team logos have been ironed on in the space provided on the shirts.

Besides the five category jerseys there are two special jerseys.

The core design with zebra stripes has, however, remained consistent since

1st South African winner

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CATEGORY JERSEYS Men’s The yellow zebra jersey is worn by the overall leading team in the Men’s category.

Stage times are added up and the team with the lowest cumulative time at the end of each stage gets to wear the iconic jersey the next day. The team in yellow after the full eight days of racing is the overall winner.

The category attracts elite mountain bikers from around the world and showcases the best that the sport has to offer. Competitors have included Olympic gold medallists,

current and former world champions and top-ranked marathon and cross country mountain bike professionals.

The Absa Cape Epic has become the world’s premier mountain bike stage race and taking home the yellow zebra jersey after the eight days of courage is regarded as one of the greatest achievements in the sport.

Sasol Women’s The orange jersey is worn by the leading team in the Sasol Women’s category. As with the men, stage times are added up and the team with the lowest cumulative time at the end of each stage gets to wear the jersey the next day. The team in orange after the full eight days of racing is the winner of the Sasol Women’s category.

UCI ranking points have been awarded to elite women competitors since 2012 and in 2014 the Women’s category prize purse was boosted to be equal that of the men, thanks to Sasol’s sponsorship. In 2016 UCI-

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registered women teams will start each day in a separate start batch after the elite men, a move designed to both sharpen the competition in this category and to ensure that the race between the women teams is a fair and equal one. The rules about logos on women competitors’ jerseys have also been relaxed to allow riders from different trade teams to race together.

Olympic medallists, current and former world champions and the world’s top women marathon racers have contested the distinctive orange jersey.

Dimension Data Masters The race for the blue Dimension Data Masters category jersey has evolved to become nearly as fierce as that for the overall. Both team members in this category must be 39 or older on 31 December of the year in which the race takes place.

World champions, ex-Tour de France riders and veterans of the world’s pro circuits have battled it out for bragging rights in this category. The winners routinely finish within the top 20 of the field.

Grand Masters The distinctive purple Grand Masters jersey was introduced in 2013 and it has proved to be a highly competitive category, with several teams vying for the top spot.

To compete in this category both team members must be over 49 years of age.

The winners of this category also routinely feature in the top 20 of the field, proving that they still have what it takes to mix it up in the front.

Mixed The male/female combination adds a different dynamic to racing the Cape Epic, and the race for the dark green jersey has proven to be strongly contested. As in the other categories, communication and

understanding your partner’s strengths and weaknesses is critical to success in the mixed race. Many of the world’s top riders have competed in this category.

SPECIAL JERSEYS Absa African The striking red Absa African jersey debuted at the race in 2007. It is awarded to the highest-placed team in which both members hold passports from an African country, regardless of their category.

With the sport of mountain biking growing rapidly across the continent, the competition for this special jersey has

become more intense each year. The first all-African team finished fifth overall in 2015.

The winners of this jersey are also awarded a R50 000 bonus and the Burry Stander Memorial Trophy, which was created in 2013 in memory of the first South African winner of the race.

Exxaro In 2012 the first Exxaro MTB Academy riders joined the race and became a catalyst for introducing historically disadvantaged South African’s to the sport of mountain biking.

The Exxaro jersey is awarded to the top historically disadvantaged

South African team where both riders are under the age of 26. In recent years the number of competitors for this jersey has mushroomed.

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THE TROPHIES Men’s trophy The Men’s category trophy at the Absa Cape Epic commands the greatest prize in men’s mountain bike stage racing. It is sought after by the world’s top mountain bikers and dreamed about by wannabe pros and weekend warriors alike.

The trophy was created to reflect the original Absa Cape Epic logo from the first race in 2004. Since then it has changed hands quite a few times, but only among those at the very top tier of mountain biking.

Sasol Women’s trophy The Women’s category trophy was introduced in 2012 to celebrate the Absa Cape Epic’s commitment to equality and the development of the

category. This mirrors Sasol’s policy of empowering women in all aspects of life.

Masters trophy The Klein Karoo is a semi-desert natural region of South Africa through which the race has passed several times. It is from this rugged landscape that sand was collected to create bricks to form the mould for the Masters trophies.

These take-home trophies have become much sought after by the former professional riders that grace this category.

Grand Masters trophy A tyre tread, immortalised in the brick Grand Masters trophies, symbolises the journey riders have travelled to get through the eight testing days of the Absa Cape Epic. The winners of

this category are inevitably former top professionals who have proven that they have retained their world class abilities.

Mixed trophy Triumph through diversity is the theme for the Mixed category trophies. The trophies for the category symbolise this unity required to race as a team and the

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challenges that have to be overcome over months of hard training and eight days of flat out racing.

Burry Stander Memorial trophy The Burry Stander Memorial Trophy, introduced in 2013, is awarded to the winners of the Absa African jersey for the highest-placed all-African team at the Absa Cape Epic. The trophy was created by renowned local artist Angus Taylor in memory of Burry Stander, the first South African winner of the Absa Cape Epic. Stander was tragically killed in a taxi collision while training in January, 2013. He was scheduled to ride the 2013 event as the defending

champion with Christoph Sauser.

riding

partner

The trophy was inspired by a Chiwara, a styled wood-carved antelope used in African ceremonies and similar to a white dove in Western tradition.

Predominately South African materials were used, including haematite found in Thabazimbi and a base crafted from the Matumi tree, also known as Mingerhout, which is found along watercourses.

Exxaro trophy Introduced in 2014, the Exxaro trophy has become the focus for a fierce race-within-the-race. Riders competing for this trophy are increasingly featuring at the top end of the field.

The trophy is awarded to the overall winners of the Exxaro jersey. The trophy was created by Lwandiso Njara, a protégé of acclaimed sculptor Angus Taylor. It resembles

the transformation of an ordinary young potential star from the township into a dedicated mountain biker.

The trophy also symbolises Exxaro’s presence in the mining Industry and is made out of Coal, Iron Ore and Titanium sourced from Exxaro’s mining operations in Southern Africa.

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HOSPITALITY THE EPIC LOUNGE AT THE GRAND FINALE

A brand new premium hospitality experience at the Absa Cape Epic Grand Finale 2016 sees the introduction of the brand new Epic Lounge hospitality experience at the Grand Finale. A premium space created to experience the heart and soul of the Absa Cape Epic.

This bespoke environment of comfort and shade with luxurious décor, fine foods, a dedicated programme of events and the live TV broadcast provides the perfect venue and viewing area for friends and family to watch the riders cross the finish line for the last time.

Come and enjoy the festivities in the Epic Lounge on the 20th of March as eight days of sheer grit are celebrated with this amazing journey coming to a close for the 2016 participants.

DATE: TIME: COST:

Sunday, 20 March 2016 09:00 - 15:00 R1 700 (incl. VAT) Free entry for children under 12

EPIC FLIGHTS An exclusive bird’s-eye view of the 2016 Absa Cape Epic Experience the 2016 Absa Cape Epic from an exclusive “bird’seye view” in a helicopter tour. Soar over the picturesque Western Cape in South Africa with its beautiful mountains, passes, fields and valleys.

Following the riders this way allows you to see large portions of the route and what the riders are experiencing, which would not be possible unless you are riding the Epic yourself. Watch from above as they conquer the daily trials and tribulations on this technical route.

TIMES: COST:

20 minute flights at various times throughout the afternoon R1 900 (incl. VAT) For individual tickets, group bookings and corporate hosting opportunities please contact:

Jana Rosslee

jana@cape-epic.com | +27 21 426 4373

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DISTRIBUTED

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THE RULES OF THE RIDE

This is the Absa Cape Epic! This is Spartaaaaaa!

You might think mountain biking is a simple sport – get on your bike and ride – but actually the art of doing and looking your best on a bike is mired in minutiae and fine print*.

Always over, never in

Your sunglass arms will be outside your helmet straps at all times. No one knows why this is, but it is so. It could have something to do with kids tucking their school shirts into their undies and the associated bad memories. Or it could just be that tucking your sunglass arms under your helmet straps looks a bit dweebie, so just keep them over. Plus, having the arms over the straps means your glasses slide slightly down your nose, making them less likely to fog up when you indulge in some heavy breathing.

Just “at”, not under, not over

Your socks will comfortably cover your ankles and end just at the point where your hairline would start if you’ve shaved your legs, or where your hairline does start if you haven’t shaved or waxed your pins.

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A note on hair removal

Hair removal is acceptable at an event like the Absa Cape Epic, mainly because if you crash it helps the medics sort your leg injuries out in a hurry. Also the masseurs prefer to massage your hair-free legs. However, outside of the Cape Epic, mountain bikers should always remain as hairy as possible.

A further note on hair removal

Wax if you must, shave for your convenience, but forget things like depilatory creams (hair removal creams like Veet). Everyone knows a guy who once spoke to a guy who used Veet on his bum and burnt his backside so badly he had to ride the first three days of the Cape Epic standing up.

Just type “Veet burn” into Google to see how many eager, would-be beach going ladies have been similarly affected.

Colour counts

Your outfit and bike will be colour coordinated. Effortlessly. If you have a bike that is, say, red, white and blue, try not to wear green, orange and black kit. Half the battle is looking good. Look good, feel good, um, ride good?

End those bars

Baggies before budgie smugglers

You will not use bar ends. Hi! How are you?

Are you mountain biker from 2004? What?

You’re not? Then what the hell are those bar ends doing on your bike. Off! Off with them right this instant. Bar ends. Wait for it.

Are dead ends.

You will wear baggies on a mountain bike (the exception being at cross country and marathon races). Baggies are starting to make more appearances at the Cape Epic, but we’ll let you off with Lycra for a few more years. In general riding, baggies rule, bibs drool, bra.

You will not have a boep

Cycling gear is form-fitting and possibly the most unflattering clothing known to mankind. If you ever want to make an enemy appear to be an incredible idiot, just give him some money to spend at a cycling expo the day before a race. One way of mitigating this is to cut back on your belly size. You don’t have to come into the Cape Epic looking like Kate Moss’ badly dressed twin brother, but keeping your gut circumference circumspect is encouraged.

Also, it helps on the climbs. You could spend a whack of money to move from a 12kg bike to a 10kg bike, or you could just drop 2kg yourself.

The phrase eating cement was coined by Team Bulls after being asked what European pros do to harden up

You will eat cement

This is mountain biking! This is the Absa Cape Epic! This is Spartaaaaaa! In other words, have a cup of cement.

Brakes be gone

You will not hang on to the brakes on a downhill. If that’s your vibe, then could we show you the way to the entry forms for this gentle road race on a flat stretch of tar. Okay, seriously, there are some hairy sections at the Absa Cape Epic, but you don’t have to cling on to your brakes like Rose held on to that door at the end of Titanic (there was room for Jack, you wench!). Improve your skills before the Cape Epic so you can actually enjoy the technical challenges.

Pack precisely

You will not use a large saddle bag. Look, this is a general rule and we’ll let it slide at the Absa Cape Epic where you might want to ride with an extra ham sandwich, a few more tools than usual or a spare pair of legs in your hydration pack. But after the race?

No. Just say no to enormous saddle bags.

Your necessities should all be carried in your cycling shirt.

A third note on hair removal

Shaving your legs is not compulsory, unless they resemble a dense, mystical forest inhabited by talking trees. Can you hear Frodo down there, and Samwise, whispering as the make their way to the Eye of Sauron? Then congrats, your leg hair is so thick that Peter Jackson is filming a Lord of the Rings remake on your quads because it’s cheaper than flying back to New Zealand.

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Never in a blue moon

When you do wear baggies, you will wear well-fitting shorts and not inadvertently moon your fellow riders as you bend over to repair a flat. Low hanging shorts are the bomb y’all when you’re a disaffected teen slinking around the mall trying to look cool and pretend that girls suck, but they should never be seen on a mountain biker.

It’s all about the bike

A word on etiquette at the Absa Cape Epic Be prepared

Back your daily requirements into separate Ziploc bags. Know where everything is. Pay attention at the race briefings. Fitness is one thing, but knowing how to handle yourself for eight days is everything.

Hold your line

Weaving, zig-zagging, cycling like you’re a drunk Russian circus bear on a unicycle; don’t do any of that. Pick a line and hold it.

Be environmentally friendly

The route of this great event takes in some of the most pristine locations in the Western Cape. Let’s keep them that way. You don’t throw empty sachets into the forest on your training rides, so why do it during the event? There’s no need to litter, so keep it clean.

Cycling is all about the bike. It’s your baby, your princess, your lucky charm, your chariot. Everything is about the bike. Your life is about the bike.

N plus one

Many companies work on an N-1 principle, meaning less people are employed than are required. The policy should mean that the right people are worth employing as opposed to just filling positions with any old chap, though some companies view it more as N being the ideal number, minus one being the amount of people you can actually function with. With cycling and the amount of bikes you own, it’s about N+1. N is the number of bikes you currently own, plus one being the extra bike you always need (notice; not want. Need).

Team Sky, is team bye-bye

Pro team colours are great for Springbok Test matches. Not for mountain biking (unless, of course, you’re a pro team).

Be polite

There’s more singletrack than ever before at this year’s Absa Cape Epic. Sometimes that might mean congestion or less skilful riders blocking your way. A polite “on your right” or “pardon me” will suffice, or, if you feel you’re holding riders up, simply stay left.

Ride at your skill level

Common on stage races are cyclists who can motor on climbs or hammer it for long stretches of gravel road, but who baulk at the thought of a bunny hop. If you feel the need to race ahead of someone to get into a singletrack section, knowing that your technical skills are iffy, rather don’t.

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Beer with me here

There’s only one recovery drink. And it doesn’t like to be shaken or stirred.

*All in jest, of course. Except for some of these rules. But you can figure out for yourself what’s important and what’s not.

Team Sky is a British sponsored road cycling team famous for their black and cyan kit

Proud sponsor of the 2016 Absa Cape Epic.

As a proud sponsor of the 2016 Absa Cape Epic, we appreciate all the training and effort that goes into preparing for a challenge like this. So to help you on your way, we’re offering all Absa Cape Epic cyclists preferential rates on Avis car rentals.

For great rates visit cape-epic.com and let us help you get the best start possible.

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Start and Finish Timing and PA Sasol Interview Lounge Woolworths Recovery Zone Absa Hospitality Sponsor Row and Trade Tech Zone

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Presentation Podium Castle Lite Chill Zone Race Office Race Hospital and Massage Liqui-Fruit Kids Zone Rider Tents

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Mobile Homes and Epic Suites Rider Dining Crew Dining Rider Showers Evoc Rider Bag Service

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The 12 years of the Absa Cape Epic have been littered with stories of extraordinary courage.

Riders who have made it through the eight-day ordeal include a lower leg amputee, blind riders and a cystic fibrosis sufferer.

There are competitors who have overcome personal disaster or difficulty, such as the six-time finisher who was the only survivor when six of his siblings were slaughtered in the Rwandan Genocide.

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“Everybody who finishes the Absa Cape Epic is a hero.�

Sarah Haigh Marketing and Communications Manager

It attracts great achievers, including three men who have summited Mount Everest and the first woman Gripen pilot in the South African Air Force.

Manager Sarah Haigh. “Everybody who finishes the Absa Cape Epic is a hero, but every year there are people whose courage takes your breath away.”

Then there are the people changing the face of the sport through their drive and determination, including the team who became the first black women finishers of the event.

Among those alongside Van Niekerk and aiming to beat the odds will be Gauteng’s James Barendse, who fell ill with reactive arthritis in 2014 after getting an entry for the 2015 Absa Cape Epic.

And what to say of the youngster who got on to a mountain bike for the first time at the race’s Prologue … and went on to finish the event in the top half of the field?

“I went from being healthy and ready to ride (the 2014) Sani2c, to being unable to dress myself in the morning. After seven months of pain and numerous types of medication, I was almost back to my normal self.”

They all represent the triumph of the human spirit which the Absa Cape Epic embodies.

What better way to get back to full fitness than to try and conquer the world’s premier mountain bike stage race.

In 2016 one of them will be returning: amputee Reuben van Niekerk will be attempting his third finish.

LEFT Adauto Belli RIGHT Ruben van Niekerk BOTTOM RIGHT Adrien Niyonshuti

He suffered significant muscle atrophy on his right leg and has since been building it up in an attempt to be ready for the 2016 Absa Cape Epic: “What better way to get back to full fitness than to try and conquer the world’s premier mountain bike stage race. After having experienced the massive lows during my bout of illness, I have discovered that being fit and healthy is the most important thing anyone can ask for … if you are fit and healthy you need to celebrate that fact and make the most of it.”

Last year van Niekerk, riding with a prosthetic limb after losing his leg in a motorbike accident in 2008, and Dagmar Muhlbauer were the final team home after clocking up 63 hours 39 minutes in the saddle – 32 hours and 39 minutes behind the yellow zebra jersey team of Christoph Sauser and Jaroslav Kulhavy, who finished in 31 hours.

Van Niekerk said at the finish line last year: “Everything is hurting. It’s been tough. I almost missed the maximum stage time twice so it was such a relief to cross the line today. I learnt a lot about myself in the last eight days – I learnt that even when you are in such a deep hole, you can find the energy to get home.”

Although he wasn’t prepared at the time to commit to riding again, Van Niekerk subsequently entered for 2016 and will be attempting to secure the prestigious Amabubesi Finisher’s Club status, awarded to three time finishers.

“It will be an incredible achievement and we will all be rooting for him,” says Absa Cape Epic Marketing and Communications 2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC RIDE GUIDE

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“I was fortunate enough that the cancer was picked up in the early stages.”

Deon Kretzchmar 2013 Absa Cape Epic finsher

England’s Ken Beaty will be on the starting line in 2016 in spite of breaking his shoulder when training in July 2015: “After much deliberation I bought a shiny, new carbon full-suss mountain bike for the Absa Cape Epic, managed two test rides then promptly got hit by a car while out on my road bike.”

In 2012 Gauteng’s Deon Kretzschmar was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma and which required immediate surgery.

“I was fortunate enough that the cancer was picked up in the early stages and had not spread. I then entered the 2013 Epic and completed in a decent time.”

The man whose motto is “YOLO - You Only Live Once” will be back in 2016.

The Western Cape’s Michiel du Toit had entered for the 2013 edition but in September 2012 fractured his spine and was diagnosed with epilepsy.

“As a challenge my dad entered us for the Cape Pioneer in 2014, which we completed.

So the Epic is the next logical step. There is no setback that cannot be overcome. The dream has always been to ride this event with my father.”

“Heroes at the Absa Cape Epic truly do come in all shapes and sizes. It is amazing to see how many people confront daunting personal challenges and still make it to the finish line.

They are truly inspirational,” says Haigh.

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ABOVE Jason van’t Slot CENTRE LEFT Deon Kretzschmar BOTTOM LEFT Craig Boyes

The Hippies Made You Do It In a short space of time, mountain biking has gone from a counter-culture fringe pastime to a mainstream sport with mass appeal. At the same time, the bikes themselves have evolved to be almost unrecognisable from the earliest versions.

“We were a group of stupid hippies turning the world on its ear.”

Gary Fisher MTB Pioneer

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The names of Joe Breeze, Gary Fisher, Charlie Kelly and Tom Ritchey are all closely linked with the earliest days of mountain biking, and for good reason. These pioneers of plummeting downhill, along with a few other thrill-seekers, opened the world’s eyes to mountain biking when they started riding the trails of Marin County, California.

In those days, the mid-to-late 1970s, suspension was what you got for misbehaving at school and mountain bikes weren’t even called mountain bikes. These woolly-haired, wild-eyed riders would charge downhill on modified Schwinn bikes, affectionately known as clunkers.

race known as The Repack. “It started innocuously enough,” writes Joe Breeze for the Marin Museum of Bicycling. “A motorcyclist turned bikie discovered the old dirt road west of Fairfax, Marin County, in the early ’70s. He and his buddies would ride or push their 1930s or ‘40s ballooners to the top of the ridge for the downhill thrill. The road plummeted 1300 feet in less than 2.1 miles. On the twisting, sometimes precipitous decent, the bikes’ antiquated hub coaster brakes would get so hot that the grease would vaporize. After a run or two, the hub had to be repacked with new grease (thus the name ‘Repack’).”

The modified Schwinns had coaster or drum brakes, sturdier wheels with knobby ‘balloon tyres’, and ‘fork braces’ to keep the frames from bending under the stresses of off-road riding. Early mountain bikers would take their bikes up fire roads and bomb down, with little or no regard for their wellbeing. “We were a group of stupid hippies turning the world on its ear,” says Gary Fisher in the mountain bike documentary, Klunkerz. “People thought we were nuts riding bikes on the trails.”

As more riders started to take part (the second Repack race was held a week after the first), and limits were pushed, people started tinkering with bikes to create something more suitable for the dodgy Repack descent. Absa Cape Epic finisher Tom Ritchey played his part in the development of mountain biking by building frames that Fisher and Kelly sold on as complete bikes. Breeze, though, is thought to have built the first complete mountain bike, a Breezer that now sits in the Smithsonian Institution.

One of the more popular trails of the time became a death-defying downhill

Breeze’s 1977 hand-built bike, according to the Smithsonian, was constructed with

components that could withstand the repeated pounding of early mountain bike riding, such as Araya brand 26” steel rims, Phil Wood hubs, Sun Tour derailleurs, and Dia-Compe brakes. The steel “riser” handlebars and Magura brand brake levers were repurposed from motorcycles and adapted to work with the “Breezer 1s” stem and brake calipres. Other parts, such as the Sun Tour thumb shifters were adapted from five-speed touring bikes and only came in right hand models. The left side thumb shifter, which controlled the front derailleur, was a right hand shifter that was mounted backwards.

LEFT Tom Ritchey RIGHT Vintage Madness BOTTOM RIGHT A Breezer, reportedly the first complete MTB ever built.

The rest, as they say is history, with bikes and events evolving expansively and extravagantly in the last 35 years. Even over the course of the Absa Cape Epic’s history, mountain bikes have developed so quickly that very few of the bikes ridden last year resemble the bikes used in 2004. So what have been most significant changes in mountain bikes since the hippies forged a pedalling path? In order of relevance to the Cape Epic, we think these have been the biggest game changers.

Wheel size At the 2015 Cape Epic just 6% of riders were using 26ers, the most common bike used in the inaugural event. 29ers were around in 2004, but were not as commonplace as they are now. The name “29er”, according to a Dirt Rag Magazine interview with 1998 Mountain Bike Hall of Fame inductee Don Cook, comes from a bicycle called the Two Niner, which was offered by the Fisher bike

Mountain bike milestones 1981: The Specialized Stumpjumper – the first mass-produced mountain bike – is launched, inspired by Californian icons Gary Fisher, Joe Breeze and Tom Ritchey.

1983: The United States holds its first national mountain bike championships.

1989: South Africa holds its first national mountain bike champs.

1990: The first mountain bike World Championships, recognised by the International Cycling Union.

1996: Mountain biking makes its Olympic debut at the Atlanta Games, with a cross-country event for men and women.

2000: Mountain bikes outsell road bikes.

2004: First Absa Cape Epic.

2014: Mountain bikes outsell road bikes 5:1 (give or take a bike or two).

2016: The 100th stage of the Absa Cape Epic will take place.

The #EPIC100

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company in 2001. The concept was slow to lift off, but eventually gained traction in 2004. Use of the larger wheel size has grown rapidly in the last four years, with South Africans being eager adopters of the larger wheel size. There is no doubt that events like the Cape Epic have played a role, with the larger wheel being ideal for the terrain associated with the race.

Tubeless tyres Previously, a common sight in Western Cape-based mountain bike events would be a group of riders hunched over their bikes trying to repair flats in the scorching heat. Since tubeless tyres have been on the scene, while not quite entirely eliminated, untimely flats have become increasingly rare. Riders can tackle events like the Cape Epic with confidence – as long as they’ve learnt to plug punctures – and not worry incessantly about recurring flat tyres. The thorny scrub and rocky trails of the Western Cape have definitely been somewhat tamed by the advent of tubeless. A spare tube is always handy, but most casual mountain bikers would probably struggle to remember the last time they needed one.

Suspension Bike suspension systems have improved dramatically since the first Cape Epic. While dual suss bikes featured in the early days, these were often heavy and sometimes came with twitchy rear suspension systems.

Now riders can choose from a variety of (much lighter) dual suss bikes offering their own unique suspension set-ups. Front forks, too, have come a long way since the earliest variations that offered just 50mm of travel. The Cape Epic will never be easy, but modern bikes definitely assist riders in getting from Prologue to the Grand Finale.

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Dropper posts The dropper post has probably had the biggest impact on mountain biking since the advent of the 29er wheel. Not only does a dropper post allow you to shift your weight around, getting into the best possible position for descending, but it also makes descending safer for slightly nervous riders. In the bad old days, mountain bikers would stop to lower their saddle height before wild descents. Now, with the flick of a switch, you can slip perfectly into your downhill pose.

Bar ends Okay, so this is not really an innovation – more of a style choice. Take a look at the earliest photos of the Cape Epic and everyone who is anyone was using bar ends, including the elite riders. When you’re in the race village this year take a look around, the bar end is almost extinct.

TOP LEFT Tubes are only used as a last resort TOP RIGHT Tubeless is tops BOTTOM Bar ends have ended

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The Race That Measures All

By Tim Whitfield

For any participant in the Absa Cape Epic it is almost a given they will spill some blood along the way. It may just be a small scratch from riding too close to a thorn bush hanging over the trail, or a trickle down the shin from a rock kicked up by the rider in front, or it could be a painful roastie from an exhaustion-induced fall.

And it is a given there will also be no shortage of sweat as riders struggle to reach the overnight stops each day. No matter if they feature high in the world rankings or are simply struggling to beat the daily maximum stage time, racing or just finishing the Absa Cape Epic means participants are virtually guaranteed to push themselves harder than in any other event.

And of course there are the tears … of joy after finishing a tough stage or the final day; of pain after a fall; of frustration when a mechanical causes delays; and of course pure anguish when the dreaded daily cut-off ends a dream and makes a mockery of months of preparation.

So why, if there is all this blood, sweat and tears; if riders know to expect pain, anguish and potential failure; and if riders spend months risking divorce and empty bank accounts to take part in a week-long suffer-fest, does Christoph Sauser describe the Absa Cape Epic as “the greatest race in the world”? Why does regular participant Mike Nixon rhetorically ask the simple question: “How can you resist?” And why do Early Bird entries sell out literally within seconds each year?

The answer lies not in the misery and agony most riders are sure to suffer at some point of their eight-day journey around the Western Cape – that torment just elevates the elation of realising they have had the courage it takes to finish. The secret attraction of the Epic clearly is found in different places for different people.

For the likes of Sauser, Arianne Kleinhans, Karl Platt and Alban Lakata, as they push their finely-tuned bodies to the limit to claim victory, it is more about being the top professional in the biggest and best event.

“If you look at the media, and the fans, and the support, we become like superstars, being on television every day. This is the greatest race in the whole world. It’s bigger now than the World Cups and the World Championships,” said Sauser during the 2014 event.

“I think the Absa Cape Epic is now the most important mountain bike race to win, more than the World Champs or a World Cup.”

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He is not the only pro to heap praise on the event and its slick organisation: American Jeremiah Bishop maintains that “the Cape Epic is special: everyone has heard of it and it carries legendary status”; Rudi van Houts from the Netherlands believes “there is no other organisation which thinks about so many details as the Cape Epic”; German star Urs Huber says it is “the most popular event in mountain biking, with very professional organisation”; four-time winner Karl Platt believes it is “the Tour de France of mountain biking … it’s first class”; and top woman Ariane Kleinhans sums it up when she simply states the event has “become the most prestigious mountain bike event in the world”.

“You can buy your entry, but you can’t buy your finish.”

Burry Stander

2 x Absa Cape Epic Winner

But there are only a smattering of participants who can even dream of victory, and the vast majority of the 1 200 riders who take part every year are solely aiming to finish. For them, simply being part of an event that caters for the world’s best is an attraction, but by far the greater motivation is a desire to prove themselves and overcome the myriad challenges that are thrown their way each day.

UCI President Brian Cookson alluded to that when he described the Absa Cape Epic as “the very essence of cycling”. Going on to say it required “physical strength, mental toughness and team work … It challenges the athletes, it requires them to dig deep, but also it rewards them with the sheer beauty of an unforgettable journey through the South African wilderness.”

However, the last words have to go to two-time race winner Burry Stander. Although the young champion was regarded as the epitome of a top professional sportsman, he showed he also still clearly understood the motivation of the weekend warrior when he summed up the mass appeal of the Tour de France of mountain biking: “The race is the ultimate yardstick for enthusiastic mountain bikers. It’s like a scorecard. If a guy comes to me and says he’s done the Epic, or two or three, he’s immediately part of the club. That guy is a real mountain biker, you know he can suffer. You know there is so much behind the statement. It’s the race that measures all.”

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WHERE TO WATCH

Download the official

Spectator Guide (Detailed maps, driving directions and times)

www.cape-epic.com Cape Town, South Africa’s “Mother City” at the foot of the iconic Table Mountain, is the oldest city in South Africa with a cultural heritage spanning more than 300 years. It is a holiday seeker’s paradise, a fishing village, metropolis and giant adventure playground all rolled into one.

It is world-renowned as a place where people come to work and play. They can conduct business and enjoy the natural landscapes of mountain and sea, spectacular and pristine beaches, architecture, cuisine, music and dance.

Cape Town also boasts the top five national attractions in South Africa: Table Mountain, a world heritage site and one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature; the V&A Waterfront, a unique shopping and holiday experience on a scenic working harbour; Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned; the Cape Town Wine Routes, where some of the world’s best wines are produced; and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, internationally acclaimed as one of the great botanical gardens of the world.

V&A Waterfront 13 March 2016

Race Registration

V&A Waterfront - Registration Time: 9:00 - 14:00 Cape Town, South Africa’s “Mother City” lies at the foot of the iconic Table Mountain and is the oldest city in South Africa with a cultural heritage spanning more than 300 years. Race registration and rider briefing take place at the V&A Waterfront while riders, friends and family enjoy everything on offer in this working harbour.

Meerendal, Durbanville 13 March 2016 Prologue

26km, 800m climbing Meerendal is just 34km outside of Cape Town and is recognized as one of the oldest wine estates in South Africa. It is the heart of mountain biking in the Western Cape and has hosted either the Prologue or the Grand Finale of the Absa Cape Epic since 2012 – in 2016 it will host both!

The first riders head off at 6:45am with the pro field starting from 10:30am. Watch the action unfold on the route or on the big screen in viewing areas at the university grounds. There is also fun to be had for all: children can enjoy the pump track while their parents will find shade and refreshments at the Castle Lite Chill Zone. Join us for a fun day out with the family as 1 200 riders begin their 2016 Absa Cape Epic journey.

Vantage Point HOOGEKRAAL (12km into the stage)

Check www.cape-epic.com for updates www.capetown.travel +27 86 132 2223

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SARONSBERG, TULBAGH Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3 (start)

14 – 16 March 2016 Stage 1

106km, 2 300m climbing Spectator Point A THEUNISKRAAL (33km into the stage) This charming farm is South Africa’s oldest white wine estate and will be open for tastings and have its wonderful wares on sale.

Spectator Point B WITZENBERG GAME PARK (77km into the stage) This park boasts an abundance of birdlife and wildlife for the sharpeyed spectator. The spectator point will also have beverages on sale for those wanting to keep cool in the March heat.

Stage 2 (#EPIC100) 93km, 2 200m climbing

Spectator Point A OUPLAAS (18.5km into the stage) Take in the splendour of the 106-year-old sandstone house as riders pass through the first water point of the day. Ouplaas will offer hotdogs and a selection of great snacks to munch on during your stay.

Spectator Point B DIE EIKE (66.5km into the stage) Children from the local school alongside the route will be joining in the fun and cheering riders on at this spectator point. It will be the perfect spot to indulge in some local fare while giving riders some extra support as they fuel up for the final stretch back to the race village.

Stage 3

103km, 2 150m climbing Spectator Point A BERGSIG CELLAR (52km into the stage) This spectator point at the base of Bain’s Kloof Pass will offer breakfast-on-the-go at their bistro and wine tasting for spectators.

Riders will be about to take on the formidable climb up the Pass, so will welcome a supportive audience.

Spectator Point B DOOLHOF (86,5km into the stage) Find a shady spot to while away the afternoon with some sumptuous snacks, local boerewors rolls or a pre-booked picnic basket and excellent wine. This was a popular spot in 2015, so get there early and settle in to watch the riders go by.

Tulbagh is a charming, historic town with a wealth of Cape Dutch Architecture. It is set in a beautiful valley and is famous for its heritage and magnificent country living. Church Street provides the largest concentration of National Monuments in one street in South Africa, and there are a variety of museums, gourmet restaurants and outstanding accommodation facilities in the town.

Tulbagh is renowned for its well established wine route and is the home of some of the finest wine estates in the country, but that is not all. Visitors can also treat themselves to handcrafted Belgian chocolates, cheese and olives. The more culturally inclined should not miss the opportunity to see the works of the many local artists, or take in a show at the 120-seater theatre in the main street. Adventurous types may want to hike the local trails, mountain bike, horse ride, fish or indulge in some bird-watching. Saronsberg itself is a major attraction and has played a central role in the rich history of the Tulbagh valley. The valley is flanked on all sides by mountains and is unique for its topography and natural beauty, making Saronsberg a spectacular race village.

www.tulbaghtourism.co.za +27 23 230 1375

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CPUT, Wellington Stage 3 (finish), Stage 4, Stage 5 (start)

16 – 18 March 2016 Stage 4

73km, 1 850m climbing Spectator Point A KLEINVALLEIJ (17km into the stage) The lush green lawns of Kleinvalleij make for a great area to enjoy the spoils of the region: wine, refreshments, fruit and snacks will be available to spectators.

Spectator Point B DOOLHOF (31km into the stage) Fantastic pre-booked picnics make Doolhof an inviting brunch option for the later riser. There will also be plenty of shade and space for the kids to burn off some energy.

Wellington is renowned for its beautiful Cape Dutch homesteads, picturesque environment, gardens and numerous wineries. The historic Bain’s Kloof Pass, built by masterroad builder Andrew Geddes Bain, has unsurpassed vistas, indigenous flora and fauna and crystal-clear streams and rivers. It is the perfect spot for hikers and fly-fishermen.

Closer to town there are guided wine-walks and horse-trails on offer for those wishing to take in the local sights and fynbos.

Wellington is synonymous with the dried fruit industry and the town is surrounded by orchards, wine estates, buchu plantations and olive groves. Wellington’s vine-cutting nurseries are responsible for the production of approximately 80% of the country’s vine root stock for the wine industry. Mountain biking is well-established in the region and in 2016 the race will take advantage of some of the renowned trails as well as a few hidden gems. The race village is situated on the manicured sports fields of the CPUT campus in the town.

www.wellington.co.za +27 21 873 4604

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Spectator Point C WELBEDACHT WINE FARM (53km into the stage) A firm Epic favourite and home to one of South African’s most famous sporting families. Aside from the stunning scenery, the No. 6 restaurant and the tasting centre will be open. The pavilion is the perfect spot to catch the racing action.

Vantage Point BOSMAN’S FAMILY VINEYARDS (70km into the stage) Although not an official spectator point, this makes for an excellent viewing location towards the end of the stage and will offer wine tasting, music and shade.

Stage 5

93km, 2 500m climbing Spectator Point A CASCADE MANOR (41km into the stage) This old-world, unpretentiously luxurious hotel is nestled among 100year old olive groves against the backdrop of the Klein Drakenstein Mountains. Sample the delights on offer at the restaurant or book the exclusive Epic buffet breakfast in advance.

Spectator Point B DVINE ESTATE (55km into the stage) Live entertainment, a beer garden and music will make this picturesque gem of the Paarl winelands a particularly festive area to watch the day’s action unfold.

Spectator Point C AVONDALE (66km into the stage) Avondale will be offering tastings of their unique wines, which are recognisable by their individual styles full of life and character. This is a beautiful estate and well worth the visit. It will have a selection of sandwiches and wine tastings on offer.

BOSCHENDAL, STELLENBOSCH Stage 5 (finish), Stage 6, Stage 7 (start)

18 – 20 March 2016 Stage 6

74km, 2 100m climbing Spectator Point A UITKYK (21km into the stage) Get to Uitkyk early and enjoy a hearty breakfast while you cheer the pros and amateurs. Or arrive a little later and enjoy a pre-booked picnic basket. The vineyards and forested areas offer spectacular trails to explore on another day.

Spectator Point B DELHEIM (29km into the stage) Unwind at Delheim’s restaurant, set in tranquil gardens, where traditional German- and South African-inspired cuisine and awardwinning estate wines are guaranteed to revive you and leave you ready to face the final day.

Spectator Point C FARM BANHOEK (54km into the stage) The farm is found in the Banhoek Conservancy, established to protect the environment of the region, and will have an array of food on offer as well as entertainment for spectators.

Stage 7

84km, 1 200m climbing Spectator Point A LA BONHEUR WINE ESTATE (19km into the stage) The estate alongside the slopes of Klapmuts Hill will provide the perfect viewing point as riders battle it out on the final stage of the 2016 race. It is early on in the stage and will give you ample time to make it to the Grand Finale to watch riders come home as Epic Heroes.

Stellenbosch is known worldwide for its quality wines and the spectacular beauty of the surroundings. It is home to one of the most acclaimed wine regions in the world. Visitors will be mesmerised by its rich history and warm South African hospitality.

Here one can enjoy the juice of the vine in awe-inspiring settings.

Stellenbosch is one of the prettiest towns in South Africa. It is situated at the head of the Eerste River Valley and was one of the first areas in which settlers made their homes. Today Stellenbosch still pays homage to the culture and heritage of its Dutch origins. It is also home to one of the major South African universities, the University of Stellenbosch, and the quaint town buzzes with student life for most of the year.

The surrounding mountains make Stellenbosch a mountain biker’s paradise which can be enjoyed throughout the year. Boschendal Winery, with its own range of excellent restaurants and wines, will make for a memorable final race village before riders leave on Stage 7, the Grand Finale.

www.stellenbosch.travel +27 21 883 3584

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Meerendal, Durbanville Stage 7 (finish) – The Grand Finale

20 March 2016 Meerendal, just 34km from Cape Town, is one of the oldest wine estates in South Africa. Meerendal produces award winning wines from a variety of noble cultivars planted on the estate, some dating back to 1955.

The iconic Meerendal Boutique Hotel offers elegant and luxurious accommodation to distinguished guests in tranquil surroundings. It overlooks immaculate vineyards and rolling Tygerberg hills. The Crown Restaurant, bistro and wine tasting venues offer breakfast, lunch and dinner from a menu of hearty local and seasonal dishes, paired with award winning wines.

Meerendal Wine Estate is at the heart of mountain biking in the Western Cape and has hosted either the Prologue or the Grande Finale of the Absa Cape Epic since 2012.

The Grand Finale offers family and fans the opportunity to share the glory of eight days of racing as they witness the celebrations of the courageous riders crossing the finish line for the last time.

There is plenty on offer for the whole family so come along and spend the day with us.

Entrance is free More information on page 32. www.meerendal.co.za +27 (0)21 975 1655

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“Finishing the Absa Cape Epic was one of the toughest challenges of my life.”

Shaun Bartlett Former Bafana Bafana Striker

The Susi and Sipho Show One teammate grew up beneath the snow-capped peaks of Switzerland, the other in the dusty streets of Stellenbosch’s Kayamandi township.

The former, five-time Absa Cape Epic winner Christoph Sauser, has graced the top echelons of world mountain biking for nearly 20 years. The latter is 25-year-old Sipho Madolo, who admits he still has a lot to learn about his sport.

Sauser announced his retirement from professional racing last year at age 39 after winning a record fifth Absa Cape Epic.

He took Madolo under his wing several years ago when they met at the multiple world champion’s Songo.info charity project in the Stellenbosch township.

Now they will be riding the world’s premier mountain bike stage race together.

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“Sipho is so determined.

He is not afraid to work hard towards his goals.”

Christoph Sauser

5 x Absa Cape Epic winner

“Christoph is a good friend, coach and mentor to me,” an excited Madolo explained. “I look up to him and racing the 2016 Epic with him is definitely a great opportunity for me.”

They have raced the three-day Wines2Whales stage race together, finishing 12th overall in 2013.

“That was a great experience that took my racing to the next level. I learned to go out of my comfort zone and to race smart,” recalled Madolo. “As we have been training together for a few years now it is cool to get the chance to race together on the big event like the Epic.”

Madolo has completed four Absa Cape Epics. In 2010 he finished 275th overall, in 2012 he had improved to 77th and in 2014 he and his teammate crossed the line 30th.

In 2015, Madolo suffered a knee injury and had to pull out of the race.

What will they be aiming for in 2016?

“I can’t say top 10 or top 20 as I don’t want to put myself under too much pressure, but all I can say is that we will ride as hard as we can and hopefully get rewarded for it,” said Madolo. “We always train together when he is in Stellenbosch and I have learned a lot from him already. I am so excited about racing with him on his first Epic as a retired man … he is still strong and hungry for racing.”

Sauser believes Madolo has great potential: “Sipho is so determined. He is not afraid to work hard towards his goals. He is fast on the bike and smart off it. He has finished his studies and is now playing a major role in our (Songo.info) programme.”

Kayamandi is a place where alcohol and drug abuse is widespread, crime is rampant, and teenage pregnancy a major problem. By 2009 Songo.info was up and running with a clubhouse and a BMX cycle track. The clubhouse has since become a refuge for local children, where they come to do homework and to ride bikes.

Sauser has used his influence to get sponsors to back the charity and locals says it has made a marked difference in the lives of the children. Sauser and Fipaza set out to build a place where “children are protected and have a safe place to grow and develop” and they appear to have achieved that.

The emphasis on cycling at songo.info has also unearthed some great talent, Madolo being one who has since represented his country at a marathon world championship.

Sauser’s palmares – his list of cycling achievements – include three marathon world championships, one cross country world championship, two World Cup cross country series overall wins, 14 World Cup individual event wins and a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games. And, of course, an unmatched record in the Absa Cape Epic, the world’s premier mountain bike stage race.

Sauser’s legacy, though, extends beyond bicycles and the races he has won. His work at Song.info has literally changed lives, as Madolo himself attests.

Sauser, asked if he would be approaching the event as a race or mentoring exercise, said it would be a combination of both: “Sipho is already a very experienced Cape Epic racer, but there is always something to learn. Even the most experienced riders always face new challenges every year. You can only plan for a stage race to a certain point and will face many surprises, which also makes it interesting.”

Naturally, retirement has changed Sauser’s approach to his sport: “I definitely don’t hurt myself on never ending hill repeats on my own any more.”

But he has been keeping himself fit: “I have to, because here in Switzerland the mountains are steep and long. I love riding my bikes: that’s why I started riding and still do so. It is my passion to discover new areas or trails, feeling the speed, the challenge of technical sections or just being out in nature with friends.”

One thing that he says will not change is his involvement with South Africa and the songo.info project: “I am very involved in the daily business of the programme even when I am far away. I always love to come back to South Africa and I will keep my apartment in Stellenbosch.”

In 2008 Sauser met Songo Fipaza, a community leader in Kayamandi and a man with a passion to improve the lives of local children.

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Women’s Race Germany’s Sabine Spitz has stood on each step of the Olympic Cross Country race podium: in 2004 she won a bronze medal, in 2008 a gold and in 2012 she went home with the silver medal around her neck.

Besides that extraordinary achievement, she is also a former cross country world champion and has a list of achievements that goes on and on. And on. In short, she is one of the legends of women’s mountain biking.

By 2015 the women’s race had attracted many of the world’s top competitors, including the sport’s most decorated rider, Norway’s Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå, riding with Switzerland’s Kathrin Stirnemann.

The changes were warmly welcomed by top women riders and will form part of the progression of the category since the sponsorship by Sasol in 2014 which equalised the prize money.

In 2016 she will take on the one major event that she has yet to tick off: the Absa Cape Epic.

In the event Stirnemann succumbed to illness and Kleinhans and Langvad won comfortably, but the line-up had been the strongest yet in the women’s race.

Dahle Flesjå said: “This is great news for the cycling community in general. Seperate start batches have an important symbolic meaning for all women, and it’s a clear message that sports should be played fair at all times.”

Spitz, 43, will ride with 24-year old rising star Yana Belomoina of the Ukraine, who won the UCI Cross Country World Cup championship in 2014 in the under-23 category.

Spitz and Belomoina are part of a new breed of women’s mountain bikers taking on the Absa Cape Epic: tough, fast and with proven records in many disciplines of the sport.

Other strong combinations in the 2016 field will include British powerhouse Sally Bigham and Germany’s Adel Morath, and the Swiss/English pairing of Esther Suss and Catherine Williamson – both teams that are capable of challenging for the top step of the Epic podium.

But the favourites will again be the two-time category winners and defending champions Ariane Kleinhans of Switzerland and Denmark’s Annika Langvad.

Kleinhans and Langvad took women’s mountain bike stage racing to a new level at the Epic in 2014 with a compelling combination of strength and strategy. The combination of Kleinhans’s experience from winning the Mixed category the two previous years and Langvad’s power riding overwhelmed the field.

The Absa Cape Epic’s long-held ambition to raise the profile of the women’s race was coming to fruition.

Two factors had encouraged this development: in 2012 the Absa Cape Epic women’s race received UCI HC (beyond categorisation) classification and in 2014 it introduced equal prize money for the Women’s category with the help of Sasol.

This year the Cape Epic took a step further and announced additional innovative changes to the rules governing the elite women’s race for 2016 and beyond.

From this year UCI-registered women will start in a separate group.

According to the race organisers, this is being done to create a fair racing environment.

The Absa Cape Epic also revised its rules about logos on shirts for the women’s teams. From next year a woman rider and her teammate may have different sponsor logos on their kit, although the colour of the shirts will still have to match. This is to designed to overcome problems in the past where women from different trade teams could not ride together.

The Olympic gold medallist and multiple world champion added that “allowing personal sponsors on a jersey makes it much easier for women riding for seperate trade teams to take part in the race”.

“Having a separate start for the UCIregistered women is a massive step forwards in promoting professional women’s mountain bike racing,” said two-time Absa Cape Epic winner Bigham.

“A separate start will ensure fair racing amongst the women and it will eliminate the influence of the men on the women’s race. It will lead to different tactics and closer, exciting racing,” said the British marathon racing legend.

Kleinhans paid tribute to the race: “It is great news that the Absa Cape Epic is always open to feedback from the riders, and willing to improve the race to make it a more competitive and interesting in the women’s racing.”

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WW22893/E

www.woolworths.co.za PROUD SPONSOR OF THE 2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC.

The Last Lions The Amabubesi Finisher’s Club is the exclusive group of riders who have finished three or more races. “Amabubesi” means “pride of lions” in Zulu and amoung this esteemed group of riders there are a remarkable four who have pedalled every one of the 9 535km which the Absa Cape Epic has traversed since it started in Knysna back in 2004.

They have strained up all the 190 487 metres of total vertical ascent (climbing) since that inaugural event 13 years ago.

The fabulous four are Craig Beech, John Gale, Mike Nixon and Hannele Steyn.

Another rider, Hendrik van Huyssteen, has finished all 12 events so far but has decided to take a break in 2016.

A gold plated top cap was given to the four last lions.

Naudé added: “Congratulations to the four Last Lions. They have shown amazing commitment and drive and are obviously very talented athletes. It is quite something to just get to the start of the Absa Cape Epic, but to finish every one is truly amazing.”

“We have decided to recognise these athletes in a special way so have introduced the Last Lions concept,” explained Absa Cape Epic CEO Lynn Naudé. “Each year as one or the other of the Last Lions decides not to race or drops out the numbers will obviously drop until we have only one rider who has finished every event. He or she will be the Last Lion,” said Naudé.

Each of the Last Lions were given a goldplated top cap (or headset cap – the disc that screws in at the point where the handlebar stem joins the front fork’s steerer tube) at the Absa Cape Epic Route Launch in Johannesburg in October.

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Steyn, 49 and a geneticist/microbiologist from Knysna said: “I love the race and it became my favourite race experience from the very first one when I had no clue what to expect or what multi-day racing was all about. I will try and do it until something outside of my power stops me.”

56-year-old Nixon, a commercial property developer in Cape Town, is well-known as an adventurer and has summited Mount Everest.

Hannele Steyn

Mike Nixon

With that in mind, what does he believe is the toughest climb he has encountered in the 12 years of the race: “None is tougher than Groenlandberg (in Grabouw).”

He might be relieved to know that the race is not returning to Groenlandberg in 2016, but there are some similarly testing climbs.

What keeps him coming back to the Absa Cape Epic? “The Tour de France of mountain biking on your doorstep. How can you resist.

After so many years my wonderful wife has got used to the solitude from December to March. So when she wants me back I will stop.”

Gale, a 47-year-old chartered accountant from Cape Town said it took a “whole year of luck” to finish the Absa Cape Epic.

“And then eight consecutive days of luck on the bike – not picking up an injury, not dehydrating, not getting sunstroke, not breaking the bike. It needs a lot of luck.”

John Gale

Beech, a 43-year-old conservationist from Somerset West said: “It has now become a little bit of a habit. Due to work travel I don’t get the opportunity to do many races in the calendar year, so I try pin down one or two each year in which to participate. I definitely favour the longer stage events, and the Absa Cape Epic is often described as the toughest in the world, and I appreciate the challenge.”

And when might he stop doing the Cape Epic? “When I am no longer capable.”

Craig Beech

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“She owned a mountain bike but that was about it. She was, with all due respect, double her size.”

Hannele Steyn 12 x Absa Cape Epic finsher

The Last Lion and the first-timer Last Lion Hannele Steyn will be attempting to finish her 13th Absa Cape Epic in 2016 after finishing every one to date. She won the Women’s category in 2005 and has a fistful of SA championship titles to her name. Her racing pedigree is such that she could have her pick of partners. So who will it be in 2016?

Alongside her on the start line will be Anneke Viljoen, attempting her first Absa Cape Epic after taking mountain biking seriously little more than two years ago.

The extraordinary partnership of veteran and newbie has its origins in an offer of free legal advice from lawyer Anneke to Hannele. In return, the cycling star and nutritionist offered free training and diet advice to Anneke.

“I met her about two years ago on a road ride in Camps Bay,” recalled Hannele. “She owned a mountain bike but that was about it. She was, with all due respect, double her size.”

“Having the company, experience and expertise of a legend in cycling sharing every moment along the way, is a great privilege. My confidence and skill set has improved remarkably, which makes every ride more enjoyable than the previous ride.”

“When Hannele asked me early in April 2015 if I would like to do the Epic with her one day I said ‘yes, as soon as you think I am ready for it’, thinking that might be ‘ready for it’ in 2017 or 2018.”

“It was settled there and then that 2016 was going to be my year. My heart has been racing ever since,” Anneke laughed. “Of course I am nervous about doing the Cape Epic. I am, however, lucky enough to do it with not only the most experienced women rider in the field, but also a person who has a huge heart, bigger soul and who is a great friend.”

“Middle age was creeping up on me faster than lightning strikes,” laughed Anneke. “I was feeling less than enthusiastic about work and generally bored with life.”

Anneke’s training programme started in December 2014 and she finished the RECM Knysna 200 in June of 2015.

Later last year she partnered Hannele to successful finishes in the Ride to Nowhere and the Cape Pioneer Trek.

“She also changed my eating habits and I learned to make healthy choices. I have lost a lot of weight, feel 10 years younger and have newfound energy in my work.”

TOP Hannele Steyn LEFT Anneke Viljoen

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Conquering As One with the Absa Cape Epic LEFT Candice Marsh and James Schuurmans RIGHT Jason Van’t Slot and Phillip Sassie

Everyone has their own story of how they overcame their personal challenges in conquering the Absa Cape Epic. In 2015, Absa challenged everyone taking on the world’s toughest mountain bike race to dig deep and to rally those around them – from family and friends to race supporters and fellow riders to Conquer the Absa Cape Epic As One. In celebrating the spirit of teamwork and perseverance, Absa set out to find the most inspiring team story on each day of the race, selecting the #ConquerAsOne moment which highlighted the partnerships that conquered the daily race stages together in the face of adversity. The task was not an easy one, as anyone who conquers the Absa Cape Epic deserves to be celebrated.

However, of the many #ConquerAsOne stories, two which stood out were the teams of Jason Van’t Slot and Phillip Sassie as well as Candice Marsh and her partner, James Schuurmans.

Jason’s #ConquerAsOne story is one of particular inspiration after he became the first person with Cystic Fibrosis to complete the Absa Cape Epic. Jason was already nursing a chest infection when he was forced to run down the Plumb Pudding Hill track due to a backlog of riders. He subsequently strained a muscle in his knee which continued to hassle him throughout the race. Beating the pain threshold required perseverance and partner, Phillip Sassie, continued to motivate him and push

him forward when he began toying with the idea of dismounting and walking. With Jason’s unwavering determination and Phillip’s resolute motivation, the pair raced away and conquered the Absa Cape Epic together.

Candice and James showed pure determination to come through the third stage after they were in danger of missing the maximum stage time.

Through a combination of partnership and sheer guts, the two scraped in just before the clock ran out, conquering the stage and collapsing on the ground together, embracing in a flood of tears.

In 2016, Absa are again challenging race participants to conquer the Absa Cape Epic together and will be taking #ConquerAsOne to the next level. This year, the teams selected for their standout moments of joint perseverance will be awarded the Absa Cape Epic #ConquerAsOne riding jersey to wear proudly during the next day’s stage.

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The Batsman and the Bike This year former South African cricketer Gary Kirsten will line up against some experienced Absa Cape Epic rugby returnees to see who’s the toughest of them all.

Since readmission, South Africa has been blessed with some of the world’s finest cricketers. In the early days we had Allan Donald and Daryll Cullinan setting pulses racing. Then came Lance Klusener and his big, beefy batting heroics.

Shaun Pollock and Herschelle Gibbs could set a stadium alight with their pyrotechnics, while Dale Steyn and AB de Villiers currently fill that role.

In amongst the diamonds, though, we’ve also been lucky enough to have men of true grit. Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher, Graeme Smith and Brian McMillan were always up for a fight, determined to drag South Africa to victories or away from the clutches of defeat. But the toughest of them all, though, has to be Gary Kirsten.

A resilient – although increasingly flashier towards the end of his career -opener, Kirsten played 101 Tests for his country between 1993 and 2004, averaging over 45 in a highly successful South Africa side. After retiring he took on one of cricket’s most demanding roles – coaching India. Kirsten then led India to their first World Cup title since 1983 and cemented his reputation not only as a formidable batsman, but also as a coach who could get the most out of his players in the heat of the battle.

A stint in charge of South Africa resulted in the Proteas usurping England as the number one ranked Test side in the world.

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More recently, he’s just worked with the England Lions (effectively England’s A team) and was assisting them in a series against Pakistan in the UAE earlier in 2016. While in England he utilised an indoor trainer, but once in Dubai he managed to get on the road. “I borrowed a bike and made sure I got out there – they have a 40km track I used – because by the end of December I really needed to ride.”

Challenge, accepted

Kirsten is taking on the Absa Cape Epic for the first time this year, all thanks to the charms of multiple Cape Epic finisher Michael Mol. “Michael was over for dinner one night and sneakily asked me whether I was keen to do the Cape Epic with him,” says Kirsten. Not being one to turn down a challenge, Kirsten eventually accepted the invite. The pair will be riding for Liqui-Fruit, the Absa Cape Epic’s Official Fruit Juice. “I’ve tapped into Michael’s experience of the event, but also everyone else’s,” says Kirsten. “I found that I was getting so much advice that I quickly realised I had to just do what worked best for me.”

Kirsten’s stoic presence at the crease and near-unflappable manner as a batsman will stand him in good stead, especially if this story from another popular endurance event is anything to go by.

A few years back, Kirsten was training for the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon.

At the time he was coaching the Proteas and they were on tour in New Zealand. The tour was long and he wasn’t going to make it back to South Africa in time to run a qualifying marathon. Unperturbed, Kirsten and a few other keen runners within the Proteas management staff found a marathon in New Zealand that they could use as a qualifier. “We finished the last ODI against New Zealand on a Saturday night in Auckland, around 22h30,” says Kirsten. “We then drove to the marathon destination which was four-and-a-half hours from Auckland.”

Kirsten and his crew then ran the marathon – The Bayleys Mountain to Surf Marathon in New Plymouth, which starts 460m above sea level at the gates of a national park and finishes at the Taranaki coast – got back in the car, and drove back to Auckland.

“It was a pretty tiring day, with only one hour of sleep,” says Kirsten, “but a great experience.” Kirsten’s marathon time was 3h52m43s. “I found the last 5km really tough. We started the race with a 3km downhill and I think that affected me at the end. It was a good mental challenge, though.”

“Michael was over for dinner one night and sneakily asked me whether I was keen to do the Cape Epic with him.”

Gary Kirsten Former Proteas batsman and coach

Mentally tough

If his next mental and physical challenge starts to get him down, he can always think back to his epic (pardon the pun) 275 against England. His mammoth total and marathon innings at Durban in 1999 was a match-saving effort, and also came at a time when his position in the national team was under question.

The Proteas were trailing by 210 runs after the first innings and at one stage were 46 for 7. An English win appeared to be a formality. Kirsten, however, occupied the crease for 14½ hours, helping South Africa to 572 for 7 declared in their second innings, and the Test was drawn.

At the time his effort was the joint highest Test score for South Africa, a total he shared with Daryll Cullinan until Graeme Smith’s 277 in 2003 (AB de Villier’s snatched the record in 2010 – a 278 not out, with Hashim Amla’s 311 not out being the current high score). Kirsten’s innings remains the second-longest in the history of Test cricket, so when it comes to time in the saddle at the Absa Cape Epic, he won’t be worried about long days! True to humble form, though, Kirsten plays down his experience as a professional sportsman. “I honestly don’t think my cricket background will help in any way at the Cape Epic,” says Kirsten. “In fact, what I learned while training is that there are so many people out there who are just as competitive as professional sportsmen. What really impresses me are the guys who commit to this event and train before and after work, pushing themselves every day.”

Bizarrely, Kirsten is just the second South African cricketer to tackle the Absa Cape Epic. Alan Dawson, who played two Test matches and 19 ODIs for South Africa, but who memorably helped steer South Africa to an improbable victory in the semi-finals at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur and eventually won gold after defeating Steve Waugh’s Australia in the final, has completed the event twice. For some reason, it’s the rugby cousins who really come out in force at the race. “I’m not sure why cricketers haven’t taken to the Cape Epic,” says Kirsten.

“Maybe it’s because we’re lazy and don’t necessarily apply ourselves to disciplined training. I’ve seen lots of bulky rugby players out there and they love mountain biking. You’d think that the naturally slimmer cricket players would warm to it.”

Rugby rumble

From the rugby field, past players like Joel Stransky, Butch James, Marius Hurter, John Smit, John Slade, Jeremy Thomson, Corné Krige, Tiaan Strauss, Chester Williams, Stefan Terblanche, Robbie Kempson, Andrew Paterson and Breyton Paulse have all conquered the Absa Cape Epic.

The allure of the eight days, according to former Bok captain John Smit, comes from being able to “feed the competitive monster” and being part of a team again. “We experience the same kind of camaraderie at the Epic that we did on the field,” he told Bicycling magazine in 2015, adding that mountain biking is similar to rugby in that both have camaraderie, and, when the whistle blows and you cross the line after a tough day – satisfaction.

got into road cycling, and it saved my life,” Slade told Bicycling. Slade eventually saw the light again, and graduated from road cycling to MTB. This year he’ll be lining up for his third Absa Cape Epic, riding once again with former Springbok flyhalf Butch James. The World Cup winner cheekily suggests that cricketers might not be drawn to the Cape Epic challenge because “they’re already skinny”, noting that if rugby players don’t do any exercise after retirement it’s their bodies that balloon instead of their pensions.

Dr Mike Posthumous, exercise scientist at the Sports Science Institute, a cycling coach at Science2Sport and a former Western Province A rugby player, suggests another theory for rugby players taking to the Cape Epic like, well, rugby players to a buffet table. “In endurance events and marathons, it’s less about speed and more about having the ability to suffer,” he says, adding that rugby players also come into mountain biking with a big advantage – massive quads. “What makes John Smit out-climb his peers at the back of the pack is that he has enormous quads and can put a lot of force through the pedals.” Gary Kirsten might not have the quads, but as a former opening batsman renowned for his ability to stay at the crease for long hours, he can certainly suffer with the best of them.

For John “Slugger” Slade – who introduced Smit to mountain bikes – the race is about reaffirming life and proving that anything is possible.

After Slade retired in 2003 (having represented Natal in 101 games), he ate for eight months and did no exercise. On 1 February 2004, he sat down to have lunch – 15 minutes later he should have been dead. Slade had a heart attack. “When I recovered my doctor told me I’d better do some exercise and suggested cycling. I

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The Time has Come Absa Cape Epic founder Kevin Vermaak’s team name for the 2016 event is “Finally …”.

The name refers to Vermaak’s long-held ambition to actually ride the event he launched in 2004 and which has grown into the world’s premier mountain bike stage race.

Vermaak literally worked round the clock to get it there and, as he stood alongside the finish at the 2015 event, he was struck by a thought: “Pretty much everything is sorted … there was very little in the way of crises that we had to solve, or issues that we hadn’t thought about.”

He was also about to announce the appointment of new CEO Lynn Naudé and wanted to give her space to take the reins.

“We have an amazingly efficient team with expertise in every aspect of the event and Lynn’s arrival has meant that for the first time I don’t feel the need to be working every day at the Epic itself. Now I want to ride it,” he decided.

So on March 13 this year Vermaak will line up on Table Mountain for the Prologue alongside 1 199 other competitors aiming to make it through the eight-day challenge.

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“The racing snakes needn’t worry, I’m certainly not going to be stealing anybody’s podium,” he laughs. “My objective is to be fit enough from the start to really enjoy it. Every night I want to go to bed looking forward to the next day instead of being exhausted. I want to be able to enjoy the camaraderie and the company of like-minded mountain bikers.”

Vermaak’s Epic partner will be Jakes Jakobsen, an IT executive from Cape Town. In previous years Vermaak and Jakobsen have taken on shorter events together and also raced the 2009 Ironman Austria.

“We have a lot of fun riding and training together and he is a genius at fixing bikes … that makes him just about the perfect partner,” Vermaak smiled.

The man behind the success of the Absa Cape Epic will be riding on a Specialized S-Works Epic – the bike that has been ridden to the most overall wins at the Epic – while Jakobsen will be on a hardtail Open.

Why a hardtail on a notoriously rugged race?

“There is something honest and raw about riding a hardtail,” said Jakobsen. “I would like to see if I have what it takes to complete the hardest MTB stage race in the world in the purest form.”

Jakobsen’s objective is “to make sure that Kevin ticks this box: if I am stronger I will be trying to make the race as easy as possible for him, but I suspect I am going to be hanging on grimly”.

“The racing snakes needn’t worry, I’m certainly not going to be stealing anybody’s podium.”

Kevin Vermaak Absa Cape Epic founder

Parts of the course where Jakobsen might enjoy an advantage are the technical downhill sections – he represented South Africa at the 1997 Downhill World Championships in Chateaud’Oex, Switzerland 1997.

Jakobsen says he was a “one hit wonder and crashed.”

But one of his former Absa Cape Epic partners John Gale – a Last Lion who has finished each of the 12 events to date – warned Vermaak not to follow his friend too closely down the trails: “He is very fast on those sections.”

Vermaak smiled at suggestions that the route designers had come up with the shortest course in the history of the race because he was riding: “They didn’t even know I was going to enter when they came up with the design. And anyway there is more climbing per kilometre than ever before … that and all the trails are going to make it a tough event.”

Vermaak got the idea which grew into the Absa Cape Epic in November 2002 when taking part in the three-day La Ruta de los Conquistadores mountain bike stage race in Costa Rica.

Why, he asked himself, can we not host a stage race in the Western Cape? It has acres of unexplored countryside, is an adventure sportsperson’s paradise, and South Africans have already proven themselves to be highly capable event organisers.

Vermaak, who was working in IT in London at the time, was dreaming big. The event he had in mind would take eight or nine days to complete and the participants should be able to concentrate on riding: accommodation, showers, food, mechanical assistance and first aid should all be part of the package.

Sixteen months later the first Absa Cape Epic started in Knysna and now, 13 years of hard work later, the event has become the world’s premier mountain bike event – often described as the Tour de France of mountain biking. It has also become an international benchmark for organisational efficiency.

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The Wanderer and the Welshman Ron Rutland clearly doesn’t believe in half measures. He wanted to watch the Springboks at the 2015 Rugby World Cup in the United Kingdom, so hopped on a bicycle and rode for 27 months through Africa to get there.

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His route was designed to go through every country in Africa and when he arrived in Brighton in September – just in time to watch the Boks lose to Japan! – he had covered some 43 000km.

In 2016 Ron will take on a cycling challenge of another order – the Absa Cape Epic, the world’s premier mountain bike stage race. That challenge will also have a link to rugby: his partner will be former Welsh loose forward and captain Colin Charvis.

He said after his mammoth ride across Africa that – besides raising funds for the Laureus Foundation and saluting the memory of a friend who had died – he had taken on the challenge to celebrate health, mobility, vitality and adventure.

“I want to enjoy every moment, relish the opportunity to experience such an iconic event.”

Ron Rutland Absa Cape Epic finisher

So why the Epic? “It’s partially the same …

I’ve learnt that nothing is more important than one’s health, and it’s a privilege to be able to even participate in a race like the Epic and share it with 1 200 other participants who will all be there for their own reasons”.

He adds: “I want to enjoy every moment, relish the opportunity to experience such an iconic event, in such an extraordinarily beautiful part of the planet, with a great friend. And I want to push myself physically, possibly to places I’ve never been before, and be sure I go to bed each evening, broken, but grateful.”

Epic with a fellow veteran of the event and with someone I know and respect,” says Ron. “The fact that he also happens to have ‘grit’ and determination in bucket loads and a similar attitude to and expectation of the event all made Colin the perfect choice in partner … what he saw in me, I have no idea!” he laughs.

Ron added that they share a sense of humour – a characteristic that could come in vital during such a testing event.

So what are their ambitions for the Epic: will they be racing or just aiming to finish?

“Somewhere in-between. Whether we come 100th or 600th doesn’t make too much of a difference to me: I’d like to train and prepare as best I can, and ride the race as hard as we possibly can – leaving nothing out there and with a smile on our faces – and see what happens when we reach Meerendal together.”

After his Fat Kid on a Bike ride across Africa Ron told The Times newspaper he hoped that his marathon ride “changes some people’s perception of Africa just a little bit … the ordinary people of Africa are wonderful, it’s not this big scary place that CNN makes it out to be. I’ve cycled to the most rural places on our continent, the poorest places on the planet and I’ve run out of water and food and people with absolutely nothing give freely. I can’t tell you how many times people — who have walked many kilometres to get water — have shared their water with me. Their food. And I had nothing to offer in return.

The goodness of people is amazing, and that’s what Africa is about,” Ron said.

Ron completed the 2012 Absa Cape Epic but rode on his own after his partner withdrew after the Prologue.

Now he will ride with a man who himself finished the Absa Cape Epic alone in 2013 after his partner also dropped out.

How did the decision to ride with the Welsh rugby legend come about? “It was a combination of fortuitous circumstances, combined with the desire to ride the 2016 2016 ABSA CAPE EPIC RIDE GUIDE

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Race Recap Mike Nixon has finished every one of the 12 Absa Cape Epics and in 2016 will be among the four Last Lions attempting to finish number 13. He has also climbed Mount Everest and in 2015 joined the legendary adventurer Kingsley Holgate on a trip to the “heart of Africa” – the geographic centre of the continent.

By definition then, he is tough and well-qualified to judge just how hard each edition of the Absa Cape Epic has been. So what did he think of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic: “One of the toughest three, definitely. Every day was tough for a different reason.

Even the so-called ‘free kilometres’ weren’t free because of sand, rocks, wind or rain.” He added: “We were confronted with swirling wind the entire race … coming at us from one way or another. The wind gods knew we were coming.”

Several other competitors also cursed Mother Nature, who appeared to turn her back on them in 2015 and dished up tough conditions from Stage 1’s rain through to exceptionally dusty and windy sections and finally a headwind for much of the final stage.

Come rain or shine, though, the top professionals are expected to perform and the front end of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic was dominated by two sets of exceptional athletes.

In the Men’s category the legendary Christoph Sauser was reunited with his 2013 partner, Czech powerhouse Jaroslav Kulhavy, in the Investec Songo Specialized team.

Sauser was aiming to become the first five-time winner of the Absa Cape Epic and reigning Olympic Cross Country gold medallist Kulhavy for a second win with the Swiss legend.

Among the contenders were the Bulls’s German/Swiss pairing of Karl Platt, also aiming for a fifth win, and strongman Urs Huber and Topeak Ergon’s Alban Lakata of Austria and Czech Kristian Hynek.

In the elite women’s field Switzerland’s Ariane Kleinhans and Denmark’s Annika Langvad (RECM Specialized) were back to defend the title they had won so convincingly in 2014. In 2015 a series of initiatives designed to strengthen the women’s field were bearing fruit: among their opponents would be Norway’s

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“It has become the most prestigious mountain bike event in the world.”

Ariane Kleinhans 2015 Women’s Winner

Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjá, the most decorated woman in world mountain biking. She had teamed up with another Swiss rider, Kathrin Stirnemann (World Bicycle Relief).

In the event the favourites delivered compelling and dominant performances.

Sauser and Kulhavy won five of the seven stages after coming home third in the Prologue, during which Sauser admitted he had felt like a “weekend warrior” and had been worried about his form. However, the next day’s mammoth Stage 1 laid any concerns to rest as the 39-year-old and Kulhavy, nine years younger, swept home strongly. Two more stage wins on the next two days put them in a commanding position and from then on it was a case of hoping that mechanical issues or illness did not keep them off the top step of the overall podium.

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Sauser’s experience and Kulhavy’s power ensured that they were never seriously challenged and rode triumphantly across the Grand Finale finish line at Meerendal Estate in Durbanville – 739 kilometres and eight days after their journey had begun on Table Mountain.

Lakata and Hynek had proven to be the only team capable of consistently staying with the leaders and finished second.

Interestingly, South African teams finished fifth, sixth, seventh and 10th, suggesting perhaps that a future winner might come out of the local ranks.

The Women’s category race might have turned into a procession when Stirnemann fell ill, leaving Dahle Flesjá riding on her own and out of contention.

There was, however, great drama, on Stage 2 when the dominant duo of Kleinhans and Langvad received a 1 hour 13-minute time penalty for inadvertently taking a short cut. Their extraordinary strength was such that they made up more than 48 minutes on their leading challengers the next day to once again don the leaders’ jerseys.

They won every stage other than the one on which they were penalised and eventually cruised home with more than an hour cushion.

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The top South African men were Philip Buys and Matthys Beukes of Scott Factory Racing, while Robyn de Groot, partnering Swede Jennie Stenerhag, finished second in the women’s race.

But spare a thought for the rest of the field, many of who spend many more hours in the saddle than the pros – the winners rode a combined time of 31 hours and 57 seconds over the eight days while 512th and last-placed Reuben van Niekerk, riding with a prosthetic limb after losing his leg in a motorbike accident, and Dagmar

Muhlbauer took 63 hours, 39 minutes and 50 seconds.

As 352nd place finisher Sean Thistleton put it at the Grand Finale finish line: “It was unbelievable. It’s been the toughest eight days of my life ... I’m so glad it is over. There’s so much that you build up over nine months, and now it’s eight days, and over the last few hundred metres it is impossible to keep the emotions in.”

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A Tale of Two Epics From perky pros to broken backmarkers

By Jonathan Ancer

Each day the racing snakes at the Absa Cape Epic gallop over the finish line and – many hours later – the everymen at the back of the field limp, lunge and leopard crawl over the line (often playing Russian Roulette with the maximum stage time). I positioned myself on the finish line of the 2015 event and asked riders at the sharp-end of the race a question about the stage and returned to ask the blunt backmarkers the same question.

This strategy gave me a unique perspective of the thrills, spills and gripping dramas of the Cape Epic. On Stage 1 (a 113km loop that started and ended at the Oak Valley Wine Estate), I asked Team Topeak Ergon member Kristian Hynek what part of his body hurt the most. “Everything,” he told me, which is hardly surprising since he’d been racing flat out (or, as the pros like to say, “full gas”) for 4 hours and 51 minutes. Five hours and some change after Kristian crossed the line, Johannes Prinsloo was also racing flat out – but his race was against the clock. He managed to squeak home in 9 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds – one second before the maximum stage time – making it the closest shave in Absa Cape Epic history. He said the part of his body that hurt the most was his heart – for his partner Malcolm, whom he was forced to abandon 10km earlier if he hoped to cross the line in time.

The Absa Cape Epic, now in its thirteenth year, attracts the world’s best riders – world champions and Olympic medallists – as well as amateur adventurers. The pros race for podiums and prize money, the amateurs race for a finisher’s T-shirt.

But the T-shirt is not just a T-shirt; it’s a badge of honour that proves that individuals are tough enough to “Epic”. The human drama that plays out at the top and tail of the event is just one of the reasons why the Absa Cape Epic is the most exhilarating mountain bike stage race in the world.

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“It was ... It was.... It was... terrible.”

James Schuurmans

Stage 3’s 128km ride from Elgin to Worcester was one of the toughest stages in one of the – if not the – toughest editions of the event. Riders had to contend with more sand than Clifton 4th beach and heat that put the woes into Worcester. It was so tough that the race officials were forced to extend the 10-hour maximum stage time by 30 minutes.

I asked American pro Jeremiah Bishop, from Topeak Ergon who crossed the line in third place in a time of 5 hours and 3 minutes, what home comforts he missed the most. “Mexican food,” he replied.

Life had become increasingly bleak for the backmarkers. When the heavyweight pairing of former Welsh rugby captain Colin Charvis and former Springbok prop Marius Hurter crossed the line I asked them what home comforts they missed. For Colin, it was a “nice cup of tea”. In Wales tea solves everything. Have a cold? Have some tea. Broken bones? Yes, tea will fix that too.

The Hurtenator, who must have been delirious from toiling for over 10 hours in the saddle, said he missed his shampoo the most.

A few minutes after the rugby stars staggered off to find a fresh pot of Earl Grey and a cup of Pantene, I witnessed one of the most dramatic moments in mountain-bikedom.

With just one minute to go before the 10:30 mark Candice Marsh and partner James Schuurmans entered the stadium.

A race official, his finger on the trigger of the gun, stood on the finish-line. Would Candice and James make it? The riders sprinted and, with seconds to spare, crossed the line and collapsed like South African batsmen on an Indian wicket. Two broken bodies lay on the ground about 10 metres apart, both had dissolved in a puddle of tears. Then Candice leopardcrawled to James and lay on top of him.

The tear-stained couple held onto each other for dear life – it seemed only a crowbar would separate them.

“How was that?” event announcer Mike “Moose” Finch asked James, his legs twitching in spasms, when he eventually started to get up.

“It was ... It was.... It was...” The shattered rider searched for a word to sum up the last 10 hours 29 minutes and 30 seconds of his life. He eventually settled on “terrible”.

There are hundreds of riders wedged between the pros end and the backmarkers also having epic days on the bike, but it’s the battle for podiums and fight for survival to stay in the race where the human drama is the most intense.

TOP LEFT Jeremiah Bishop TOP RIGHT: Johannes Prinsloo BOTTOM RIGHT: Marius Hurter

One rider stood out in 2015 – not for the dramatics but for the complete opposite: his composure. Jaroslav Kulhavy, the reigning Olympic mountain bike gold medallist, who rode (and won) with his Investec-Songo-Specialized teammate, Swiss mountain biking legend Cristoph Sauser. Jaroslav, a freakish once-in-ageneration rider, is in a league of his own.

While the top riders around him were gasping for air and hurting after spending much of the race deep inside the pain cave, the Czech mountain bike whizz rolled over the finish line each day with a shy smile, looking like he’d hardly broken a sweat – and he hadn’t. Jaroslav, who made the frontliners look like backmarkers, is one Czech who won’t be bounced.

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CHARITIES

OFFICIAL CHARITIES

Cancer Association of South Africa

JAG Foundation

CANSA aims to lead the fight against cancer in South Africa. Its mission is to be the preferred non-profit organisation that enables research, educates the public and provides support to all people affected by cancer. CANSA Active is an initiative that encourages people to become active and lead a healthy lifestyle while staying safe in the sun. This is achieved by using the education and sun screen products provided by CANSA and its invaluable partners.

JAG was founded in 2007 and is made up of five core programmes which focus on different sporting disciplines and societal issues. They are: rugby, running, cycling, basic athletic movement and anti-bullying.

Sport is not just a game, it’s a set of life lessons, and any child growing up without these lessons is at a disadvantage.

CONTACT: Shireen Sadien shireen@jagfoundation.org.za

CONTACT: Munnik Marais mmarais@cansa.org.za

Laureus Sport For Good

Qhubeka

Laureus’s core concept is simple: to create global awards that recognise the achievements of today’s sporting heroes and to bring sportspeople together.

Once that community is brought together – with the support and investment of Laureus’s Founding Patrons and Partners – it creates a powerful message that can help social projects which use sport as a tool for social change. That message, simply, is Laureus Sport for Good.

Qhubeka helps people move forward and progress by giving bicycles in return for work done to improve communities, the environment or academic results.

Having a bicycle changes lives by increasing the distance a person can travel, what they can carry, where they can go and how fast they can get there.

CONTACT: Brett Graham brett@laureus.co.za

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QHUBEKA: Gaylene Campbell events@qhubeka.org

ASSOCIATE CHARITIES

Anna Foundation The Anna Foundation aims to empower disadvantaged rural children with life skills and core values, building self-worth and self-responsibility. The “3 Rs Programme: Reading, Running, Right-ing” is implemented after school hours and incorporates education, sports and life skills programmes (presented through drama). Women and men from farming communities are trained by the Foundation to run the 3 Rs programme. The aim is for each child, man and woman to develop a positive vision for their future and ensure they make a positive future contribution to South Africa as a whole.

CONTACT: Carolyn Clark carolyn@annafoundation.com

Cape Leopard Trust The Cape Leopard Trust was launched in August 2004 as an active predator-conservation working group in the Cape. It uses research as a tool for conservation, finding solutions to humanwildlife conflict and inspiring interest in the environment. It has become the authority on predator conservation in the Cape and a leader on the issue in South Africa. The project has grown to include initiatives in the Cederberg, Namaqualand, Gouritz Corridor and the Boland mountains.

CONTACT: Helen Turnbull contact@capeleopard.org.za

CHARITY ENTRIES Many Absa Cape Epic riders choose to raise money for charity – some being sponsored per kilometre finished and others getting a lump sum for their chosen charity when they cross the finish line.

Over the past four years riders have raised more than R14-million for charities ranging from songo.info to the Chaeli Campaign and the Save the Rhino Trust.

J9 Foundation The J9 Foundation was formed by rugby legend. Joost van der Westhuizen in aid of those suffering from the same form of fatal Motor Neuron Disease that he was diagnosed with early in 2011. Joost has created a platform through this foundation to allow people, companies and friends to support the quality of life programmes available within this organisation. The J9 Foundation’s core objective is to raise awareness, both locally and internationally of Motor Neuron Disease. One of the main challenges in South Africa is the lack of knowledge of the disease. This lack of knowledge isn’t only amongst the general public but is also among medical practitioners and nursing staff.

CONTACT: Dirk Kotze dirk@j9cycling.com

But the race’s central charity engagement is through a formal programme designed to leave a lasting legacy in the communities and areas visited by the race each year.

The charity engagement programme is divided into two tiers – Official Charities and Associate Charities.

Based on their partnership status, charities are given a platform to gain exposure, raise funds and run projects in the communities that the race visits.

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The Importance of Choosing the Right Partner

By Steve Smith

A father, long-time mountain biker, rockabilly guitar guru, editor and now Absa Cape Epic finisher believes in the importance of the perfect pedalling pal.

The Absa Cape Epic is a long, tough race that requires commitment, focus and… a partner. It’s a team sport. And like any team sport, success or failure will depend on how you function as a team rather than your individual talents.

Over the eight days of the event you’re going to face a host of challenges: some of them you will have planned for; but the sheer unpredictability of what this great race will throw up means no amount of prep can prepare you for others. The inrace challenges will require you to dig deep and having the right person pedalling next to you will make all the difference.

Based on my experience riding with Craig Kolesky at last year’s Cape Epic, this is what you’re going to want in a partner.

Someone you are comfortable with…

For the best part of eight days, you’re going to spend every waking moment with the same person, and most of that in pretty tough conditions too. It’s difficult enough spending that kind of concentrated time in the company of your loved ones without getting tetchy, let alone a mate you know reasonably well. You’re also going to have many unforgettable memories from this race, you may as well share it with someone you like.

Unless sponsors have thrown the two of you together, or a desire for a high placing drives your choice, I would choose a partner who is only going to make the experience a better one. Look for someone who is likeminded, who you know is 112

going to react to both the highs and lows in the same way as you.

… and has the same basic mental make-up If, for example, you’re the warrior type, but your partner is more on the Zen side, that’s not going to work. Under stress – be it broken equipment, injury or fatigue – you’re going to have two fundamentally opposite responses. You’re going to come out guns blazing, ready to fight and “do what it takes”. He’ll naturally be a little more flexible, adopting more of a “relax, let’s see what happens, we can make up time tomorrow” approach. Both are equally workable strategies, but they don’t fit together in a team.

Live reasonably close to each other Ideally you want to be from the same town or city. Being able to train together once or twice a week and do the odd lead-up race is a huge advantage. You’ll be able to gauge your relative fitness levels, offer encouragement, and build up your sense of being a team.

Doing some races together beforehand, I found, is particularly crucial. There’s nothing like race conditions to get an idea of how the two of you are going to gel under pressure. You don’t, during the Cape Epic, want to find out that the friendly person you’ve spent the last few months training with turns into a selfish race snake when the red mist descends.

“You both need to go in with the same overall gameplan. And I mean exactly the same gameplan.”

Steve Smith

Have the same strategy You both need to go in with the same overall gameplan. And I mean exactly the same gameplan.

If the stated goal is “we just want to finish” but one of you is actually hoping for a top-half-of-the field placing, frustration is going to surface.

You also need to have the same daily strategy. If you’re a fast starter, but your potential partner is more of diesel engine who takes 10 or 20km to get up to speed, again frustration awaits. And don’t think, “Oh I’ll be fine, I’ll be happy to just chill with him/her for the first half,” that’s a mistake.

Guaranteed, by Stage 4 you’ll be tearing your hair out.

Similar levels of fitness…

Having one partner far fitter and stronger than the other is going to lead to frustration on both sides. And frustration is the small splinter that can turn into an infected wound during the Cape Epic.

I really can’t emphasise this enough. I’ve heard the stories and I saw it last year … silent, clenchedjawed riders so angry at each other that what was a close friendship might not survive.

You can only keep waiting for your partner for so long before you get annoyed, and for the other guy, the pressure of knowing how your partner is feeling is equally unpleasant.

… but different strengths Craig and I had similar levels of fitness last year – our engines were equally matched on the gravel roads that connected the race village towns. I was a better climber though, and he was better on the downhills, epecially the technical singletrack stuff. And that worked quite well for us. I would take the lead on the climbs, giving Craig my back wheel, and I’d follow his lines down the other side.

It meant that, as a team, we were probably quicker than either of us could have been on our own.

Choose someone with the same bike … or at least drivetrain Both being on the same kind of bike is a big help. You are going to have mechanical issues – minor and major – and if you’re both on the same bikes, you can cut down on the different kinds of essential spares you need to carry between you. At the very least, make sure you both have the same drivetrain and pedals so the spares are interchangeable. It also means you’ll both know how each other’s bikes work and will be able to help with the repairs.

One of you needs mechanic skills My DIY skills are the stuff of legend in our household, and not for the right reasons. That extends to fixing bicycles too. Beyond lubing the chain and changing a tyre, I’m pretty useless. Craig, on the other hand, can repair a mangled drivetrain with an elastic band and a cable tie. Pick someone like Craig, not me. If neither of you has the skills, I’d highly recommend doing a bike mechanic course beforehand.

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A Day in the Life of a Team’s Support Crew

By Bryony McCormick

Behind every team is a support crew working around the clock to ensure their riders are rested, fuelled, prepped and 100 percent ready to win.

For many, the Absa Cape Epic constitutes the world’s elite riders racing for the overall GC victory, pushing their limits, breaking records – breaking themselves sometimes in the process. It’s all about the riders, the highs and lows, the falls and the victories.

Behind many of the elite teams is another team, a dedicated support crew that is becoming increasingly essential if you want to win the Cape Epic.

very unique skill set, it is also important for each crew member to be flexible within the team, and know how and when to support one another, regardless of what it is that needs doing, or when. “Everyone has their own roles but are also very well interlinked so that they are all able to help out with whatever needs to be done,” says Kandice Venter, 2015 Team Manager of Team RECM Specialized.

What does it take to work on support?

Team Manager for Scott Factory Racing, Joggie Prinsloo, can attest to doing anything that needs to be done – from cleaning out the loos and showers and making the pros beds to cleaning their shoes – between his managerial duties. Of course, aside from being flexible and possessing skills within your field, a seemingly obvious requirement

Support crews are made up of several roles, each with their own specific set of skills. Common support roles on the Cape Epic include but are not limited to: team managers, soigneurs, mechanics, chefs and runners. While each role requires a 114

highlighted by David Padfield, Manager of the Topeak Ergon Racing Team, is “to be interested and passionate about mountain bike racing, the team you work for, the riders and the races they participate in.”

Working on a highly pressured event like the Cape Epic requires long hours, hard work and commitment, and when times are tough, or the fatigue sets in, it’s important to have an existing passion for the sport to see you through.

“And don’t forget about a sense of humour,” adds Vincent Durand, Team Bulls soigneur since 2007.

A typical day at the Cape Epic For the crew, the day starts before the riders wake up, and long after they go to bed, even longer if you’re a mechanic. Most support teams start their jobs several days leading up to the Cape Epic, and only finish several days after.

If you do the maths, support crews – on average – work for roughly 12 consecutive 15-18 hours days. And that’s providing nothing goes wrong.

So what makes the days so long, and what is a typical day like for a support crew?

LEFT: No time to panic, mechanics RIGHT: Food is a critical race component BOTTOM RIGHT: Essential recovery

First light The early morning shift involves waking up before the riders and prepping breakfast.

Then it’s time to wake up the riders and get them fed, dressed and prepped for the ride.

Prinsloo likes to take his team coffee in bed (but boasts that Nino Schurter surprised him one morning by bringing him coffee in bed). Team managers and mechanics see the riders to the start line, leaving runners and soigneurs to pack up breakfast.

“We do the run-arounds, like prepare the food lists, the daily menu and shopping lists.

Then we prepare the food for lunch, the post race bottles and the podium kits. Once that’s done it’s off to the shops to get supplies, followed by a quick stop at the water tables to catch the riders and update social media with their progress. I then rush back to camp to make sure everything at the campsite is okay and ready for the riders. Before I go and wait for them at the finish line, I ensure there is ice for an ice bath,” says Prinsloo.

Lunchtime Once the riders return, the afternoon shift begins. Mechanics take the bikes as the teams cross the finish line and immediately set to work servicing, repairing and replacing parts if need be. Team managers sweep the riders off to clean and prep them for the podium ceremony, after which they are ushered through media interviews and doping control. All of this is done before the riders get to sniff lunch!

Once all the ‘finish line’ formalities are done, riders are guided back to camp, where the soigneurs take over feeding, cleaning and communicating the massage schedule. Team managers attend the day’s race debrief and will make their way back to camp to catch up with the riders about the day. Prinsloo likes to call his debrief with the riders the “honesty box”, and encourages them to talk openly about the day, the challenges and how they think they can improve.

Soigneurs meanwhile clear lunch and prepare dinner, usually to be eaten prior to the 7pm awards ceremony.

Morning Once the riders are off, the crew can breathe, but just for a second, as it’s crucial and wise to maximise time in the camp without the riders being there. If the mechanics have had an especially long night (unavoidable in wet, muddy years), they’ll grab an hour or two of sleep, while everyone from the team manager to the soigneurs will get stuck into cleaning, shopping, menu planning and more for the day ahead.

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Dinner “A team meeting takes place directly after the evening prize giving with last minute treatments, another doping control and general cleanup and preparation for the next morning happening between 8pm and 10pm. We normally finish with these general duties before 10 and crawl into bed at around 11pm,” says Durand.

The late shift When the rest of the crew head to bed, or crawl into bed as Durand says, the mechanics continue to service the bikes.

“The mechanics are really the unsung heroes of the Cape Epic. If it’s a dry event they finish in a few hours, but if there are one or two rainy days, they are up till two in the morning,” says Venter. “They’ve got such a specialised focus and every day is completely different for them.”

On top of that all crew are required to be on call 24 hours a day, in case of emergencies, special requests or mechanical requirements.

“I think much the same as for the riders, the toughest part of working on a stage race is the fact that it is continuous. No task is hard to complete, but the accumulation of tasks makes it tough,” says Durand.

Beyond the call of duty “We see riders on the limit all the time.

That makes them very vulnerable, so they trust us with that status,” says Durand when asked about duties beyond those of a soigneur. Durand goes on to explain that in his opinion: “The success of a team is dependent on the trust there is between the riders and support staff. Every rider must believe that his equipment and body will be in perfect condition every time he rolls onto the start line, allowing him or her to focus on performance. We often refer to Team Bulls as a family, but it really must be that way to perform at the best. Every member of the support crew can cover for the other in order to create a home for the riders. We value relationships very much in the team.”

Similarly, for Venter, it’s knowing what the riders need before they have to think about it. “I always make sure there is Lindt chocolate in the camp,” says Venter. “I know Christoph (Sauser) craves it and I want to ensure he’s happy and comfortable.”

The lows Regardless of how strong a unit the support team is, there are going to be unavoidable low moments.

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“It can be hard being a woman and having to have arguments with grown men who are irrational. I don’t like conflict in the first place, so having people come and shout at us is pretty upsetting”, says Venter. In 2015 the leading women’s team went off course, causing major conflict between the women’s team managers. “Working with the best absolutely makes you a target, I guess there’s not much else anyone could do to beat the girls at that stage, so they attacked for what it was worth.”

For Prinsloo, “seeing your riders suffering and trying their hardest but just not pulling through is really tough.” Similarly, Durand can’t handle seeing his riders laid low.

“Dealing with illness or injury is always the hardest. I remember every DNF of every rider in great detail. Weighing up the options to send out an injured rider on another stage is by far the toughest choice to make. You have to be careful to balance the responsibility of supporting an athlete’s decision, giving an opinion of the risk, or making the decision for them to continue or not.”

The highs For all crew questioned, seeing the hard work pay off and sharing in the victories make up the highs. Plus there’s an emotional element too.

“The emotional factor of winning, that’s the part a lot of the public don’t get to see. A lot of riders really get emotional,” says Prinsloo. “In 2014, when all four Scott Factory riders crossed the line together on the final stage, that was incredible. That was the only day in the Cape Epic where everything just went according to plan for us. It was a really special day for us, and something I will never forget.”

ABOVE: It’s a 24-hour cycle

A tribute to Brian Pickering Lead Biker 2004 – 2015 For 12 years lead motor biker Brian Pickering had been synonymous with the Absa Cape Epic.

“He is one off the very few people who worked on every single race since it began,” recalled event founder Kevin Vermaak. “Every morning you would see him at the start and then he would ride in before the leaders at the finish.”

But on August 16 last year Brian passed away after suffering a heart attack on a motor bike ride with friends.

Race director Kati Csak, herself a veteran of the event, remembers him fondly: “He was extremely passionate about the Absa Cape Epic, a true character and one of the real stalwarts.”

Kevin first met the veteran motor biker before the inaugural Cape Epic when he hired quad bikes from the Nature Discovery Tours company which Brian ran from Grabouw. Since that event Brian had been a lead motor biker every year.

“Contrary to popular belief, the role of the lead motor bikers is not to show the lead bunch the way,” Kati explained. “It is to ride a few minutes ahead in order to do the final final route check, fix up any markers that might have fallen or been removed, warn marshals and traffic points of the imminent arrival of the leaders and to ensure there are no other unexpected hazards obstructing the race course.” “ As such, he played a crucial role in ensuring rider safety.”

And once they were back in the race village “Brian would look after servicing the fleet of lead motor bikes”.

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Absa Cape Epic Marketing and Communications manager Sarah Haigh first met Brian in 2007 when he was helping design routes: “He had a very strange 4x4 in which I accompanied him on the route and was lucky to hear all about his weird and wonderful stories.”

She added: “He lived the ultimate dream – only doing exactly what he wanted to do. He loved nature and adventure, and loved to bring people together to enjoy these hobbies.”

“Each time I ride in the Elgin/Grabouw area I think of him guiding us through those trails,” said Kevin. “He always seemed to have a massive grin on his face.”

“He was a warm, friendly, grandfather-type … but could be quite strongly opinionated.”

Kevin also remembered Brian’s passion for the Epic: “When we went to Brian’s house for his memorial service there were pictures and mementoes we had given him on display all over the walls.”

“We’ll miss him … we’ll forever be grateful for the role he played in helping us get the event off the ground,” said Kevin.

“In the eight years I knew Brian I always saw passion and love for everything that he did,” Sarah said. “He will be missed, but I feel happy for him that he was one of the few people in the world who lived the dream. He lived life to the full.”

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