Absa Cape Epic Ride Guide 2018

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

RIDE GUIDE

2018

www.cape-epic.com

PODIUM CONTENDERS A DAY IN THE LIFE OF AN EPIC RIDER EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH NINO SCHURTER

18-25 MARCH 2018 8 DAYS | 6 5 8 K M | 1 3 5 3 0 M C L I M B I N G | U N TA M E D

THE RACE THAT MEASURES ALL The Absa Cape Epic is a physically gruelling and mentally demanding multi-stage mountain bike race. It is hosted in South Africa’s Western Cape region in some of the most beautiful natural surroundings in Africa. Every year the race follows a different route that takes riders through rugged terrain, up rocky climbs and down thrilling technical descents. It is an eight-day journey that has, over the years, become a rite of passage for mountain bikers the world over.

The race attracts professional and serious amateur entrants from across the planet that participate in two-person teams. It’s a test of skill, fitness, partnership, equipment and mettle and provides a rider experience that is a benchmark for world mountain biking.

5 43

56

10

2017 HIGHLIGHTS

12

ROUTE INTRO

15

ROUTE MAP

16

THE STAGES

43 74

2

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

FOREWORDS

51

A year to remember at the Absa Cape Epic

Something old, something new

A journey around the Western Cape

and the route in detail

WHO TO WATCH MEN

2018’s stellar field

WHO TO WATCH WOMEN New teams and new faces

CONTENTS

78

56

RACES WITHIN THE RACE

60

THE RACE FOR RED

62

A DEVELOPING STORY

85

EPIC FANTASY LEAGUE

65

RIDER AND TEAM NAMES

86

A PERFECT SEASON IN 365 DAYS

70

CHARITIES

88

EPIC IN NUMBERS

72

A DAY IN THE LIFE

75

EPIC SERIES

Top category contenders

Absa African Special Jersey

Exxaro Special Jersey

See who’s riding in 2018

Engaging with our communities

Of a rider in the race village

From dusty backcountry wilderness to pristine Alpine peaks...

81

UNTAMED

Dealing with the unpredictable

RACE VILLAGE Home for eight stages

Predict the daily winners

A dream year for Absa Cape Epic Champion, Nino Schurter

All the statistics

Project Manager Ashleigh Coetzer Art Director Sureine van der Merwe Mapping Craig Beech Contributors Kevin McCallum, Chris Whitfield Production Managers Media24 Photographic Contributors Andre Willmore, Dominic Barnardt, Emma Hill, Ewald Sadie, Gary Perkin, Greg Beadle, Karin Schermbrucker, Marius Maasewerd, Mark Sampson, Nick Muzik, Sam Clark, Sophie Smith, Sven Martin, Tim Bardsley-Smith, Zoon Cronje Absa Cape Epic Tel +27 21 426 4373 info@cape-epic.com www.cape-epic.com

RIDEGUIDE ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

3

VALAIS, SWITZERLAND

11-15 SEPTEMBER 2018

HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO GUARANTEE YOUR EPIC ENTRY? With the Absa Cape Epic selling out in seconds every year, entries are hard to come by.

As part of the new Epic Series, the Perskindol Swiss Epic, Reef to Reef (Australia) and The Pioneer (New Zealand) give riders the opportunity to qualify for a guaranteed Absa Cape Epic slot. The Epic Series is all about finding the pure essence of mountain biking, all over the globe. Each event shows its own unique test of endurance, resolve and skill with the beauty of each region as the perfect antidote to the demands of off-road racing.

Find out about Absa Cape Epic qualification guidelines at www.epic-series.com For more details, see page 75

25-30 NOVEMBER 2018

9-12 AUGUST 2018

FOREWORDS MESSAGE FROM RACE FOUNDER KEVIN VERMAAK • The Prologue is back on Table Mountain: this icon of the Western Cape and South Africa provides the perfect backdrop for the start of the 15th Absa Cape Epic as we show off our beautiful country.

• World’s first satellite-based tracking:

Each team will be tracked with a SPOT Gen3 device, which uses satellites to pinpoint their position instead of cellular.

The rugged nature of the route means there are some areas with little or no coverage, and our partnership with SPOT means families will be able to track riders from start to the finish at Val de Vie via our website.

The start of the 2018 Absa Cape Epic marks the end of a very exciting and eventful 12 months for myself and my team.

As usual, we’ve worked hard to continue innovating at the Absa Cape Epic and have some incredibly exciting developments. We’ve started rolling out the Epic Series – a collection of aspirational week-long Epic races around the world; we’ve acquired the Wines2Whales; and a week before the Absa Cape Epic, hosted the opening round of the UCI MTB World Cup in Stellenbosch. With the help of our parent company, IRONMAN and Wanda Sports, we have undoubtedly developed into the world’s premier mountain biking event-management company.

This year at the Absa Cape Epic we will be introducing these innovations:

• The Absa African Special Jersey for

Women: with the first all-African women’s team over the line receiving prize money equal to that of the men.

They will be presented with the Hannele Steyn trophy, named after the only woman to have finished every single race since 2004 – and one of the four remaining Last Lions.

• A comprehensive merchandise

programme: available online and at event. Make sure you get something – it will sell out very quickly.

• A time-trial in the middle of the race

for the first time since 2011: Work on purpose-built trails in Wellington started the day after the race finished last year.

It will be interesting to see how this affects the podium as the racing is much more competitive and intense than seven years ago.

• Epic Series: for the first time, there will

be a global series of premium mountain bike events in which riders can qualify for the Absa Cape Epic. Next year, the Perskindol Swiss Epic will join The Pioneer in New Zealand as part of the series. This year, we welcome the first qualifiers at the race from the 2017 Pioneer. In essence, we are exporting the African-ness of the Absa Cape Epic to other stage races around the world.

Every year, one of the highest-rated aspects of our race by participants is the chance to ride in the same race as the world’s elite mountain bikers. Just think, what other sport, let alone event, allows this. At this year’s race, you’re riding alongside the world’s reigning marathon and cross-country champions, men and women, as well as the Olympic gold medallist. We will have an even greater field with the Epic World Cup in Stellenbosch for the first time again in 20 years. We’re proud to be the catalyst to bring this prestigious event back to South Africa and the Absa Cape Epic has benefitted. Stellenbosch, and the Western Cape, is truly becoming the centre of world mountain biking for the month of March every year.

Once again, the women’s race will be incredibly exciting. For the first time in many years, we have the entire women’s podium returning in the same team configuration as last year. They will mix it up with the Swiss-Polish duo of Jolanda Neff and Maja Włoszczowska, a new team that, on paper at least must be favourites.

Jolanda is the current elite cross-country world champion and two-time World Cup champion, while Maja is a former marathon and cross-country champion, and a two-time silver Olympic medallist.

The Dimension Data Masters category race is now almost a race between former road professionals, it’s not that the race is a road race – far from it, it’s just that many of these riders have discovered a true love of mountain biking in their retirement years, whereas their professional World Tour team contracts had perhaps prevented them from participating in mountain bike races.

The men’s race was dominated by cross-country riders last year. Was this a one-off because of the nature of the 2017 course, or is it a sign of things to come?

Karl Platt believes the 2018 route leans towards the teams used to the longer distances instead of the explosive power of cross-country, but we have a very large and incredibly strong representation of cross-country superstars led by no less than Nino Schurter.

One of our big goals, as a team, after last year’s race, was to rock the amateur standard rider package experience. I’m confident we’ve achieved this, and I look forward to interacting with as many riders as possible in the coming event to get your feedback on the Absa Cape Epic and mountain bike stage racing in general.

After riding the race in 2016, many folk have asked me when I will ride it again.

The truth is, I’d love to ride it every year, but sadly, given my new role in building the global Epic Series, the Absa Cape Epic is a working week for me. But, I will be riding both the Perskindol Swiss Epic in September and The Pioneer in New Zealand. I hope to see many of you on those trails too later in the year.

Thanks to all who make the Absa Cape Epic the race that it is. From my team, to our incredible sponsors, suppliers, volunteers, land owners, officials and you, the riders who travel from all around the world to celebrate this incredible week with us.

Good luck, ride safe and strong. I look forward to handing you your finisher’s medal at Val de Vie.

One of our big goals, as a team, after last year’s race, was to rock the amateur standard rider package experience

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

5

MESSAGE FROM THE UCI PRESIDENT

David Lappartient President

UCI

It’s that time of year again when mountain biking’s superstars tackle the magnificent but unforgiving Western Cape of South Africa.

Participants of this year’s Absa Cape Epic can expect eight extremely challenging but immensely rewarding days in the saddle.

Even the last day – traditionally an easier stage – has been made tougher this year.

Congratulations once again to everyone involved in the organisation of this event, which each year provides riders with an unforgettable experience in spectacular surroundings.

The professional and competent organisers, supported by local authorities, sponsors, partners and volunteers, can only be congratulated for their ability to stage a race of this magnitude, which involves not only tracing out race routes, but also packing up and moving entire race villages on a regular basis.

This year, the Absa Cape Epic will kick off one week after the opening round of the Mercedes-Benz UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Stellenbosch, making it a true South African mountain bike celebration.

My best wishes go to everyone competing in the 2018 Absa Cape Epic.

MESSAGE FROM THE WESTERN CAPE PREMIER It is my pleasure to welcome all participants in the 2018 Absa Cape Epic to our province.

Helen Zille Western Cape Premier

WESTERN CAPE

We consider it a privilege to have the Western Cape hosting this event, one of the largest of its kind in the world, as it encourages us in our efforts to position the province as a desirable destination for sports tourism.

The Absa Cape Epic has also become known for raising money for charity and social development. And we are grateful to the organisers, sponsors and participants for their

contribution to community upliftment in the region. We believe that sport can play a crucial and life-transforming role in young people’s lives, and the example of the cyclists also provides role models for our youth.

The display of sportsmanship in the eight-day race, combined with the surrounds of the natural scenery, are a legacy we want to build and share with visitors who come from other parts of South Africa and around the world.

We wish you all the best for the challenge ahead.

MESSAGE FROM THE CAPE TOWN MAYOR

Patricia de Lille Executive Mayor

CITY OF CAPE TOWN

Each year, I am excited to welcome mountain bike enthusiasts from across South Africa and the world to our incredible city and mountain slopes.

Transformation Plan’s vision to leverage partnerships for progress, and positioning Cape Town as a forward-looking, innovative and globally competitive city.

The City of Cape Town is a proud supporter of the Absa Cape Epic, one of the world’s biggest sport attractions, to the city. Events like these have cemented Cape Town as the Events Capital of Africa.

I would like to wish the organisers well for the 2018 Absa Cape Epic and to send good luck to all the riders. May you have a great ride and take time to enjoy the many offerings in our beautiful Cape Town and the Western Cape.

The Absa Cape Epic provides enormous benefit to our local economy, sharing the City’s Organisational Development and

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

7

Wealth. It’s a feeling.

Remember the first time you felt wealthy?

You saw potential where others saw an empty space. But you knew that it would take more than a vision to realise your ambitions.

We share that feeling. That’s why we are dedicated to offering leading capabilities and expertise in Wealth Management, so you can continue to follow your drive to succeed - confident in the knowledge that we are preserving and helping to grow your wealth.

absa.co.za/wim Wealth Management

Make the confident choice. Prosper.

Absa Bank Limited (Reg No 1986/004794/06) trading as Absa Wealth, an Authorised Financial Services Provider License No 523.

Registered Credit Provider Reg No NCRCP7. Absa Wealth is part of the Wealth, Investment Management and Insurance.

MESSAGE FROM ABSA Welcome to the 2018 Absa Cape Epic, Absa’s 13th year as headline sponsor of this, the world’s premier mountain bike stage race.

David Wingfield Head of Marketing Barclays Africa

As you look to challenge yourself during these eight days, determination and perseverance will be required, and along with our key partners we trust this journey will enable you to conquer this event as one.

We are aware 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. It takes a very special type of person to complete the Absa Cape Epic.

A person with passion, resilience, skill, excellence and sheer determination. A person that respects their craft and rides this race with integrity and excellence. Our values as the headline sponsor of the Absa Cape Epic mirror the qualities you display, and that is why this is a great partnership.

We will be at Val De Vie, cheering you on over the finish line on Sunday, 25 March 2018 as we all Conquer as One.

MESSAGE FROM DIMENSION DATA They say the road to victory is never easy.

And covering 658km of rough terrain with 13 530m of climbing, the Absa Cape Epic is anything but easy.

Albi van Zyl Sales and Marketing Executive

Having again partnered with the Absa Cape Epic as official technology partner to the event, Dimension Data is once again ready to connect the world to the Absa Cape Epic and you, the riders and spectators, to your loved ones back home.

Our high-tech connectivity solutions are there to ensure that everyone involved in the Epic is able to perform at their best, even across the most remote territories. Whether it’s a doctor needing to access a rider’s medical records, a journalist needing to

broadcast the race to the world, or a rider simply wanting to Skype their family, our role is to provide the best support possible to the teams toughing it out in one of the greatest gauntlets of world cycling.

We are also able to support another important partnership in the form of Qhubeka, our global CSI initiative, which Dimension Data will actively be promoting during the course of the event.

And as you and your teams prepare to embark on this incredible journey, we’d like to wish you the very best of luck. #toughteamsdo Enjoy the ride.

MESSAGE FROM EXXARO It’s been six years since Exxaro came on board as a headline sponsor and development partner to the Absa Cape Epic. What a ride it has been!

Mxolisi Mgojo CEO

We’ve watched the sweat pour, the tears flow, and the smiles broaden – and we’ve been humbled by the teamwork and sheer willpower that has kept the riders moving.

This grit motivated us to start the Exxaro MTB Academy as we recognised that by introducing mountain biking into disadvantaged communities, our young people could be encouraged to challenge

themselves and see the possibilities that arise from perseverance and determination.

A recent success story is Rozalia Kubyana, one of the female Exxaro MTB Academy riders, who was selected to represent South Africa at the UCI World Championships in Cairns, Australia in 2017.

As a company, we are proud to be powering this kind of possibility.

I wish our Exxaro teams, and every other participant, strong legs, healthy lungs and an iron-will to do your best. Our green is right there beside you.

MESSAGE FROM VIRGIN ACTIVE

Ross Faragher-Thomas Managing Director

The Absa Cape Epic is an extraordinary event made special by the spectacular and challenging route, and by the people involved - the people who organise it, the people who take part in it and the people who support it all along the way.

to our world-class stationery bike technology and Ride classes to meet that demand. Many more of our members are setting themselves, and achieving, big fitness goals, and they don’t come any bigger than pairing up for the Absa Cape Epic.

This is Virgin Active’s second year as a headline sponsor and official health club partner of the race and we’re delighted to be part of it once again.

Cycling is growing all the time as a key feature of our members’ fitness regimes and we continue to add

I wish all the riders the very best for your preparation and participation and I’ll be keeping a special eye out for the teams racing for the Virgin Active Mixed category leader’s jersey, and on our members who won entries through the Virgin Active Epic Battle.

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

9

A YEAR TO REMEMBER SCHURTER, STIRNEMANN WIN 2017 ABSA CAPE EPIC Crowds at Val de Vie Estate in Paarl had lined up to watch Olympic champion Nino Schurter and partner Matthias Stirnemann claim their maiden Absa Cape Epic crown.

THE LAST LIONS MAKE IT THROUGH EVENT NUMBER 14

STENERHAG’S SPECIAL MOMENT

Hannele Steyn, Mike Nixon, John Gale and Craig Beech have done it again. All four finished the 2017 Absa Cape Epic and remain as the only Last Lions – the very select group of people who have finished every event since the first in 2004.

A year after having heart surgery Jennie Stenerhag wept as she and Esther Süss won the Absa Cape Epic Women’s category.

5 896 TENTS DONATED TO DISASTER RELIEF The Absa Cape Epic and event sponsor Absa donated 5 896 of the two-man tents used in the race to disaster relief efforts in the Western Cape.

DIEPSLOOT TRAINING WITH THE BEST IN THE WORLD 2017 Exxaro Special Jersey winners William Mokgopo and Phillimon Sebona are changed men. The Diepsloot MTB Academy riders returned from an eight-day stay at the elite Bakala Academy in Leuven, Belgium – part of their prize for winning the race for the Exxaro special jersey – and would happily go back tomorrow.

ABSA CAPE EPIC TAKES ‘CUTTING EDGE’ TROPHY The Absa Cape Epic’s breakthrough live race coverage has won it the prestigious Cutting Edge Award at the annual Discovery Sport Industry Awards.

10

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

IRONMAN FOUNDATION JOIN AS OFFICIAL CHARITY The Absa Cape Epic announced the addition of The IRONMAN Foundation® to its Official Charity Programme.

GRAND FINALE TO STAY AT VAL DE VIE The acclaimed Val de Vie Estate proved to be a popular and successful host for the final stage finish of this year’s race.

Now the Estate has joined the Untamed African MTB race’s sponsor family and will be the Grand Finale venue for at least the next five years.

53 COUNTRIES IN THE 2018 ABSA CAPE EPIC They’ll be bringing their bikes to the 2018 Absa Cape Epic from Bermuda, Latvia, Thailand, Uruguay, China and many more. 53 Nations will be represented among the many riders on the Absa Cape Epic start line on 18 March 2018.

HANNELE STEYN TROPHY REVEALED The first all-African team home in the Women’s category to be presented with the Hannele Steyn Trophy at the Grand Finale at Val de Vie.

EXXARO BACK FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS

CELEBRITY TEAM TO RAISE FUNDS FOR CHARITY

Exxaro’s partnership with the Absa Cape Epic – which has significantly boosted the development aspect of the race – has been extended for another five years.

The 2018 the race boasts one of the most competitive charity pairings yet, in the form of Douglas Ryder and Jan Scannell (Jan Braai), riding for Dimension Data to raise funds and awareness for Qhubeka.

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 ROUTE REVEALED From the majestic slopes of Table Mountain to the magnificence of the Grand Finale at Val de Vie Estate with a manic time trial in between – the Absa Cape Epic 2018 route has been created to be balanced and bold.

LETSHEGO ZULU TO RIDE IN MEMORY OF LATE HUSBAND

NEW OFFICIAL TRACKING PARTNER

Letshego Zulu to ride in memory of her late husband, Gugu Zulu, with Gugu’s 2016 Absa Cape Epic partner Maurice Mdolo.

ABSA CAPE EPIC GETS A REFRESHING NEW PARTNER Riders will now be able to enjoy aQuellé’s range of natural spring water and delicious flavoured drinks at the 2018 race.

ROAD STARS AIM TO BECOME MTB HEROES AT THE ABSA CAPE EPIC Two icons from the road, Erik Dekker and Jurgen Van den Broek, make the transition to the mountain.

UCI WORLD CHAMPIONS HIT SOUTH AFRICAN SHORES The 2018 opening UCI MTB World Cup will be held at the Coetzenburg course in Stellenbosch, and will consist of four events, the men’s and women’s elite and under-23 categories.

Sattelites to look after riders in 2018 Absa Cape Epic along the route thanks to SPOT, the new Official Tracking Partner of Africa’s Untamed Mountain Bike Race.

PERSKINDOL SWISS EPIC BECOMES NEWEST QUALIFIER From the Alps to the Western Cape: the 2018 Perkindol Swiss Epic six-day mountain bike stage race will offer athletes a chance to qualify for the Absa Cape Epic.

CAPE EPIC ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF WINES2WHALES Cape Epic acquires what is now one of the largest 3-day mountain bike stage races in the world.

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

11

658KM | 13 530M CLIMBING

2018 ROUTE

From the majestic slopes of Table Mountain to the magnificence of the Grand Finale at Val de Vie Estate with a manic time trial in between – the 2018 Absa Cape Epic route has been created to be balanced and bold.

The total distance of 658km with 13 530m of climbing will include four consecutive days of 100km, a final stage that is far from an easy roll to the line and a race of truth with a Stage 5 time trial that could shake up the race amongst the elites.

From the Prologue on the iconic Table Mountain, where it was last held in 2015, the 2018 Absa Cape Epic will visit Robertson, Worcester and Wellington, and finish at the Val de Vie Estate in the Paarl-Franschoek Valley.

The last Absa Cape Epic to feature a time trial was in 2011. Riders will face a 39km time trial in Wellington which makes up Stage 5, the majority of which will be on the Welvanpas trails and will have 1 430m of climbing.

It has been reintroduced this year to change things up mid-race, giving the leading teams an opportunity to attack rivals. Usually, if a team had managed to secure a decent lead by this stage they would simply mark their rivals’ attacks, but that is not possible on a time trial.

Riders will spend three nights in Robertson for the first three stages, with a transition stage to Worcester, where they will stay for one night before settling down in Wellington until heading to Val de Vie, which will be the home for the Grand Finale for the next five years.

8 DAYS

13 530M CLIMBING

658KM

12

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

The route team has come up with a very balanced ride, with days that will suit the strong climbers and others that will play into the hands of the skilled technical riders. Some days will favour riders able to grind it out for hours on end, but those with more explosive power will also be eyeing stages where they could strike.

In a break with tradition, the final stage of the race will not be the easy day it has been in the past, taking riders from Wellington to Val de Vie over a testing 70km with 2 000m of climbing that will make riders earn that precious medal.

The Absa Cape Epic will once again feature the Land Rover Technical Terrain sections on each of the eight days, testing and also enjoyable sections of the route will have riders wanting to ride them again and again.

ABSA CAPE EPIC

CAPABILITY OF EPIC PROPORTIONS.

The 2018 Absa Cape Epic promises to be as challenging as ever. We can’t wait.

With our history as race and route partner for this incredible event, the Discovery brings even more capability and versatility to the experience.

The vehicle’s lineage and DNA are without question. Its all-terrain capability, 900mm wading ability and features like Terrain Response 2 ensure the Discovery is always ready to get out there and tackle whatever comes over the horizon. And with an impressive 3.500kg towing capability, it takes towing to a whole new level.

So after tackling close to 700km of untamed splendour, let’s take it Above and Beyond. landrover.co.za

658KM | 13 530M CLIMBING

PROLOGUE

STAGE 1

STAGE 2

STAGE 3

Cape Town

Robertson Robertson

Robertson Robertson

KM 20 DISTANCE

110 KM DISTANCE

M 600 CLIMBING

1900 M CLIMBING

| ROUTE MAP

STAGE 4

STAGE 5

STAGE 6

STAGE 7

Robertson Worcester

Worcester Wellington

Wellington Wellington

Wellington Wellington

Wellington Val de Vie

110 KM DISTANCE

122 KM DISTANCE

111 KM DISTANCE

39 KM DISTANCE

76 KM DISTANCE

70 KM DISTANCE

2000 M CLIMBING

1800 M CLIMBING

1800 M CLIMBING

1430 M CLIMBING

2000 M CLIMBING

2000 M CLIMBING

REGISTRATION DATE: 17 March 2018 VENUE: University of Cape Town TIME: 09:00 to 13:00 Registration day promises to be a hive of activity and a fun day out for the whole family. Plan to stay a while and enjoy the atmosphere in the Castle Free Chill Zone, grab a quick bite from one of the many food vendors, or shop at the official Epic Logo Store where you can stock up on Absa Cape Epic branded merchandise, all while your kids enjoy everything that the Virgin Active Club-V Kids Zone has to offer!

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

15

16

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

CAPE TOWN TABLE MOUNTAIN

LAST VISITED

TIMES VISITED

2015

3

Cape Town, South Africa’s Mother City, provides a glorious welcome to one of the most spectacular regions of Africa. Sitting at the foot of the iconic Table Mountain with a heritage spanning over 300 years, Cape Town attracts tourists from around the world with its unique mix – part fishing village, part metropolis and giant adventure playground. The city is a sought-after destination for its beautiful mountain and sea landscapes, spectacular, pristine beaches, architecture, cuisine, music and lifestyle. It boasts the top five national attractions in South Africa: Table Mountain, a world heritage site; 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; and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, internationally acclaimed as one of the great gardens of the world.

CHRIS WHITFIELD’S SNAPSHOT

4 TIME FINISHER: Chris Whitfield

Iconic doesn’t begin to describe this world-famous chunk of rock in the heart of Cape Town. And increasingly its slopes are becoming a place for mountain bikers to play, with lots of trails and an ever-growing amount of singletrack. And just down the hill are countless numbers of coffee shops and pubs and beaches and, well, whatever takes your fancy. Enjoy one of the world’s great natural playgrounds.

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

17

CAPE TOWN | SUNDAY 18 MARCH

THE MOUNTAIN START LOCATION

DISTANCE

University Of Cape Town 20km

RATING

FINISH LOCATION

CLIMBING University Of Cape Town 600m

TECHNICAL TERRAIN

800m

600m

Dead Man’s Tree Plum Pudding

400m

Quarry 200m

0

5

10 Short and oh-so-very sharp.

From the imposing buildings of the University of Cape Town, riders will be sent up the most unforgiving climbs of one of the Seven New Wonders of the World.

RACE DIRECTOR: Kati Csak

RACE TIP: If you are not in it to win it take it easy.

WATCH LIVE /capeepic

18

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

Some may be left wondering about their legs after the first climb that has been given a name we dare not print in public, just 100m long with sections ramping up to unforgiving, steep gradients.

Table Mountain has one last punch for the riders, up to Dead Man’s Tree, before they find the masses of spectators who will cheer them on as they head on the loop back to the finish.

One last challenge awaits, the eye-wateringly quick descent of Plum Pudding, the Land Rover Technical Terrain section of the day.

15

20

| PROLOGUE

B

C

A

RACE PREDICTION FOR THE PROS The high-revving, red-line, flat-out rush of the Prologue leans towards the explosive power of World Champion Nino Schurter and Matthias Stirnemann of Scott-Sram, but the lure of the glory of winning on the iconic Table Mountain is strong. Cannondale Factory Racing’s Manuel Fumic and Henrique Avancini were popular winners last year when they blew away the rest of the field in the Prologue, winning by over a minute to lay down a marker and show their win in the Grand Finale in 2016 was no one-off. Jaroslav Kulhavy and the young American, Howard Grotts (Investec Songo Specialized ) make up a formidable team.

Three-time winner Annika Langvad won on Table Mountain with Ariane Lüthi in 2015 by three-and-a-half minutes. The Dane returns with young American, Kate Courtney, regarded as mountain biking’s next superstar and the Investec Songo Specialized 2 pair could excel up to Dead Man’s Tree and the white-knuckle descent of Plum Pudding. Cross country World Champion Jolanda Neff and Team Kross partner Maja Włoszczowska will be looking to make a statement of their own in their debut Absa Cape Epic. Robyn de Groot won the Prologue in 2017 and 2016, and finished second in 2015. She will be looking to give South Africans a reason to cheer on the first day with returning partner, Sabine Spitz.

WHERE TO WATCH A | UCT XC TRACK

B | DEADMAN’S TREE

C | NEWLANDS FOREST

START TIMES FIRST

LAST

DISTANCE

START VANTAGE A VANTAGE B VANTAGE C

6:40 6:46 7:09 7:23

12:10 12:15 12:40 12:52

0km 2km 11.6km 19km

UCI WOMEN UCI MEN FINISH

10:39 11:46 13:15

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

19

20

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

ROBERTSON LAST VISITED

TIMES VISITED

2014

2

Situated in the shadow of the imposing Langeberg Mountains on the Breede River, Robertson is the western gateway to Route 62, the meandering journey through the Western Cape and a tourists’ favourite. Robertson is one of the most attractive of the Cape Winelands towns, with 150-year-old Victorian buildings, Jacaranda-lined streets and breath-taking gardens.

The area is best known for its world-class wine with the Robertson Valley forming part of the longest wine route in the world. It boasts over 50 cellars, co-operatives and private estates, whose wines have won international awards.

Visitors to Robertson can indulge in lazy river cruises to mountain hikes, elegant wining-and-dining and outdoor picnics and visits to rich historical sites such as the Pink Church, built in 1859.

CHRIS WHITFIELD’S SNAPSHOT Sensible people go to Robertson for three things mainly: the wine, the wine and the wine. But, like just about everywhere in the Western Cape, mountain biking has been embraced by the people of the area. A consequence is lots of new trails springing up all around the town. The riding is rugged and you need to be on your toes, but afterwards you’ll get to enjoy the friendly embrace of the locals.

And enjoy their wine.

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

21

ROBERTSON | MONDAY 19 MARCH

NOWHERE TO HIDE START LOCATION

DISTANCE 110km

FINISH LOCATION

CLIMBING 1 900m

Arabella Wine Estate

Arabella Wine Estate

RATING

WATER POINTS 1. Steenboksvlakte Farm (hydro)* 32km 45km 2. McGregor Main Road 62km 3. Farm Yard 89km 4. Koeningsrivier Road *hydro: not a full service water point

TECHNICAL TERRAIN

800m

Skuilkrans Skid and Bones

600m

Takkap

Con’s Singletrack

400m

200m

0

20

RACE DIRECTOR: Kati Csak

RACE TIP: Energise yourself with the vibrant Langeberg Hospitality at Water Point 2, passing through the quaint town of McGregor, to get ready for the first real test of your climbing legs.

WATCH LIVE /capeepic

40

60

Stage 1 is never easy at the Absa Cape Epic, although this first day will welcome riders with a hard smile that will become a grimace of effort and endurance.

A roll around district and farm roads to start is followed by some sharp kickers and the rock ’n roll descent on the rocky, rutted descent of Con’s Singletrack.

Takkap Climb comes into play just before halfway and will be the biggest challenge of the day, brutally steep and rocky. Hey, this is Robertson. Everything is rocky in Robertson.

The Land Rover Technical Terrain of Skid and Bones Descent is remote, neglected dual track where line choice has never been more important.

The “Hidden Cliff” of Skuilkrans is part of a 14km uphill slog before some small reprieve and a few testing climbs through the Elandskloof Reserve.

22

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

80

100

110

| STAGE 1

A

RACE PREDICTION FOR THE PROS Riders will be watching each other carefully on this first day around Robertson, which begins with some leg-stretching on district roads before testing technical skills on the rugged descent of Con’s Singletrack and strength on the climb of Takkap. It is likely the first attacks will come here, with Annika Langvad and Kate Courtney (Investec Songo Specialized 2) perhaps putting in an effort to see who is up for the fight. South Africa’s Robyn de Groot and her German partner Sabine Spitz (Ascendis Health) may just beat them to the punch and put in an attack of their own, setting themselves up for the long, gruelling 14km climb that follows and includes the Skuilkrans before the rush into Robertson.

The men will be wary of each other on this first day, which could play into the hands of one of the outsiders. Manuel Fumic and Henrique Avancini of Cannondale Factory Racing held off Jaroslav Kulhavy and Christoph Sauser for their second win of the 2017 race to give them an unlikely hat-trick of wins if you include the 2016 Grand Finale victory.

Nicola Rohrbach and Daniel Geismayr (Centurion Vaude) will be in the mix if the bunch splits up on the way to the finish in Robertson.

WHERE TO WATCH A | MCGREGOR MAIN ROAD 33km from Arabella Wine Estate

MEN

FIRST

START 7:00 SPECTATOR A 8:48 FINISH 11:24

WOMEN

FIRST

START 7:10 SPECTATOR A 09:21 FINISH 12:31

LAST

DISTANCE

8:05 11:41 16:53

0km 45km 110km

LAST

DISTANCE

8:05 11:41 16:53

0km 45km 110km

Predicted times only

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

23

ROBERTSON | TUESDAY 20 MARCH

AGAINST THE ROPES START LOCATION

Arabella Wine Estate

FINISH LOCATION

Arabella Wine Estate

DISTANCE 110km

RATING

WATER POINTS 1. Kranskop Wines 31.5km 2. Rifle Range 59km 3. Vrolijkheid (hydro)* 73km 4. Van Loveren Valley 88km *hydro: not a full service water point

CLIMBING 2 000m

TECHNICAL TERRAIN

800m

600m

Bosvark

Suckerpunch

One-Two-Three

400m

Balboa

Counterpunch

200m

0

20

RACE DIRECTOR: Kati Csak

RACE TIP: The playtime is in the second half – that’s if you reserved some energy and the temperatures don’t soar into the high 30s.

WATCH LIVE /capeepic

40

60

This will be like a 10-round world championship boxing match, with a series of climbs that will throw jabs and uppercuts at the riders all day.

Learn the names of these bumps, because you will remember them well. The Balboa, One-Two-Three Combo, Suckerpunch Climb and, when you think it is all over, the Counter Punch Climb.

There will be some fun with the 10km Land Rover Technical Terrain of the day - it’s the Bosvark singletrack swoop after 82km, which for many will be the highlight of the day – a singletrack like no other. When you think you’ll be freewheeling down, the trail snakes upward and every inch is hard earned.

Keep something in reserve for the last 40km.

24

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

80

100

110

| STAGE 2

A

RACE PREDICTION FOR THE PROS This will be a day of non-stop action, with attack following attack. Nino Schurter and Matthias Stirnemann of Scott-Sram will revel in the short, sharp aggression of this day, with Schurter’s ability to power away on climbs perhaps being the deciding factor. Alban Lakata and Kristian Hynek (Canyon Topeak) may take a fancy to this stage, while Karl Platt and Urs Huber (BULLS) will ensure they remain in touch with the leaders to stay in a favourable position for later in the race.

Team Kross’s Jolanda Neff and Maja Włoszczowska could find this stage to their liking as they begin to find their stage legs, but the racing may be close, which could allow for South Africa’s Mariske Strauss and her English partner Annie Last of Silverback-BH Pro to grab a win or a spot on the podium. With a World Cup cross country victory to her name in 2017, Last has shown the ability to roll with the punches on a day of climbing.

WHERE TO WATCH A | KRANSKOP WINES 6km from Arabella Wine Estate

MEN

FIRST

START 7:00 SPECTATOR A 8:15 FINISH 11:24

WOMEN

FIRST

START 7:10 SPECTATOR A 8:42 FINISH 12:31

LAST

DISTANCE

8:05 10:36 16:53

0km 31.5km 110km

LAST

DISTANCE

8:05 10:36 16:53

0km 31.5km 110km

Predicted times only

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

25

26

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

WORCESTER LAST VISITED

TIMES VISITED

2015

3

Worcester is renowned for its Boland hospitality and is the central point of the Cape Winelands District – the focal point and economic hub of the Breede Valley.

The beautiful town, established in 1819 has retained its gabled buildings and broad streets. It lies at the foot of the Brandwacht and Langeberg Mountains, and its temperate climate and relaxed country atmosphere have made it a popular stop for tourists.

Worcester offers a wide variety of activities throughout the year. The 154-hectare Karoo Botanical Desert Garden, with its unique succulent plant species and hiking trails, is a unique attraction, while the 11 award-winning wine cellars and three world class olive estates on the Worcester Wine & Olive Route are not to be missed.

The Worcester Museum at Kleinplasie portrays pioneer agricultural life, and the Hugo Naudé Art Museum and Jean Welz Art Gallery are popular attractions.

CHRIS WHITFIELD’S SNAPSHOT Try and forget for a moment that you are slap bang in the heart of the Cape Winelands district. There’s amazing riding around here, with the locals having carved out an impressive amount of trails in recent years. Then there are museums and olive farms. But don’t forget you are in the heart of the Cape Winelands District, and give the Worcester Wine & Olive Route a spin.

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

27

WORCESTER | WEDNESDAY 21 MARCH

THE LONGEST DAY START LOCATION

Arabella Wine Estate

DISTANCE 122km

FINISH LOCATION HTS Drostdy

CLIMBING 1 800m

800m

WATER POINTS

RATING

1. Wolfkloof (hydro)* 29km 2. Rooiberg Cellars 43km 3. Saggy Stone 69km 4. Nuy on The Hill 92km *hydro: not a full service water point

TECHNICAL TERRAIN

MEN’S & WOMEN’S HOTSPOT

Penn Hill

600m

Choose Your Own Adventure

Pieter’s Express Porcupine Trap

400m

200m

0

20

40

60

The transition day will be the longest stage of the 2018 Absa Cape Epic, but will not be the most challenging in terms of terrain.

RACE DIRECTOR: Kati Csak

RACE TIP: The wind likes to pick up in the afternoons – and it tends to be a headwind, so don’t bank on a downhill home run when you crest the high point at the 75km mark.

WATCH LIVE /capeepic

Well, except for the Porcupine Trap, a flat-out section through sandy fynbos trails toward the Saggy Stone Brewery that has porcupine dens that could swallow a man whole.

The first 20km includes three climbs, but it is Penn Hill that is the main challenge of the day, a 3.5km brute of a climb that comes after 12km of uphill graft.

The Land Rover Technical Terrain is Choose Your Own Adventure – a twisting section of Fynbos surrounded trail where line choice will determine if you will make it out with rubber left on your wheels or not.

This is thorn country. Look after your tyres on the run in to Worcester.

28

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

80

100

122

| STAGE 3

B

A

RACE PREDICTION FOR THE PROS The longest day of the Absa Cape Epic will need diesel engines as it rolls to Worcester with the challenge of Penn Hill to shake things up a bit. There are other tough moments, but being able to ride hard for long periods of time will be key. It could belong to Robyn de Groot and Sabine Spitz (Ascendis Health), while the experience of Esther Süss and Jennie Stenerhag (Meerendal CBC) will be a factor as they work to defend the title they won last year. It will also be a day for luck, with thorns prevalent.

Investec Songo Specialized’s Jaroslav Kulhavy has been described by Karl Platt as a powerful train when it comes to long-haul riding, blessed with an ability to lay down power on the front of the bunch. If he takes a notion to drive a break, anyone with ambitions of winning the stage or being in contention for the overall honours, had better jump on the train, otherwise, as Platt would put it, you will get left at the station. This could be a day for Kulhavy and partner Howard Grotts, although one of the more unsung teams could pull off a surprise.

WHERE TO WATCH A | ROOIBERG CELLARS 25km from Arabella Wine Estate B | NUY ON THE HILL 45km from Arabella Wine Estate

MEN

FIRST

START 7:00 SPECTATOR A 8:39 SPECTATOR B 10:32 FINISH 11:41

WOMEN

FIRST

START 7:10 SPECTATOR A 9:11 SPECTATOR B 11:29 FINISH 12:53

LAST

DISTANCE

8:05 11:23 15:09 17:28

0km 43km 92km 122km

LAST

DISTANCE

8:05 11:23 15:09 17:28

0km 43km 92km 122km

Predicted times only

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

29

30

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

WELLINGTON LAST VISITED

TIMES VISITED

2016

3

In Wellington you are struck by the beautiful Cape Dutch homesteads, picturesque environment, crisp-white churches, manicured gardens and, naturally, the numerous wineries.

Situated in a valley, Wellington and the town is surrounded by fruit orchards, wine estates, buchu plantations and olive groves, and is best known for its dried fruit industry, wines, table grapes and an award-winning distillery.

The historic Bain’s Kloof Pass into the town was built by master road builder Andrew Geddes Bain in 1854 and is still a favourite for travellers. It sports unsurpassed vistas, indigenous flora and fauna and crystal-clear streams and rivers – perfect for hikers and fly-fishermen. Visitors can also enjoy guided wine-walks and horsetrails through the rich farmland and fynbos around the town. Wellington’s vinecutting nurseries are responsible for the production of approximately 80% of the country’s vine root stock for the wine industry.

CHRIS WHITFIELD’S SNAPSHOT If you’re heading to Wellington with a bike on your rack then you probably have one destination in mind: Welvanpas, and its incredible trails. You’ll get to sample some of the best if you’re riding this year’s Absa Cape Epic, but it’s worth a visit anytime to experience the variety it offers: gnarly to flowing singletrack, sharp ascents and dipping descents, rugged conditions and beautiful scenery. And there’s always an excellent cup of coffee at the farm shop when you’re done.

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

31

WELLINGTON | THURSDAY 22 MARCH

BATTLE ROYALE START LOCATION HTS Drostdy

DISTANCE 111km

FINISH LOCATION

CLIMBING 1 800m

Huguenot High and Primary Schools

MEN’S & WOMEN’S HOTSPOT

800m

WATER POINTS

RATING

1. River Crossing (hydro)* 25km 2. Du Toitskloof Winery 44km 3. Hugoskraal Farm 66km 4. Bergsig Wines 78km *hydro: not a full service water point

TECHNICAL TERRAIN

Bains Kloof

600m

Goudini Spa Singletrack Thudbuster

400m

200m

0

20

RACE DIRECTOR: Kati Csak

RACE TIP: Goudini Spa offers a special treatment – arguably the most challenging section of the entire race.

The 12km stretch will challenge your technical skills, requiring constant momentum with numerous short and sharp climbs.

WATCH LIVE /capeepic

40

60

The Queen Stage. The Tough Stage.

One Stage to Conquer Them All. This will include two of the toughest climbs of the 15th Absa Cape Epic and the terrain will leave riders exasperated at times.

There will be more singletrack than you could wish for. The testing Rawsonville and Smalblaar River trails will prepare riders for one of the iconic sections of the 2018 route: The Slanghoek Valley trails, a throwback to the early days of mountain biking, before trails became smooth and “manicured”.

The Slanghoek Traverse is a testing descent before the Land Rover Technical Terrain, which is the Goudini Spa Singletrack. A white knuckle six-kilometre descent across the valley where rogue rocks and bar-snatching brush lie in wait.

The Thudbuster is a loose and sandy climb that points to heaven, but never seems to leave hell. It is later followed by the 9km climb of the

32

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

80

100

111

historic Bains Kloof pass on tar, which feels like it’s never-ending.

The last 15km takes in the Welvenpas trails and is, mostly, a downhill roll to Wellington.

| STAGE 4

B

A

RACE PREDICTION FOR THE PROS Karl Platt believes the 2018 race favours the marathon riders more than 2017. If he is to become the first man to win a sixth Absa Cape Epic title, he and Bulls teammate Urs Huber may need to make the Queen Stage of this year’s race theirs.

In 2015, when Stage 4 began in Worcester, the all-South African team of Philip Buys and Matthys Beukes (Pyga Euro Steel) broke away to win the stage and consolidate their lead in the Absa African special jersey competition.

South Africa’s Candice Lill and her German teammate Adelheid Morath (dormakaba) could target this as their day at the race, but the general classification race will be in full, red-hot contention on the fifth day, and Annika Langvad and Kate Courtney (Investec Songo Specialized 2), Robyn de Groot and Sabine Spitz (Ascendis Health), Esther Süss and Jennie Stenerhag (Meerendal CBC), and Mariske Strauss and Annie Last (Silverback-BH) will be eyeing Bainskloof Pass as a possible place to make or break the Absa Cape Epic.

WHERE TO WATCH A | DU TOITSKLOOF WINES 20km from HTS Drostdy B | BERGSIG CELLAR 28km from HTS Drostdy

MEN

FIRST

START 7:00 SPECTATOR A 8:50 SPECTATOR B 10:15 FINISH 11:37

WOMEN

FIRST

START 7:10 SPECTATOR A 9:24 SPECTATOR B 11:07 FINISH 12:48

LAST

DISTANCE

8:05 11:45 14:35 17:20

0km 44km 78km 111km

LAST

DISTANCE

8:05 11:45 14:35 17:20

0km 44km 78km 111km

Predicted times only

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

33

WELLINGTON | FRIDAY 23 MARCH

AGAINST THE CLOCK START LOCATION

DISTANCE 39km

Huguenot High and Primary Schools

FINISH LOCATION

WATER POINTS

RATING

1. DAFF Wellington 19km 2. Haweqwa Scout Camp (hydro)* 23km *hydro: not a full service water point

CLIMBING 1 430m

Huguenot High and Primary Schools

TECHNICAL TERRAIN

800m

Cool Runnings Plantation

600m

Seven Peaks

Rondawel

400m

200m

0

10

20 Flat out, but far from flat. The time trial is the race of truth, just you and your partner against the clock.

RACE DIRECTOR: Kati Csak

RACE TIP: Enjoy the shorter stage giving you extra recovery time – but don’t be fooled, it’s not a rest day!

WATCH LIVE /capeepic

This could shake up the elite categories, the intensity of the altitude gain and the short day may catch a few of them out.

Back in 2011, when the last time trial was held, Burry Stander and Christoph Sauser put a minute gap into their opponents. That could be more over the three, massive climbs on the day.

Rondawel is first up after 5km, then Plantation at 13km and the Seven Peaks 22km in. The fun will come with the Bobsled bridge and the singletrack descents of The Land Rover Technical Terrain Cool Runnings and Cool Runnings Too. They are narrow, fast and exciting singletrack descents that are well worth the burning legs brought on by the gruelling Seven Peaks Climb.

34

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

30

39

TIME TRIAL | STAGE 5

A

B

RACE PREDICTION FOR THE PROS The time trial, just three days from the end of the race could shake up the dynamics of the race as the cross country stars get to rev up their engines for a rip around Wellington.

Except, that they don’t usually ride a time trial after five days of hard racing through the Western Cape.

Jolanda Neff and Maja Włoszczowska (Team Kross) are likely to lead the charge, with Neff bringing all the ability that has seen the current elite World Champion win the World Cup series twice and become a triple under-23 World Champ. Robyn de Groot has an excellent record in time trials at the Absa Cape Epic given her Prologue form over the last three years, winning with Ascendis Health teammate Sabine Spitz last year. If Kate Courtney has found her stage race rhythm, then she and Annika Langvad (Investec Songo Specialized) will be in contention.

When Karl Platt discovered the 2018 route would be going through Wellington, he could barely keep the smile off his face. These are his favourite trails in South Africa, which he says he knows like the back of his hand, and he is on the record as saying he is looking forward to the time trial.

WHERE TO WATCH The 2018 time trial will be held over a distance of 39km. Riders will be seeded according to their GC ranking on Stage 4 and teams will start at timed intervals A | DIEMERSFONTEIN 3km from Huguenot High & Primary B | IMBUKO WINES 6km from Huguenot High & Primary TIME

WHO TO WATCH

6:45 7:30

UCI MEN START MEN’S CATEGORY LEADERS START UCI WOMEN START WOMEN’S CATEGORY LEADERS START OTHER CATEGORY LEADERS & A-BATCH START UCI MEN TOP 10 FINISH UCI WOMEN TOP 10 FINISH

7:35 7:55 8:05 9:00 10:00

Times are subject to change due to the actual dropout rate at the end of Stage 4.

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

35

WELLINGTON | SATURDAY 24 MARCH

TRUE GRIT START LOCATION

DISTANCE 76km

Huguenot High and Primary Schools

FINISH LOCATION

WATER POINTS

RATING

1. Schalk Burger & Sons 17km 2. Val Du Charron 39.5km 3. Oaklands (hydro)* 52km 4. Doolhof Wine Estate 60km *hydro: not a full service water point

CLIMBING 2 000m

Huguenot High and Primary Schools

TECHNICAL TERRAIN

800m

600m

Green Mamba

Cheese Grater

400m

True Grit 200m

0

10

20

30

40

And, on the seventh day, there was some small respite.

RACE DIRECTOR: Kati Csak

RACE TIP: It’s a fun day on the Welvanpass Trails – and even more fun if you enjoy climbing.

WATCH LIVE /capeepic

This is the fun day of the 2018 Absa Cape Epic, but riders will still need to go up to earn the right to enjoy the downhills.

So, before the 2km descent of the Rollercoaster, you will need to ride 2.5km of up. The Green Mamba climb is relentless, long and steep, but it comes with the reward of the Bain’s MTB Trails at Welvanpas.

Fun times are to be had through the Handlebar Snatcher, Deadly White Climb and Cheese Grater, the Land Rover Technical Terrain of the day. A furiously fast descent into the remote section of Welvenpas valley. Hold on, the Land Rover Technical Terrain has claimed many a victim before.

There is just one more big climb at the 65km mark, but the race village is not far away.

36

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

50

60

70

76

| STAGE 6 A

B D C

WHERE TO WATCH A | SCHALK BURGER & SONS 10km from Huguenot High & Primary

RACE PREDICTION FOR THE PROS The shortness of the day will not fool the front runners.

There is still time to be gained or lost on stages such as these. Again, this could be a day for Karl Platt and Urs Huber (BULLS), but the older riders would do well to keep an eye on the Scott -Sram Young Guns Michael van der Heijden and Andri Frischknecht, who proved they were more than just a back-up team to Nino Schurter and Matthias Stirnemann with two stage wins, including the Grand Finale at Val de Vie. Those teams who have not featured in the race thus far will look for some late stage glory, with Trek Selle San Marco’s Damiano Ferraro and Samuele Porro, Philip Buys and Matthys Beukes (Pyga Euro Steel) trying their luck on this “fun” day.

Mariske Strauss and Annie Last (Silverback-BH) were in top form near the end of the 2017 race, winning Stage 6 by just 30 seconds from Esther Süss and Jennie Stenerhag (Meerendal CBC), who by then had a substantial 35-minute lead overall. Watch out for a possible surprise from the South African pair of Carmen Buchacher and Samantha Sanders (dormakaba), who should be the top contenders for the Hannele Steyn Trophy for the winners of the Absa African Women’s competition.

B | LINTON PARK 6km from Huguenot High & Primary C | VAL DU CHARRON 1km from Huguenot High & Primary D | DOOLHOF 9km from Huguenot High & Primary

MEN START SPECTATOR SPECTATOR SPECTATOR SPECTATOR FINISH

FIRST

WOMEN START SPECTATOR SPECTATOR SPECTATOR SPECTATOR FINISH

LAST

DISTANCE

8:05 9:33 10:48 11:27 13:14 14:38

0km 17km 32km 39.5km 60km 76km

FIRST

LAST

DISTANCE

7:10 8:03 8:51 9:15 10:20 11:11

8:05 9:33 10:48 11:27 13:14 14:38

0km 17km 32km 39.5km 60km 76km

7:00 A 7:44 B 8:21 C 8:41 D 9:34 10:16

A B C D

Predicted times only

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

37

38

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

VAL DE VIE LAST VISITED

TIMES VISITED

2017

1

The idea behind Val de Vie was sparked 30 years ago when Martin Venter dreamed of a place in the Cape Winelands that his family could call home. For many years he searched for the ideal location and in 2001 he found it while flying over the Paarl Valley. Alongside the Berg River lay a wine farm dating back to 1783: this would be the “Valley of Life” that he had been dreaming of. Martin then took on the challenge of transforming the sand mine that was then in operation into a lush paradise. Today the land has been turned into a flourishing estate and Martin’s dream has been realised. In 2018 the Absa Cape Epic will finish at Val de Vie for the second time.

CHRIS WHITFIELD’S SNAPSHOT Think Val de Vie and you think golf, polo, fine dining, excellent wine (something of a theme this year), healthy lifestyle and beautiful setting. And now the venue for the most prestigious stage win in mountain biking, the Absa Cape Epic Grand Finale. And all this nestled in the stunning Paarl-Franschhoek Valley, sometimes described as the gastronomic capital of South Africa. The perfect place to unwind and celebrate after eight tough days.

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

39

VAL DE VIE | SUNDAY 25 MARCH

THE LAST STAND START LOCATION Huguenot High and Primary Schools

FINISH LOCATION Val de Vie, Paarl

DISTANCE 70km

WATER POINTS

RATING

1. DAFF Wellington 22km 2. D Vine Estate 36km 3. Avondale Wine 47.5km 4. Top of Climb (hydro)* 57.5km *hydro: not a full service water point

CLIMBING 2 000m

TECHNICAL TERRAIN

MEN’S & WOMEN’S HOTSPOT

800m

Haweqwa 600m

Protea Climb

Beulah

Bone Rattler

400m

Freedom Struggle 200m

0

10

20

30

40

Remember when the last day at the Absa Cape Epic was a trundle home?

No more. The climbing starts after just 3km on the Patatskloof (Sweet Potato Ravine).

RACE DIRECTOR: Kati Csak

RACE TIP: True to style, you can see the finish as you turn into the mountains for one last climb – it will be a hard-earned finisher’s medal.

WATCH LIVE /capeepic

40

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

Concrete strips announce the beginning of the Beulah climb, which leads into the seemingly-endless Haweqwa climb, which together gain over 450m in around 6km.

Once done with the Protea Climb, riders will be able to see the finish at Val de Vie in Paarl, but have one last challenge: Freedom Struggle Climb, a rocky threekilometre section that is completely bare to the elements, followed by the Bone Rattler descent.

The last Land Rover Technical Terrain of the 2018 Absa Cape Epic is the Bone Rattler, which is one of the riskiest descents in the entire route and a place where your finishers’ medal could be at stake.

50

60

70

The final stretch is on purpose-built singletrack to the Grand Finale at Val de Vie Estate and the celebration of wearing an Absa Cape Epic finisher’s medal.

| STAGE 7

A

B

RACE PREDICTION FOR THE PROS By now, it is likely the champions will have been already decided, but the final sprint to the Grand Finale at Val de Vie will be no roll to the line. Cannondale Factory Racing’s Manuel Fumic and Henrique Avancini worked hard for their win here in 2016, while Michael van der Heijden and Andri Frischknecht (Scott-Sram Young Guns) were unleashed on the final day and took a second stage win of the 2017 race, just 17 seconds ahead of Trek Selle San Marco’s Damiano Ferraro and Samuele Porro.

The race could split up at the start with some tough climbs, with a sprint to the line likely for the thousands of fans to enjoy. Robyn de Groot and Sabine Spitz (Ascendis Health) and Mariske Strauss and Annie Last (Silverback-BH) brought a South African flavour to the final day as they had the closest of sprints to the line, with De Groot and Spitz winning by half a second. Expect more fireworks on this final dash for glory.

WHERE TO WATCH A | D VINE ESTATE 16km from Huguenot High & Primary B | AVONDALE WINE ESTATE 18km from Huguenot High & Primary

MEN

FIRST

START 8:00 SPECTATOR A 9:31 SPECTATOR B 10:01 FINISH 10:58

WOMEN

FIRST

START 8:10 SPECTATOR A 10:01 SPECTATOR B 10:37 FINISH 11:47

LAST

DISTANCE

8:25 11:28 12:27 14:22

0km 36km 47.5km 70km

LAST

DISTANCE

8:25 11:28 12:27 14:22

0km 36km 47.5km 70km

Predicted times only

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

41

WHO TO WATCH MEN The competition will be fierce this year with most of the top 10 teams from 2017 returning.

The diesel-powered marathon men believe 2018 could be their year, but they will be wary of the class and strength of the Olympic distance cross country superstars who are set to make the 15th Absa Cape Epic the closest and most exciting race yet.

Nino Schurter returns to defend his Absa Cape Epic title which was the first victory in an outstanding 2017 season that saw him win every leg of the MTB World Cup series and take an incredible fifth cross country World Championship.

He and fellow Swiss Matthias Stirnemann (Scott-Sram) will team up once again, on a route that offers something for both the marathon and cross-country stars.

That could suit two-time winner Jaroslav Kulhavy of the Czech Republic, the 2012 Olympic gold medallist and former marathon world champion.

After finishing second with Absa Cape Epic legend Christoph Sauser in 2017, Kulhavy will ride with Howard Grotts, regarded as the best American mountain biker of his generation, in the colours of Investec Songo Specialized.

The competition will be fierce this year with most of the top 10 teams from 2017 returning. The Swiss/ Austrian combination of Nicola Rohrbach and Daniel Geismayr (Centurion Vaude) claimed third place overall last year, showing the value of consistency, something their teammates, Germany’s Markus Kaufmann and Jochen Kaess will be seeking, along with the luck that has deserted them in past races.

set the 2017 race alight, winning the first two days in scorching heat.

Behind Fumic’s gentle smile lies a hard competitor who should compete for a podium after finishing fourth and fifth in previous Absa Cape Epics.

Alban Lakata may be a little tired of being asked when he is going to win an Absa Cape Epic, the Austrian having finished in just about every other spot in the top 10 on general classification, but first.

Lakata comes into the race as the 2017 UCI marathon world champion and with Canyon Topeak teammate and former winner, Kristen Hynek, is always a contender.

Karl Platt (BULLS) will take part in his 15th Absa Cape Epic, having failed to finish just one through injury. He craves another title to become the first and only rider with six Absa Cape Epic titles.

The German took his fifth title in 2016 with the powerhouse Swiss, Urs Huber.

The South African challenge will be boosted by Philip Buys and Matthys Beukes (Pyga Euro Steel), and Nico Bell and Matthew Beers (NAD Pro MTB).

They may just be a back-up team to Schurter and Stirnemann, but the young Swiss/Dutch team of Andri Frischknecht (Scott - Sram Young Guns) were strong enough to take two stage wins and end sixth overall in their first Absa Cape Epic in 2017.

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 of the Untamed African MTB Race is regarded as one of the greatest achievements in the sport.

Germany’s Manuel Fumic and Brazilian Henrique Avancini (Cannondale Factory Racing)

The Men’s trophy was created by celebrated South African artist Niël Jonker and awarded to the winning team for the first time in 2010. Niël works in several mediums and is held in high regard internationally for his painting, charcoal drawing and bronze sculptures. For the trophy

Niël took his inspiration from the original Cape Epic logo, which included Zebra stripes, a mountain biker and the colours of the South African flag. The sculpture is cast in solid bronze and mounted on a block of Assegai timber, the trophy stands 37cm high and weighs 8,2kgs.

SCULPTED BY: NIËL JONKER

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

43

SCOTT-SRAM

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS

NINO SCHURTER

AGE: 31 EPICS COMPLETED: 4 STAGE WINS: 4 BEST RESULT: 1st (2017) 2016 Olympic Gold Medallist

1 -1

MATTHIAS STIRNEMANN

AGE: 26 EPICS COMPLETED: 1 STAGE WINS: 2 BEST RESULT: 1st (2017) 1-2

2012 U23 XCO Swiss Champion

Nino Schurter said his intention was to win the Absa Cape Epic one day, but it was typical of the strength and class of the greatest mountain biker on the planet right now that he did it a year earlier than he thought he might. He and Swiss teammate, Matthias Stirnemann were going to use the 2017 race as preparation for a challenge for the win in 2018, but once they pulled the yellow zebra jersey, they never gave it up. Schurter, who is the reigning Olympic champion, was untouchable in 2017, winning all six legs of the UCI World Cup and capping it with his fifth World Championship in Cairns. The role of the back-up team in the Absa Cape Epic has become almost vital in the elite men’s field, and Schurter and Stirnemann had the best in Michael van der Heijde and Andri Frischknecht. In their first Absa Cape Epic, the pair managed to win two stages, including the Grand Finale at Val de Vie. Together, they pose a formidable squad that will be hard to beat.

SCOTT-SRAM YOUNG GUNS ANDRI FRISCHKNECHT AGE: 23

EPICS COMPLETED: 1 STAGE WINS: 2

8 -1

BEST RESULT: 6th (2017) 2014 U23 XCO Swiss Champion

MICHIEL VAN DER HEIJDEN AGE: 26

EPICS COMPLETED: 1 STAGE WINS: 2

8-2

BEST RESULT: 6th (2017) 2014 U23 XCO World Champion

INVESTEC SONGO SPECIALIZED JAROSLAV KULHAVY

AGE: 33 EPICS COMPLETED: 3 STAGE WINS: 11 BEST RESULT: 1st (2013, 2015) 2 -1

2012 Olympic Gold Medallist

HOWARD GROTTS

AGE: 25 EPICS COMPLETED: 1 (IF) 2017 US Champion

2-2

They say when Jaroslav Kulhavy gets on the front of a bunch during the Absa Cape Epic, you had better get on board quickly, because when the steam train hits full speed there are few who will catch him. Christoph Sauser once described the Czech Republic star as the most powerful rider to take part in the Absa Cape Epic. Having been part of two of Sauser’s five wins, Kulhavy will seek to become just the second man with three Epic titles to his name, matching Stefan Sahm. Kulhavy showed late season form in 2017 when he finished second behind Nino Schurter at the XCO World Championships. He was also second behind Schurter at the 2016 Olympics, having beaten the Swiss to gold in London in 2012. He partners with Howard Grotts, the highly-regarded young American who won the Leadville 100 race in the United States last year. His strength is his climbing, which will make him a fine foil for the brute power of Kulhavy.

44

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

CENTURION VAUDE NICOLA ROHRBACH

AGE: 31 EPICS COMPLETED: 2 STAGE WINS: 2 BEST RESULT: 2nd (2016) 3 -1

DANIEL GEISMAYR

AGE: 28 EPICS COMPLETED: 4 STAGE WINS: 1 BEST RESULT: 3rd (2017) 3-2

2011 U23 XCO Austrian Champion

In his first Absa Cape Epic in 2016, Nicola Rohrbach joined up with Matthias Pfrommer just a week before the start. Their brief was to act as the back-up team to Daniel Geismayr and Hermann Pernsteiner, but they clicked and went on to win two stages, one of them the queen stage of the 2016 race, and went on to take second overall. Last year, Rohrbach and Geismayr teamed up and took third overall, their greatest strength being their consistency on each stage, ensuring they never finished lower than seventh throughout the eight days. Their performances have given them the spot as the “number one” team in the Centurion Vaude squad, but few will under-estimate the chances of the German pairing of Jochen Kaess and Markus Kaufmann. In 2014, they won the first stage and many believed they would challenge for the overall win, but disaster struck the next day when Kaess broke his frame and their race was all but over. Centurion Vaude are perhaps the strongest double team partnership at the 2018 Absa Cape Epic.

CENTURION VAUDE 2 MARKUS KAUFMANN

AGE: 36 EPICS COMPLETED: 5 BEST RESULT: 6th (2011)

11-1

2016 XCM German Champion

JOCHEN KAESS

AGE: 36 EPICS COMPLETED: 6 BEST RESULT: 2nd (2011)

11- 2

2010 XCM German Champion

BULLS KARL PLATT

AGE: 40 EPICS COMPLETED: 13 STAGE WINS: 17 BEST RESULT: 1st (2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2016) 4 -1

2x XCM German Champion

URS HUBER

AGE: 32 EPICS COMPLETED: 7 STAGE WINS: 5 BEST RESULT: 1st (2016) 4-2

2016 XCM Swiss Champion

The riders of the Bulls have become an integral part of the Absa Cape Epic story. From Karl Platt’s first victory in 2004, to the German star lining up for his 15th Epic, they are interwoven into the history of Africa’s Untamed African MTB Race. Platt is still searching for his sixth win, which would make him the most successful rider in the history of the race. He suffered a fracture in his hip bone and pelvis after a crash in November, as no surgery was needed, he was training just over a month later. His experience and the strength of Switzerland’s Urs Huber always make them a threat. Platt believes the 2018 route favours their team as it goes through some of his favourite trails in Wellington, which he regards as his home ground. He feels it offers much for marathon riders such as himself, and then a little bit for the cross-country men a little later on. Once again, he and Huber will be backed up by faithful duo of Simon Stiebjhan and Tim Boehme.

BULLS 2 SIMON STIEBJAHN

AGE: 27 EPICS COMPLETED: 5

12-1

BEST RESULT: 3rd (2014) 2012 U23 XCM European Champion

TIM BOEHME

AGE: 35 EPICS COMPLETED: 9

12- 2

BEST RESULT: 3rd (2014) 2014 XCM German Champion ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

45

TREK SELLE SAN MARCO DAMIANO FERRARO AGE: 31 EPICS COMPLETED: 2 STAGE WINS: 1 BEST RESULT: 3rd (2016) 5 -1

5th 2015 XCM World Champs

SAMUELE PORRO AGE: 29 EPICS COMPLETED: 1 STAGE WINS: 2 BEST RESULT: 3rd (2016) 5-2

2x XCM Italian Champion

After not riding together in 2017, Damiano Ferraro and Samuele Porro will seek to repeat their performance of 2016, when they won the fourth stage and finished third overall. Considered a possible outside bet for the win in 2017, the team has struck a blow when Ferraro felt he had not recovered sufficiently enough from a neck injury sustained in a crash leading up to the Absa Cape Epic. He dropped to the support team to partner with Fabian Rabensteiner, while Russian marathon champion Alexey Medvedev moved up from the back-up duo to race with Porro.

Ferraro got stronger as the 2017 race went on, and with Rabensteiner secured a credible fourth in the fifth stage before running the Scott Sram Young Guns team close in at the Grand Finale. With the band back together, expect a few hits coming from the Italians.

TREK SELLE SAN MARCO 2 FABIAN RABENSTEINER

AGE: 27 EPICS COMPLETED: 2 BEST RESULT: 8th (2016)

15 -1

2016 Brazil Ride Winner

MICHELE CASAGRANDE

AGE: 33 EPICS COMPLETED: 0 2nd 2016 Brazil Ride Winner

15 - 2

CANNONDALE FACTORY RACING MANUEL FUMIC

AGE: 35 EPICS COMPLETED: 3 STAGE WINS: 4 BEST RESULT: 4th (2016) 6 -1

2nd 2013 XCO World Championships

HENRIQUE AVANCINI

AGE: 28 EPICS COMPLETED: 2 STAGE WINS: 3 BEST RESULT: 4th (2016) 6-2

2015 XCO Brazil Champion

This may be the only team at the Absa Cape Epic in which the riders share a birthday. Depending on how their Epic goes, March 30 could be a day of extra celebrations for Manuel Fumic and Henrique Avancini. In 2017, they grabbed the Epic bull by the horns and won the first two stages on two exceptionally hot days in the Western Cape. It meant they had won three Epic stages in a row, as they had taken victory in the Grand Finale in 2016. Fumic is a canny rider, able to read a race and adjust his tactics. He was fifth at the UCI XCO World Championships in Cairns in 2017, having watched his teammate take fourth place. The two ended up eighth (Fumic) and seventh in the overall UCI rankings. They are a well-balanced team, who will again target stage wins and look to improve on their fifth place in last year’s general classification.

46

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

CANYON TOPEAK ALBAN LAKATA

AGE: 38 EPICS COMPLETED: 8 STAGE WINS: 2 BEST RESULT: 2nd (2015) 7-1

3x XCM World Champion

KRISTIAN HYNEK

AGE: 37 EPICS COMPLETED: 3 STAGE WINS: 1 BEST RESULT: 1st (2014) 7- 2

2012 XCM European Champion

There are just two main races Alban Lakata focuses on every year – the World Marathon Championships and the Absa Cape Epic. The former, he has won three times, taking his third title just in time to celebrate his 38th birthday. The latter he has come as close as you can get to winning without wearing the yellow zebra jersey. He has never given up trying to win, and with teammate Kristian Hynek, who won on his debut at the Epic in 2014, he is a perennial favourite. Lakata and Hynek suit each other well, both being all-round mountain bikers. Hynek is a little better climber, while Lakata is a bit stronger on the flats. Luck has not always been on their side, but their back-up team is strong and led by the experienced South African Erik Kleinhans, a two-time winner in the Mixed category.

ERIK KLEINHANS

AGE: 35 EPICS COMPLETED: 10 BEST RESULT: 8th (2014)

13-1

2010 XCO South African Champion

JEREMIAH BISHOP

AGE: 42 EPICS COMPLETED: 4 BEST RESULT: 10th (2016)

13- 2

Pan American Games Gold Medallist

NAD PRO MTB NICO BELL

AGE: 34 EPICS COMPLETED: 7 STAGE WINS: 4 BEST RESULT: 2nd (2012,2014) 1 0 -1

2017 XCM South African Champion

MATTHEW BEERS

AGE: 24 EPICS COMPLETED: 2 BEST RESULT: 20th (2017) 2017 Cape Pioneer Trek Winner

10-2

A new partnership for NAD Pro this year is the combination of stalwart Nico Bell and new addition Matthew Beers. They have raced against each other for large parts of their mountain bike careers, but now join forces to make up what looks to be an exciting team to watch. They are no strangers to the Absa Cape Epic and are well suited to the race. Bell is the current South African marathon champion, while Beers comes off the back of a very successful 2017 season, which was capped off by winning the recent Cape Pioneer Trek. Their aim for 2018 will be to find a way into the top 10 of the race and to be the best-placed African men’s team come the Grand Finale at Val de Vie. In the past, they have provided back up for other teams, with their skills as bike mechanics highly sought after.

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

47

PYGA EURO STEEL PHILIP BUYS

AGE: 29 EPICS COMPLETED: 7 STAGE WINS: 3 BEST RESULT: 5th (2014, 2015) 2x Absa African Jersey Winner

9 -1

MATTHYS BEUKES

AGE: 30 EPICS COMPLETED: 4 STAGE WINS: 2 BEST RESULT: 5th (2015) 3x Absa African Jersey Winner

9-2

Philip Buys and Matthys Beukes have dominated the Absa African Special Jersey at the Absa Cape Epic since 2013, but their eye has always been on getting an all-African team on to the podium of the Untamed African MTB Race. They have enjoyed some incredible moments at the Epic. Beukes rolled over the line as victor with Gert Heyns at the Grand Finale in 2015, while Buys has partnered with Nino Schurter and learnt from the world champion. In 2018, Buys and Beukes will have a back-up team comprising of two young South Africans, Julian Jessop and Phillimon Sebona. Jessop is regarded as a having huge potential and will be making his Epic debut, while at 26, Sebona, part of the Diepsloot Mountain Bike Academy, has a wealth of experience, most notably winning the Exxaro special jersey in 2013, 2015 and most recently 2017.

PHILIMON SEBONA

AGE: 26 EPICS COMPLETED: 5 2x Exarro Special Jersey Winner

19 -1 JULIAN JESSOP

AGE: 20 EPICS COMPLETED: 0 U23 XCO South African Champion

19 - 2

PREVIOUS RESULTS

48

Year

Team

2004

Focus/Rocky Mountain

Karl Platt

Mannie Heymans

2005

Giant

Roel Paulissen

Bart Brentjens

2006

Specialized

Christoph Sauser

Silvio Bundi

2007

Team Bulls

Karl Platt

Stefan Sahm

2008

Cannondale Vredestein

Roel Paulissen

Jakob Fuglsang

2009

Bulls

Karl Platt

Stefan Sahm

2010

Bulls 1

Karl Platt

Stefan Sahm

2011

36ONE-SONGO-SPECIALIZED

Christoph Sauser

Burry Stander

2012

36ONE-SONGO-SPECIALIZED

Christoph Sauser

Burry Stander

2013

Burry Stander - SONGO

Christoph Sauser

Jaroslav Kulhavy

2014

Topeak-Ergon Racing

Robert Mennen

Kristian Hynek

2015

Investec-Songo-Specialized

Christoph Sauser

Jaroslav Kulhavy

2016

Bulls

Karl Platt

Urs Huber

2017

Scott-SRAM MTB Racing

Nino Schurter

Matthias Stirnemann

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

RIDER 1

RIDER 2

BOOST OXYGEN

It combines high and low Glycaemic Index (GI) carbohydrates, which have been shown to promote performance and improved exercise tolerances s as well as muscle recovery, during physical exercise.

Booster for optimal endurance performance optimizer.

INCREASES OXYGEN UPTAKE OPTIMIZES MUSCLE PERFORMANCE

HYDRATE

WHEN

REPLENISH

DURING TRAINING OR EVENT AS WELL

REFUEL

PREPARE

1 TO 3 HOURS

WHEN

DURING TRAINING

3 HOURS & MORE

Precision formula with carbs, amino acids and electrolytes for optimal performance.

Complete ultra-endurance drink for optimal performance and rapid recovery.

REHYDRATES & ASSISTS WITH RECOVERY

INCREASES MUSCLE RECOVERY RATE BETWEEN TRAINING

EXTENDS POWER OUTPUT TIME

HELPS PROMOTE ELECTROLYTE, GLYCOGEN AND AMINO ACID REPLACEMENT

WHEN

DURING INTENSE EVENTS

PROMOTES PROLONGED ENERGY RELEASE DURING EVENTS/ STRENUOUS TRAINING WHEN

PERFORM

1 TO 3 HOURS

TAKE BEFORE RACE, SMALL SIPS DURING RACE AND FULL SERVING AFTER RACE

Scientifically formulated to accelerate the body’s recovery process after physical activity.

REHYDRATE & L-GLUTAMINE

OPTIMISED MUSCLE RECOVERY

Optimal sports rehydration drink with L-Glutamine.

REPLENISHES ELECTROLYTES, GLYCOGEN & AMINO ACIDS HELPS REDUCE EXERCISE-RELATED MUSCLE CRAMPING AND STIFFNESS

HELPS TO REHYDRATE HELPS REPLACE ELECTROLYTES AND PHOSPHATES AFTER PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

WHEN

DRINK WITHIN 30 MINUTES FOLLOWING AN EVENT OR LONG TRAINING SESSION

WHEN

TAKE AFTER A STRENUOUS EVENT OR TRAINING SESSION, OR WHEN REQUIRED TO REHYDRATE AND REPLENISH ELECTROLYTES

USN.CO.ZA

USN SA

@USNSA

@USNSA

RECOVER

FULL BODY RECOVERY

Tyres of the World Champion Textra technology dramatically increases resistance against sidewall cuts and abrasion, increasing strength and durability without significant weight addition.

Made in Czech Republic

#RideMitas @MitasBikeTyres www.mitasbiketyres.com

© Photo: Michal Cerveny Jolanda Neff (SUI) –“Mitas Choice” – UCI Mountain Bike XCO World Cup 2017, Nove Mesto na Morave (CZE)

Jolanda Neff XCO World Champion 2017

WHO TO WATCH WOMEN This year’s line-up is a rich mix of past winners, world and Olympic champions In the search for constant innovation and development at the Absa Cape Epic, setting new international standards for elite women’s racing has been one of the greatest and proudest achievements of the Untamed African MTB Race.

Last year’s winners, Esther Süss and Jennie Stenerhag, have followed a path first ridden by Hanlie Booyens and the late Sharon Laws, who sadly passed away in December last year after a battle with cancer. Sharon had a special history at the Absa Cape Epic, having won every race she entered, in 2004 and 2009.

Her fighting spirit, willingness to share experiences and incredible competitiveness will live on in the women’s race in 2018 and for years to come.

Süss and Stenerhag (Meerdendal CBC) will know the defence of their title will be tough. Three-time winner Annika Langvad returns after a year’s break and will be partnered with the 22-year-old American, Kate Courtney (Investec Songo Specialized 2), who took silver in the U23 World Championships in Cairns last year. Courtney is a superstar in the making, having won the U23 UCI World Cup Series overall, taking four out of a possible six victories.

Denmark’s Langvad comes back to the Absa Cape Epic having won the Marathon World Championship for the fourth time in 2017.

Her biggest competition could come from Epic debutants Jolanda Neff and Maja Włoszczowska of the Kross Racing team. The Swiss/ Polish duo have some impressive

The trophy includes bronze stones which represent the rough and unforgiving terrain that riders must overcome. It includes two stones placed on top of each other, symbolising team work between the teams of two riders. The shape of the cast bronze ‘branches’ curling around the stones are based on the structure of an adrenaline molecule,

palmares. Neff is the 2017 Cross Country World Champion and in 2016 claimed the Marathon World Championship. Włoszczowska took silver in the Olympics in Rio. Britian’s Annie Last finished second behind Neff at the UCI World Championships in Cairns, and with South African Mariska Strauss showed grit to take the runner’s up spot in the 2017 Absa Cape Epic.

The two have paired up again for 2018.

Three-time champion Ariane Lüthi, the Swiss who is based in South Africa, had a tough 2017, but is hoping for a stronger 2018 with Austrian Christina Kollmann (Spur), who last rode the Epic with former winner Sally Bigham in 2015.

Germany’s Sabine Spitz is such a mountain biking legend that she even has her own race named after her. The 46-year-old will again team up with South Africa’s Robyn de Groot (Ascendis Health) after they finished third together last year.

De Groot was crowned South African marathon champion yet again in 2017.

As well as De Groot and Strauss, the South African challenge will be led

by Candice Lill, Carmen Buchacher and Samantha Sanders in the dormakaba stable. Lill, who was fifth last year, has chosen to ride with Germany’s Adelheid Morath, who was Lüthi’s teammate in 2017.

Buchacher and Sanders look clear favourites to be the top all-African team, having finished fifth and eighth respectively with different teammates in 2017.

emphasising the endurance aspect of the Absa Cape Epic. The sculpture is mounted on wood from an African fig tree: in African mythology figs and fig trees are symbols of fertility and femininity. The women’s trophy is the first trophy to be designed by a female artist and the foundry in which it was cast is also exclusively staffed by women artists and artisans.

The orange jersey is worn by the leading team in the Women’s category.

Stage times are added up and the team with the lowest cumulative time in the respective category at the end of each stage gets to wear the iconic jersey the next day.

The team in orange after the full eight days of racing is the winner of the Women’s category.

UCI points were awarded for the first time in the Women’s category in 2012. UCI Women’s teams start in a separate start batch after the UCI Men. Olympic medallists, current and former world champions and the world’s top women marathon racers have contested the distinctive orange jersey.

The orange jersey represents enthusiasm, determination, attraction to excellence, and success.

SCULPTED BY: ISABEL MERTZ

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

51

MEERENDAL CBC

DEFENDING CHAMPIONS

ESTHER SÜSS

AGE: 43 EPICS COMPLETED: 8 STAGE WINS: 11 BEST RESULT: 1st (2012, 2017) 5 0 -1

2010 XCM World Champion

JENNIE STENERHAG

AGE: 42 EPICS COMPLETED: 4 STAGE WINS: 4 BEST RESULT: 1st (2017) 50-2

2x XCM Swedish Champion

In 2012, Esther Süss was an unstoppable force at the Absa Cape Epic as she and British partner Sally Bigham won six stages on their way to a dominant victory. Six years later, she and Jennie Stenerhag stood on top of the podium after taking three stages and never finishing lower than third. It was a smooth and consistent performance, and, for fans of Stenerhag, perhaps the most popular win in the women’s race. Stenerhag had been forced to pull out of the 2016 race with an irregular heartbeat. She had an operation to correct it just days later, and returned to claim the victory that has eluded her. Süss, an Epic stalwart, has shown little signs of slowing down in her 40s, winning the Swiss Epic last season. They will be backed up by the Dutch/Swiss pair of Hielke Elferink and Cornelia Hug, who came home in seventh in 2017. Hug took a strong third in the Swiss Epic and will start in Cape Town with the experience of having her first Untamed African MTB Race under her belt.

SHIMANO S - PHYRE HIELKE ELFERINK

AGE: 31 EPICS COMPLETED: 3 BEST RESULT: 4th (2014)

5 8 -1

4x Dutch Champion

CORNELIA HUG

AGE: 34 EPICS COMPLETED: 1 BEST RESULT: 7th (2017)

58-2

2014 Transalp Winner

DORMAKABA CANDICE LILL

AGE: 26 EPICS COMPLETED: 1 BEST RESULT: 6th (2017) 2x African Continental Champion

5 6 -1

ADELHEID MORATH

AGE: 33 EPICS COMPLETED: 2 BEST RESULT: 3rd (2016) 2015 Swiss Epic Winner

56-2

For one so young, Candice Lill has done much in mountain biking. She won bronze in the UCI XCO World Championships and was chosen to represent South Africa at the London Olympics in 2012. A cross country rider by nature, she is making the move over to stage racing and in 2016 tasted success at the Berg & Bush and Sani2C. She had a realitvely conservative race in her first Absa Cape Epic last year, finding her stage legs with partner Vera Adrian. Now, having partnered with the German, Adelheid Morath, who took fourth with three-time winner Ariane Lüthi, Lill will be eyeing stage wins and podiums. Their teammates, Carmen Buchacher and Samantha Sanders, are a new partnership formed from two South Africans who finished in the top 10 in their first Epic. While they will target the Absa African Womens special jersey, look for them to spring a surprise or two.

DORMAKABA 2 CARMEN BUCHACHER

AGE: 31 EPICS COMPLETED: 1 BEST RESULT: 5th (2017)

57-1 SAMANTHA SANDERS

AGE: 34 EPICS COMPLETED: 1 BEST RESULT: 8th (2017)

57- 2 52

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

ASCENDIS HEALTH

52 -1

52 - 2

SPUR

SABINE SPITZ

ARIANE LÜTHI

AGE: 46 EPICS COMPLETED: 2 BEST RESULT: 2nd (2016)

AGE: 34 EPICS COMPLETED: 7 BEST RESULT: 1st (2014, 2015, 2016)

2008 Olympic Gold Medallist

53-1

ROBYN DE GROOT

CHRISTINA KOLLMANN-FORSTNER

AGE: 35 EPICS COMPLETED: 3 BEST RESULT: 2nd (2015)

AGE: 29 EPICS COMPLETED: 1

2017 South African Marathon Champion

There will be very few times that a team will win four stages in one Absa Cape Epic and not win the race overall. Sabine Spitz and Robyn de Groot finished third in 2017, having been perhaps the unluckiest team in the race. They suffered a crash and a mechanical on stage one. Spitz crashed 75km into stage six and broke her handlebars, which they had to fix with a stick and masking tape to make it to the water point. Spitz is mountain bike royalty, with gold, silver and bronze Olympic medals, a multiple German national champion and at 45 finished second in the marathon World Championships. She has won seven of the 16 days she has taken part in in her two Epics.

Robyn de Groot has become South Africa’s top marathon racers and won the South African title yet again last year. She and Spitz will once again be amongst the favourites to win.

2017 XCM European Champion

53-2

By her high standards, Ariane Lüthi will have been disappointed with her fourth place in last year’s Absa Cape Epic.

Along with Annika Langvad she had dominated the racing for three years, taking a hat-trick of victories and racking up an incredible 17 stage wins out of 24 days racing. She also has 15 stage wins in the Mixed category, which she won twice overall, making her the most successful woman in the history of the Absa Cape Epic. She will be tapping into that experience and her good late-season form in 2017 when she partners up with Christina Kollmann of Austria. Kollmann rode to fourth place in the 2014 Mixed category and in 2015 was a last-minute replacement to partner two-time winner Sally Bigham after her teammate had withdrawn due to injury. Kollmann and Bigham finished second on Stage 2 and were lying third overall until the Austrian had to withdraw with heat stroke. Kollmann had two wins on the UCI XCM series last year and was crowned European XCM Champion.

SILVERBACK - BH

5 1 -1

51-2

2016 Swiss XCM Champion

INVESTEC SONGO SPECIALIZED 2

MARISKE STRAUSS

ANNIKA LANGVAD

AGE: 26 EPICS COMPLETED: 3 BEST RESULT: 2nd (2017)

AGE: 33 EPICS COMPLETED: 3 BEST RESULT: 1st (2014, 2015, 2016)

2017 XCO South African Champion

5 4 -1

4x XCM World Champion

ANNIE LAST

KATE COURTNEY

AGE: 27 EPICS COMPLETED: 1 BEST RESULT: 2nd (2017)

AGE: 21 EPICS COMPLETED: 0

2017 XCO British Champion

Mariska Strauss and Annie Last formed a close, slick partnership in 2017, which saw them finish second overall, win the sixth stage and challenge for the win at the Grand Finale in a sprint finish.

Strauss finished as the highes t- placed South African last year, and with their ever-improving form are expected to challenge for the podium yet again. They stood on the podium six times, with three thirds, two seconds and their victory. England’s Last had a superb 2017, becoming the first British woman in 20 years to win a UCI XCO World Cup leg when she beat the legendary Gunn-Rita Dahl Flesja in Switzerland. She followed that up with Britain’s first-ever medal at the elite XCO World Championships, taking silver behind Switzerland’s Jolanda Neff. The 2017 Epic was Last’s first stage race and the first time the duo, who regard themselves as primarily cross country racers, had ridden together. They will be stronger in 2018.

2017 U23 XCO World Cup Champion

54-2

The combination of the current Marathon and U23 cross country World Champion is a heady mix of experience, talent and potential. Langvad has been victorious in every one of the three Absa Cape Epics she has raced, one of just three riders to have won 17 stages in the Women’s category. She took a little time off after the Rio Olympics to finish her dentistry studies, focussing on the second half of 2017, missing out on the Absa Cape Epic last year. She returns in 2018 as one of the favourites, but it remains to be seen how her partner adapts.

At just 22-years-old American Kate Courtney is regarded as mountain biking’s next big thing. A human biology student at Stanford University, Courtney won four of the six legs of the UCI U23 XCO World Cup series, taking the overall title. She was second in the U23 World Championships, just 49 seconds behind Sina Frei of Switzerland.

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

53

KROSS RACING

PMRA/CSA RACING

JOLANDA NEFF

MARGOT MOSCHETTI

AGE: 25 EPICS COMPLETED: 0

AGE: 23 EPICS COMPLETED: 0

2017 XCO World Champion

5 5 -1

59 -1

2017 Brazil Ride winner

MAJA WŁOSZCZOWSKA

RAIZA HENRIQUE

AGE: 34 EPICS COMPLETED: 0

AGE: 26 EPICS COMPLETED: 0

2017 XCM European Champion

2017 Brazilian Champion

55-2

59 - 2

These debutants come into the Absa Cape Epic with a pedigree that marks them as true contenders to take the title on their first time of trying. Jolanda Neff has been racing since she was 6-years-old. She has dominated since she hit the international scene, winning the XCO World Cup for three years from 2014-2016, and while she finished second overall last year, she was unstoppable in the XCO World Championships in Cairns. She was the 2012, 2013 and 2014 U23 XCO World Champion and the 2016 XCM World Champion. She is a former winner of the Swiss Epic. Her Polish teammate, Maja Włoszczowska, describes Neff as the most talented mountain biker she has ever seen. Włoszczowska has been one of most consistent riders on the World Cup circuit, regularly featuring in the top five. She took silver in the Rio Olympics, was fourth in the 2017 XCO World Championships and second in the 2013 XCO Worlds in Pietermaritzburg.

When Bart Brentjens, World, Olympic and multiple Absa Cape Epic winner, marks a rider as one to watch for the future, then you should pay attention. France’s Margot Moschetti signed for Brentjen’s team in 2015 after the Dutchman was impressed with her strength as an U23 rider. In 2014 she won three U23 World Cup legs and took silver in the World Championships, but has leaned towards marathon distances in the last few years. At the beginning of 2017, she won the Costa Blanca Race with 2016 Olympic road champion Anna van der Breggen, taking every stage and the overall title by over 30 minutes. She teamed up with Brazilian champion Raiza Goulao Henrique to romp home as victors in the 2017 Ride Brazil, winning all seven stages. Henrique is an accomplished rider on technical terrain, while Moschetti is strong on both the flats and climbs.

PREVIOUS RESULTS Year

Team

RIDER 1

RIDER 2

2004

Yellow Jacket

Hanlie Booyens

Sharon Laws

2005

Fiat/Bianchi/Adidas

Zoe Frost

Hannele Steyn-Kotze

2006

adidas-Fiat-Rotwild

Sabine Grona

Kerstin Brachtendorf

2007

DURAVIT

Anke Erlank

Yolandè De Villiers

2008

Rocky Mountain

Pia Sundstedt

Alison Sydor

2009

Absa Ladies

Hanlie Booyens

Sharon Laws

2010

Rothaus-CUBE

Kristine Noergaard

Anna-sofie Noergaard

2011

USN

Sally Bigham

Karien van Jaarsveld

2012

Wheels4Life

Sally Bigham

Esther Suss

2013

Energas

Yolande Speedy

Catherine Williamson

2014

RECM 2

Ariane Kleinhans

Annika Langvad

2015

RECM Specialized

Ariane Kleinhans

Annika Langvad

2016

Spur-Specialized

Ariane Kleinhans

Annika Langvad

2017

Meerendal CBC

Jennie Stenerhag

Esther Süss

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

55

RACES WITHIN THE RACE

SCULPTED BY: WILLIE BESTER

56

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

Willie Bester was born in Montagu where he first showed his artistic talent as a 10-year-old when designing elaborate wire cars. Bester, whose work has demonstrated expressions of the struggle for freedom in South Africa, is an internationally renowned artist with a reputation for his innovative use of a vast array of

materials found in scrap yards and around. He has taken his inspiration for the Dimension Data Masters trophy from Picasso, the legendary Spanish artist. Bester has breathed new life into a humble bicycle saddle, bestowing it with character and strength, embracing the untamed ethos of the Absa Cape Epic.

DIMENSION DATA MASTERS Tour de France stars line-up for mountain biking’s Tour de France as Bart Brentjens seeks win number six the 2007 Tour de France. While new to mountain biking, Pereiro has been a winner on the dirt in the past as the 1998 Spanish cyclocross champion.

In 2017, two Tour de France legends came to the Absa Cape Epic and won the Tour de France of mountain biking at their first attempt, taking the Dimension Data Masters by storm and changing the dynamic of the category for the foreseeable future.

Cadel Evans, winner of the 2011 Tour de France, and George Hincapie, won by five minutes, and in 2018 will be followed by former road racing icons who are flocking to the Absa Cape Epic as they seek another grand challenge on their cycling journey.

Hincapie returns to the the Dimension Data Masters category riding for team Absa with fellow American Christian van de Velde, who took fourth overall in the 2008 Tour and was the second rider from the USA to wear the pink leader’s jersey at the Giro d’Italia. Hincapie and Evans played down their chances of doing well last year, and while he and Van de Velde may do the same, few will believe them.

Hincapie and 2006 Tour winner Oscar Pereiro may get the chance to reenact their duel for a stage win at the 2005 Tour, which was ultimately won by Hincapie. Pereiro and Haimar Zubeldia will make up an all-Spanish team, bringing their climbing experience to the race. Zubeldia finally called an end to a 20-year road cycling career at the age of 40 last year, having taken part in 26 Grand Tours, with a fourth place in

Dutchman Erik Dekker could be a favourite to win in his first Absa Cape Epic. Riding with Maikel Govaarts, who finished fifth in the Masters in his only Epic in 2016, Dekker has shown impressive form in mountain biking.

Dekker, silver medallist at the 1992 Olympics and winner of four stages of the Tour, is the current Dutch masters cross country champion and took third overall and the top Masters trophy in the gruelling Crocodile Trophy, beating the elite riders to win a stage.

Govaarts approached Dekker to set up a formidable pairing that will take some beating.

Dekker has said he is looking forward to racing against fellow Dutchman Bart Brentjens, a four-time Masters champion at the race with Brazilian partner Abraao Azevedo. They finished third in 2017, but there will be no lack of motivation in what will be Brentjens final race in the Dimension Data Masters category before he moves up to the Grand Masters category. He and Azevedo won three titles in a row from 20142016. Indeed, Brentjens would have his fifth title already had he and South African Robert Sim not lost to Azevedo and Nico Pfitzenmaier in 2013. Barts first win was in the Men’s category in 2007 with Rudi van Houts.

Dark horses for a podium could be Italy’s Massimo Debertolis, the 2004 marathon world champion, and Czech Ondrej Fojtik. The South African challenge will be led by Nic Lamond, who was seventh in the Masters in 2017 with brother Simon.

He returns to the category for the second time with Australian Paris Basson. Lamond is an experienced hand at the Epic as he lines up for his 11th – it will be Basson’s third – having ended 17th in the elite race in 2015.

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

57

GRAND MASTERS McLean teams up with Stransky as rugby stars lead the charge in the Grand Masters category.

Thomson, who has teamed up with South African endurance sport legend Martin Dreyer (LandRover Above and Beyond) in the highly competitive Grand Masters category.

Since the Grand Masters category was launched in 2013, Andrew McLean has finished first (2014), second (2015) and third (2016). After a year’s break, McLean returns to the race with Springbok rugby legend Joel Stransky (CycleLab KTM).

Stransky, who scored all the points when South Africa won the 1995 Rugby World Cup, has been a constant at the Absa Cape Epic since 2010, although he had a disastrous start to 2017 when he crashed heavily during the Prologue, breaking ribs, puncturing his lung and suffering lacerations to his face. It was the only Absa Cape Epic he has never finished. His partner in 2017 was former Sharks centre, Jeremy

It brings an interesting dynamic to the category, two former rugby stars teamed up with endurance stars, a race within a race, but that will not distract any of them from the ultimate goal of winning overall.

Stransky has gotten stronger and faster on his Epic journey, and with close friend McLean, who has won the Masters category title twice (2007, 2010) and 24 category stages, could pose a threat to 2017 winner Barti Bucher of Switzerland.

Bucher - who has dominated the Grand Masters category - will race with fellow Swiss Hans Jeurg Gerber (Team Meerendal). Bucher has won twice with Austrian Heinz Zoerweg (Meerendal CBC 3) and they were second overall in 2016. Bucher, like McLean, has also had success in the Masters category, while McLean and Zoerweg won seven stages in 2014.

Keep an eye on South African Robert Sims and his German teammate Udo Boelts (Robert Daniel), the 2016 winners who took an incredible 25th place overall that same year.

Sculptor Guy du Toit’s inspiration when creating the trophy for the winners of the Grand Masters category was to envelope himself in the ethos and experience of riders over 50 years old: mastery, wisdom, dignity and intellect and inner strength.

The trophy is a wheel or a circle with a cycle spoor running deep on the outside, with a texture that celebrates the Western Cape landscape.

The choice of the circle was informed by the fact that the dot is one of the most potent design elements and is endless, which is suggestive of the Grand Master’s journey. The circle functions as a lens, looking both back at that which has gone before and that which is to come.

SCULPTED BY: GUY DU TOIT

58

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

VIRGIN ACTIVE MIXED The aunt, the niece and the Pirate go head to head for the Virgin Active Mixed category having taken an impressive 10th in the women’s elite field in their only race together. For her 7th edition, Lourens, who finished 5th in the women’s race in 2013, has chosen Bradley Hemphill (Speed Structures) as her partner, the latter making a return to the race after competing in the first three editions.

Giliomee will team up with former road cyclist Dusty Day (Junto It) to take on a field full of first-timers in the Mixed category.

The 2018 Virgin Active Mixed category will be something of a family affair for some of the top South Africans.

Nicky Giliomee rode her first Absa Cape Epic with her aunt, Maureen Lourens, in 2016, 19 years after she had been a flower girl at her wedding at the age of three. In 2018, Giliomee and Lourens will race against each other in the Mixed category for the first time,

Rina Stutzer found inspiration for her creation from her personal relationship with the Absa Cape Epic.

Her design has focused on the ascent, an aspect that, for many, is the essence of the race. It is the climb that challenges the athletes, taking them to a world unseen to complete a journey of self-discovery and mutual awareness. As the Virgin

After racing in the women’s field for the last seven Absa Cape Epic’s, Yolandi du Toit has made the switch to the Mixed category with Gus Klohn (Gear Powerbar) for 2018. Du Toit, who enjoyed a highly successful career as a road cyclist before she made the move to mountain biking, has finished fifth in the women’s event twice and is hoping to emulate that success. Henning Blaauw’s nickname is the Pirate and he will be looking for treasure in his 13th Absa Cape Epic, having been one of the pioneers

Active Mixed category is one in which team members must find the perfect balance and harmony between strengths and weaknesses, both mental and physical, Stutzer has depicted the poetic beauty of a winding, steep incline with a thin sliver of a path that is dotted with riders winding their way to the top.

to take part in the first race back in 2004. He has focused on the Mixed category for the last six years. He and Louise Ferreira (Team Globeflight) will partner up for the fifth consecutive year, looking to improve upon their eighth place in 2017.

Argentina will be represented by Epic debutants Agustina Maria Apaza and Cessar Lettoli (Merida Argentina).

Apaza has been his country’s national cross country champion five times and marathon champion four times.

Although they are newbies to the race, they will be a team to look out for in the Virgin Active Mixed category.

Carlo Campagnolo and fellow Italian Giuliana Massarotto (Team Appenninica 1) will seek to ensure there is a European pairing on the top of the podium for the fourth year in a row.

Campagnolo will be making his Absa Cape Epic debut, while Massarotto will be taking part in her sixth.

SCULPTED BY: RINA STUTZER

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

59

ABSA AFRICAN SPECIAL JERSEY In 2017 the Absa Cape Epic introduced the Hannele Steyn trophy, which will be awarded to the first all-African women’s team to cross the finish line at Val de Vie. Teams will be competing for the right to wear the Absa African Women’s special jersey and the winning women’s team will take home prize money equal to the Absa African Men’s race.

mountain bikers, a former winner of the arduous 2 300km Freedom Challenge.

She and her husband became the first people to take mountain bikes to the summit of Kilimanjaro last year, riding down Africa’s highest mountain.

Dreyer will be taking part in her fifth Absa Cape Epic having ridden in the first race in 2004. She has recorded some impressive results. She was eighth in the Women’s category in 2017 and fourth in 2014, and sixth in the Virgin Active Mixed category in 2007.

Coincidently, she finished one position ahead of Steyn in the mixed race that year, with Steyn riding with downhill mountain bike star Greg Minnaar.

It is entirely appropriate that in her 15th Absa Cape Epic, Hannele Steyn will be in the mix for the trophy named in her honour.

Steyn will team up with fellow South African Jeannie Dreyer (Nolands Spar Ladies) to compete for the first edition of the Absa African special jersey, to be the first all-African team to cross the line. Steyn, one of the four remaining Last Lions, will be racing with Dreyer for the first time at the Epic.

Dreyer, who is married to South African endurance sport legend Martin, is one of the country’s top long-distance 60

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

Steyn and Dreyer will find themselves up against a strong line-up of mainly South African teams. Carmen Buchacher and Samantha Sanders (dormakaba 2) are probably the favourites. Buchacher, along with Namibian Michelle Vorster, were the top-placed all-African team in 2017 in their debut Absa Cape Epic. They ended fifth overall and took third on the sixth stage, showing the consistency needed during a stage race. Sanders is a former South African cross country champion who was in dominant form during the 2017 season, while Buchacher spent the South African winter racing in Europe where she finished third in the

Austrian National Championships.

Their main rivals will be Fienie Barnard and Dalene van der Leek (LIVBeyond), who come into the Epic as an experienced pairing having ridden Africa’s Untamed African MTB Race together for the first time in 2017, where they ended ninth. Last year was the first time Barnard has taken part in the Women’s category in her four Epics having tasted success in the Mixed category when she was third in 2008 with her husband, Kobus. Barnard is a former marathon world champion in the 35-39 age group. The 2018 race will be an emotional one for Van der Leek, who took 7th overall with the late Sharon Laws in 2016. Laws, who won the first-ever Absa Cape Epic in 2004 and again in 2009, lost her battle with cancer last year.

It seems a lifetime and yet just yesterday when Burry Stander, the greatest South African mountain biking talent of his generation, lost his life in a motor accident while riding his bike five years ago when he was just 25. As the only South African to have won the race, the trophy that honours his name - the Burry Stander Memorial Trophy for the top all-African Men’s category team has become one of the most intensely contested for prizes the Absa Cape Epic.

BURRY STANDER MEMORIAL TROPHY The trophy was created by renowned local artist Angus Taylor in dedication to Burry Stander, the former U23 World Champion, World Cupwinner and first South African winner of the Absa Cape Epic.

Stander was tragically killed in a collision with a taxi while training on 3 January 2013. Angus used exclusively South African materials in the design of the trophy. It was inspired by a Chiwara, a styled wood-carved antelope used in African ceremonies, which in this case is sculpted out of haematite from Thabazimbi. The Chiwara is depicted running on the base’s rugged Matumiwood, sourced from South African watercourses.

SCULPTED BY: ANGUS TAYLOR

Philip Buys and Matthys Beukes (Pyga Euro Steel), the winners of the inaugural Absa African Men’s special jersey, know they will be marked men in the race for the red jersey this year.

They have won it together in 2013, 2015 and 2017, with Beukes also tasting victory with Gert Heyns in 2014. Buys has garnered a wealth of experience in his career, and at the age of 29 will take part in his eighth Absa Cape Epic. He is a four-time African Champion, former South African champion, competed in the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014 and can call himself an Olympian after he was part of the South African team in London in 2012 along with Stander. He has seven Absa Cape

Epic stage wins to his name, including a glorious Grand Finale win with Nino Schurter in 2014.

Buys has stated that it is time the Africans dominated the Absa Cape Epic, and their race for the Absa African Men’s special jersey has also seen them in the mix with the elite of world mountain biking. Their seventh place last year has only been bettered by fifth in 2015. They have won the Absa African special jersey every time they have ridden together.

They will be pushed hard by Nico Bell and Matthew Beers (NAD Pro MTB) in their first Epic together. Bell has a strong Absa Cape Epic history, and along with long-time teammate Gawie

HANNELE STEYN TROPHY Pretoria artist Kgaogelo Mashilo’s trophy will herald a newlyestablished special jersey race that will promote and encourage the development and standard of African cycling. The Absa Cape Epic has been at the forefront of advancing equality for women’s cycling, having set new standards.

Mashilo has incorporated the Adinkra

symbol of the Wawa Aba, the seed from wawa tree from West Africa, as the core of the bronze trophy, which will be set on hardwood. The Wawa Aba seed is extremely hard, and in Akan culture the symbol identifies someone who is strong and tough, and inspires them to persevere through hardship.

Combrinck boasted 12 Absa Cape Epic finishes between them, but also had to sacrifice their own ambitions in the past as a back-up team for Christoph Sauser, but still managed a fine 11th overall in 2017 and eighth in 2012.

Beers has finished in 20th and 21st position in the Men’s category. Other Africans to watch out for include the experienced Michael Posthumus and Derrin Smith (William Simpson), and young debutants Jaco Pelser and Matthew Keyser (Silverback Racing).

After winning the Exxaro special jersey in 2017 with William Mokgopo, Phillimon Sebona will challenge for the Absa African special jersey with Julian Jessop (Pyga Euro Steel 2).

SCULPTED BY: KGAOGELO MASHILO

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

61

THE EXCELLENCE OF

THE EXXARO SPECIAL JERSEY The Exxaro special jersey competition has become a symbol and cornerstone for the growth of mountain biking amongst a new generation of young men and women who have a dream and a passion.

In 2017, William Mokgopo and Phillimon Sebona, riding for the Diepsloot Mountain Bike Academy, won the Exxaro special jersey. They ended 33rd overall in the men’s elite field, with Sebona winning the competition for the third time while Mokgopo claimed his first in his fifth Absa Cape Epic.

The race for the winners’ green jersey, which goes to a team of historically disadvantaged riders under the age of 26, has become an intense battle for prestige, as well as the first pedal strokes on a journey of hope and development. The stakes have also risen with an increased prize purse in 2018.

The winning team will receive R50 000, with second and third winning R30 000 and R20 000 respectively.

Winning the jersey not only comes with honour and prize money, but the chance to attend the elite Bakala Academy in Leuven, Belgium. They spent eight days at the academy in June, going through tests and training, and learning from the World Tour riders on the Etixx Quick-Step team. The Bakala Academy will also host the winners of the Exxaro special jersey for 2018 and 2019.

The Exxaro MTB academy was established in 2011, while the competition has grown to include academies from around South Africa.

The rise in entries for the Exxaro special jersey doubled from 2016 to 2017, with 19 teams competing. In August last year, Exxaro, a coal and heavy minerals mining company, extended their partnership as Headline Sponsor with the Absa Cape Epic for another five years.

The growth in the Exxaro special jersey race has not only been in the number of teams competing, but the development of the riders themselves. Since the inception of the special jersey in 2012, the race

has seen 42 riders in the top 100 within the Men’s category. In 2012 there were four riders who managed to gain a position within the top 100, in 2017 we saw 11 development riders roll over the finish line in top 100 with the winning team coming in 33rd place. That’s 11% of the top 100 men’s positions filled by development riders, showing just how successful the academies are who are helping these young stars find their wheels.

“In the beginning we used the term Exxaro ‘development’ jersey, but we have dropped that because the riders

aren’t really development riders anymore,” said Mellis Walker of the Exxaro MTB Academy steering committee. “They compete on their own footing with other riders. We now call it the Exxaro jersey, and we believe that is an acknowledgment and testament of how those riders have grown over the years.”

Azukile Simayile and Sipho Madolo, who won the first Exxaro jersey, competed for the Absa African Men’s special jersey in 2014.

They finished 11th behind red jersey winners Matthys Beukes and Gert Heyns, and were 30th overall and 24th in the men’s elite field. Sebona and Jan Montshioa, who won the Exxaro special jersey in 2014, were just two places below them in the race for the Burry Stander Memorial Trophy in 13th, finishing 33rd place in general classification and 27th in the Men’s category.

Johannesburg, the Christoph Sauser-backed Songo.info academy in Stellenbosch and Martin Dreyer’s Change a Life Academy in KwaZulu-Natal, and worked with the BMT academy in Stellenbosch and Velokhaya in Khayelitsha. The Absa Cape Epic sponsor two entries for each of their partner academies to assist in the growth of development teams in MTB. In 2018, Sebona, who went on to win three major mountain bike races in 2017 after his Epic success, has moved on to the Pyga Euro Steel team, while Mokgopo has formed his own team, but will compete for the green jersey one more time. For Mokgopo, who has become a mentor at the Diepsloot Mountain Bike Academy, the Exxaro special jersey is more than just a race for first prize. It is a race of honour, pride and growth.

The Absa Cape Epic has partnered with three additional academies, Diepsloot MTB Academy in

Lwandiso Njara, protégé of acclaimed sculptor Angus Taylor, designed the trophy to resemble the transformation and progression of two ordinary young potential stars from the township into dedicated, victorious, mountain bikers. All the materials used in the sculpture were

sourced from various Southern African Exxaro mines and include coal, iron ore and titanium. The result is a trophy that weighs in at 9,4kgs and which often gives the winning riders a surprise as they hoist it above their heads at prize giving.

SCULPTED BY: LWANDISO NJARA

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

63

HKLM/6685/E/REV 1

POWERING BETTER LIVES. Since the beginning of our Absa Cape Epic partnership in 2011, the Exxaro Mountain Biking Academy set out to increase the number of historically disadvantaged South African riders participating in mountain biking. It gives us great delight to announce that one of our female Exxaro mountain biking riders, Rozalia our riders. In addition we provide skills, career guidance and education to ensure that our riders have a future that powers possibilities for them.

OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNER

www.exxaro.com

2018 | RIDER NAMES 1-1

Nino Schurter

47-2

Chanan Weiss

92-2

Noam Straschnow

133-2

John Bos

1-2

Matthias Stirnemann

48-1

Mike Nixon

93-1

Mark Pieterse

134-1

James Hagen

2-1

Jaroslav Kulhavy

48-2

Jasper Van Dijk

93-2

Mone Pieterse

134-2

Ebbe Spaarwater

2-2

Howard Grotts

50-1

Esther Suss

94-1

Gene Jacobs

135-1

Ernst Bruwer

3-1

Nicola Rohrbach

50-2

Jennie Stenerhag

94-2

Ernie Van Der Vyver

135-2

Nina-mari Bruwer

3-2

Daniel Geismayr

51-1

Mariske Strauss

95-1

Frederic Espenel

136-1

Angelo Casu

4-1

Karl Platt

51-2

Annie Last

95-2

Antoine Dufoix

136-2

Johan Fourie

4-2

Urs Huber

52-1

Sabine Spitz

96-1

Ben Swart

137-1

Izak Visagie

5-1

Damiano Ferraro

52-2

Robyn De Groot

96-2

Paulus Burger

137-2

Stephan Gous

5-2

Samuele Porro

53-1

Ariane Lüthi

97-1

Emiel Van Vuuren

138-1

Braam Gericke

6-1

Manuel Fumic

53-2

Christina Kollmann-Forstner

97-2

Jonathan Stockwell

138-2

Tyrone Van Rooyen

6-2

Henrique Avancini

54-1

Annika Langvad

98-1

Madele Van Heerden

139-1

Jaco Carstens

7-1

Alban Lakata

54-2

Kate Courtney

98-2

Cobus Stofberg

139-2

Tiaan Pretorius

7-2

Kristian Hynek

55-1

Jolanda Neff

99-1

Kerry Stevens

140-1

Heinrich Huysamer

8-1

Andri Frischknecht

55-2

Maja Włoszczowska

99-2

Chris Smit

140-2

Nico Rossouw

8-2

Michiel Van Der Heijden

56-1

Candice Lill

100-1

Nicky Webb

141-1

Geert Mertens

9-1

Philip Buys

56-2

Adelheid Morath

100-2

Cecil Munch

142-1

Romeu Franciosi

9-2

Matthys Beukes

57-1

Carmen Buchacher

101-1

Max Menzies

141-2

Marie Mertens

10-1

Nico Bell

57-2

Samantha Sanders

101-2

Paul Dalton

142-2

Ronaldo Goncalves

10-2

Matthew Beers

58-1

Hielke Elferink

102-1

Oliver Munnik

143-1

Nicholas Mingay

11-1

Markus Kaufmann

58-2

Cornelia Hug

102-2

Mark Pienaar

143-2

Alistair Haigh-smith

11-2

Jochen Kaess

59-1

Margot Moschetti

103-1

Cobus Snyman

144-1

Leon Jacobs

12-1

Simon Stiebjahn

59-2

Raiza Henrique

103-2

Corne Barnard

144-2

Jakobus Van Der Poel

12-2

Tim Boehme

60-1

Sunniva Dring

104-1

Martijn Mellaart

145-1

Felix Prinz

13-1

Erik Kleinhans

60-2

Kristin Aamodt

104-2

Shaun Sale

145-2

Frank Schmaehling

13-2

Jeremiah Bishop

61-1

Nadia Visser

105-1

Enrico Theuns

146-1

Anton Bekker

14-1

Jordan Sarrou

61-2

Katie Lennard

105-2

Peter Wouters

146-2

Jacques De Jong

14-2

Victor Koretzky

62-1

Serena Gordon

106-1

Dirk Pauling

147-1

Johan Louw

15-1

Fabian Rabensteiner

62-2

Kaysee Armstrong

106-2

Thomas Oberli

147-2

Chris Viljoen

15-2

Michele Casagrande

65-1

Bart Brentjens

107-1

Sebastiaan Klaassen

148-1

Christo Bestbier

16-1

Frans Claes

65-2

Abraao Azevedo

107-2

Chris Norton

148-2

Leorine De Wet

16-2

Markus Bauer

66-1

Nic Lamond

108-1

Giepie Nel

149-1

David Wright

17-1

Manuel Pliem

66-2

Paris Basson

108-2

Adriaan Voges

149-2

Peter Felber

17-2

David Schöggl

67-1

Erik Dekker

109-1

Roger Rusch

150-1

Jurie Matthee

18-1

Martin Gluth

67-2

Maikel Govaarts

109-2

Carl Van Maanen

150-2

Heine Matthee

18-2

Sascha Weber

68-1

Óscar Pereiro Sio

110-1

Noam Schiller

151-1

Matthieu Tanke

19-1

Phillimon Sebona

68-2

Haimar Zubeldia

110-2

Gal Tsachor

151-2

Axel Bult

19-2

Julian Jessop

69-1

Massimo Debertolis

111-1

Gerard Dirks

152-1

Nicholas Price

20-1

Calle Friberg

69-2

Ondrej Fojtik

111-2

Frikkie Hartog

152-2

Kathy Milne

20-2

Henrik Sparr

70-1

George Hincapie

112-1

Pedro Lourenco

153-1

Louis Du Toit

21-1

Francesc Guerra Carretero

70-2

Christian Van de Velde

112-2

Andre Pinto

153-2

Johan Van Der Merwe

21-2

Luis Leao Pinto

71-1

Thomas Frischknecht

113-1

Ivar Tollefsen

154-1

John Swanepoel

22-1

Miguel Muñoz Moreno

71-2

Urs Gerig

113-2

Trond Hilde

154-2

Bennie Pretorius

22-2

Enrique Morcillo Vergara

72-1

Barti Bucher

114-1

Dirk Kotze

155-1

Brad Dixon

23-1

Jaco Pelser

72-2

Hans Juerg Gerber

114-2

Jaco Geldenhuys

155-2

Christo Geyer

23-2

Shaun-Nick Bester

73-1

Jeremy Thomson

115-1

John Bennett

156-1

Marius Hurter

24-1

Michael Posthumus

73-2

Martin Dreyer

115-2

Michael Meyer

157-1

Riaan Manser

24-2

Derrin Smith

74-1

Waleed Baker

116-1

Marc Sabate Rius

158-1

Elmien Stander

25-1

Josef Ajram

74-2

Shan Wilson

116-2

Mayalen Noriega Belausteguigoitia 158-2

Walter Diezel

25-2

Carlos Coloma Nicolas

75-1

Robert Sim

117-1

Rowan Grobler

159-1

Deon Wilkins

26-1

Johnny Cattaneo

75-2

Udo Boelts

117-2

Gregory Grobler

160-1

Jose Correia Pinto Filho

26-2

Louis Meija

76-1

Henning Blaauw

118-1

Nigel Bedford

160-2

Cristiano Solak

27-1

Martin Fanger

76-2

Louise Ferreira

118-2

Des Nangle

161-1

Martin Cilliers

27-2

Simon Vitzthum

77-1

Dusty Day

119-1

Pea Blaauw

162-1

Shane Chorley

28-1

Hein Du Toit

77-2

Nicky Giliomee

119-2

Aretha Eksteen

162-2

Andrew David James

28-2

Ignus Oosthuizen

78-1

Giuliana Massarotto

120-1

Geoff Wood

163-1

Carlos Spencer

29-1

Timothy Hammond

78-2

Carlo Campagnolo

120-2

Matt Dickson

163-2

Clinton Mackintosh

29-2

Arno Du Toit

79-1

Marleen Lourens

121-1

Stephen Gorton

164-1

Garreth Mclellan

30-1

Dylan Rebello

79-2

Bradley Hemphill

121-2

Paul Winter

164-2

Mike Hewan

31-1

Jan Fojtík

80-1

Gus Klohn

122-1

Vaughn Roux

165-1

Jurgen van den Broeck

31-2

Wolfgang Krenn

80-2

Yolandi Du Toit

122-2

Matthew Miller

165-2

Kurt Van den Broeck

32-1

Craig Uria

82-1

Chris Coetzee

123-1

Christiaan Beyers

166-1

Valenti San Juan

32-2

Andrew Duvenage

82-2

Willie Van Der Vyver

123-2

Barry Davitt

166-2

Jordi Barri Carles

33-1

Martin Frey

83-1

Joyce Benade

124-1

Scott Harkin

167-1

Marc Tugues Tarragona

33-2

Simon Schneller

83-2

Johan Claassen

124-2

Sirk Loots

167-2

Antonio Moreno Ortega

34-1

Siphosenkosi Madolo

84-1

Angus Alexander

125-1

Bruce Meyers

168-1

Craig Kolesky

34-2

Azukile Simayile

84-2

Ben Melt Swanepoel

125-2

James Jacobs

168-2

Ashley Haigh-smith

35-1

Jurgens Uys

85-1

Rory Mapstone

126-1

Andrew Grobler

169-1

Teresa Coetzee

35-2

Nicol Carstens

85-2

Glen Brydges

126-2

Guylin Van Den Berg

169-2

Bonny Swanepoel

36-1

Owen Green

86-1

Hannes Hanekom

127-1

Leon Tobias

170-1

Niccolo Violati

36-2

Andrew Johnson

86-2

Sakkie Hanekom

127-2

Mark Sack

170-2

Tommaso Crisi

37-1

Ibon Zugasti

87-1

Fanus Coetzer

128-1

Wolf Stinnes

171-1

Ales Boben

37-2

Alberto Losada

87-2

Johan De Bruyn

128-2

Reinette Geldenhuis

171-2

Uros Lozar

38-1

Joseph De Poortere-Emelien

88-1

CD Du Toit

129-1

Patrick Van Schoor

172-1

Tomas Pribyl

38-2

Benoit Jeanniard

88-2

Erhardt Du Toit

129-2

Michael Ellingworth

172-2

Willie Landman

39-1

Jose Hermida

89-1

Rory Attridge

130-1

Wayne Robertson

173-1

Bobby Lea

39-2

Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver

89-2

Sean Attridge

130-2

Stephen O’brien

174-1

Pierre Griffioen

45-1

Craig Beech

90-1

Wayne Morris

131-1

Niven Wood

175-1

Hein Kruger

45-2

Songo Fipaza

90-2

Guy Jennings

131-2

Rens Rezelman

177-1

Plewman Meintjes

46-1

Hannele Steyn

91-1

Danny Sabbagh

132-1

Travis Victor

177-2

Lizl Meintjes

46-2

Jeannie Dreyer

91-2

Alexander Bezuidenhout

132-2

Petrus Senekal

178-1

Robert Kehoe

47-1

John Gale

92-1

Yuval Fridman

133-1

Andrew Koen

178-2

Mark Kidd

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

65

179-1

James Edwards

220-1

Roberto Bou Martin

264-2

Patrick Pilz

305-2

Derek Venter

179-2

Timothy Coates

220-2

Cristofer Bosque Ruano

265-1

David Klabin

306-1

Darren Gallias

180-1

Christopher Norman

221-1

Eva Tomas

265-2

Leandro Caram

306-2

Warren Stewart

180-2

Jocelyn Bretherick

221-2

Antonio Gasso

266-1

Nathier Salie

307-1

Pieter Viljoen

181-1

Nigel Shannon

222-1

Antonio Garabal

266-2

Ziehaad Salie

307-2

Marthinus Geldenhuys

181-2

Dennis Lamminga

222-2

Nicolas Michael Müller

267-1

Jason Elliott

308-1

Zack van der Merwe

182-1

Jaap Beyers

223-1

Tony Perez

267-2

Sander Elliott

308-2

Deon Calder

182-2

Harry Scheepers

223-2

Albert Belles

268-1

Matthias Gradinger

309-1

Herbert Smith

183-1

Stephan Muller

224-1

Dídac Rodríguez Barón

268-2

Robert Wolf

309-2

Jeandre Van Schalkwyk

183-2

Wendy Muller

224-2

Oriol Carbo Tarrida

269-1

Andre Brand

310-1

Jacques De Klerk

184-1

Johan De Jong

225-1

Santiago Millán Montes

269-2

Charl De Villiers

310-2

Wiehahn De Klerk

184-2

Ralph Poelstra

226-1

Carlos Ortet Pérez

270-1

Siyabulela Tutu

311-1

Kemp Oberholzer

185-1

Ben Hoffman

227-1

Tomás Misser Vilaseca

270-2

Zola Ngxakeni

311-2

Ruan Oberholzer

185-2

Sebastian Kienle

228-1

John Cockburn

271-1

Carel Botha

312-1

Damian Jones

186-1

Kelly Magelky

228-2

David Lech

271-2

Herman Swart

312-2

Thomas Barlow

186-2

Joshua Bezecny

229-1

Nina Mcvicar

272-1

Dwayne Laubscher

313-1

Pieter Du Preez

187-1

Jonathan Lowe

229-2

Reta Trotman

272-2

Petrus Bosman

313-2

Dirk Coetsee

187-2

Guy Cobbe

230-1

Jorge Clemente Garcia

273-1

Benjamin Weil

314-1

Wayne Plit

188-1

Keith Tarter

230-2

Pelayo Orts

273-2

Sascha Weil

314-2

Gary Gorton

188-2

Brian Mountjoy

231-1

David Oliver

274-1

Mike Russon

315-1

Louis Stassen

189-1

Txema Azcárate

231-2

Graeme Young

274-2

Shane Robinson

315-2

Jessica Knight

189-2

Juan Antonio Rodriguez

232-1

Haley Van Leeuwen

275-1

Alexander Milner

316-1

Andrew Mclean

190-1

Kevin Wright

232-2

Johnny van Leeuwen

275-2

John Spangenberg

316-2

Joel Stransky

190-2

Jacques Van Der Westhuizen

233-1

Daniel Kumlin

276-1

Dean Engelbrecht

317-1

Alister Buhler

191-1

Carles Onyós De Plandolit García

233-2

Hampus Rinne

276-2

Denis Engelbrecht

317-2

Donovan Tredrea

191-2

Santi Colominas Cuñat

234-1

Stephen Davies

277-1

Gilles Pote

318-1

Nic Kohler

192-1

Justin Hornsby

234-2

Paul Riordan

277-2

Leander Poté

318-2

Martin Pienaar

192-2

Rorie Wilson

235-1

Gerhard Kruger

278-1

Dexter Loo

319-1

Simon Camerer

193-1

Harold Myburgh

235-2

Junita Kruger

278-2

Olivier Tang

319-2

Justin Babaya

193-2

Chris Vermeulen

236-1

Douglas Ryder

279-1

Jose Ribas Ferrer

320-1

Andre Malan

194-1

Peter Jung

236-2

Jan Scannell

279-2

Jose Luis Pollo Mateo

320-2

Erik Stander

194-2

Florian Reichenbach

237-1

Ignacio Herrero

280-1

David Dominguez Baena

321-1

Mike Coppin

195-1

Andrew West

237-2

Ignacio Herrero

280-2

Juan Bautista Ramon Ribas

321-2

Dane Coppin

195-2

Paul West

238-1

Brandon Harcus

281-1

Etienne Van Rensburg

322-1

Andre Van Selm

196-1

Rikus Visser

238-2

Raynard Tissink

281-2

Johann Klindt

322-2

Richard Dunn

196-2

David Garrett

239-1

David Higgs

282-1

Brian Staby

323-1

Matthew Cook

197-1

Benoit Cailteux

239-2

Murray Davidson

282-2

Simon Ritchie

323-2

Marcos Rosa

197-2

Nelis Swart

240-1

Michal Lomnicki

283-1

Louis Prinsloo

324-1

Freddie Meyer

198-1

Rebecca Bar-tur

240-2

Piotr Bedla

283-2

Muller Van Niekerk

324-2

Johan Labuschagne

198-2

Lucio Trucco

241-1

Lucas Mcdowall

284-1

Felix Andres Arango

325-1

Piet Viljoen

199-1

Frederick Rossouw

242-1

Andre Costa

284-2

Juan Diego Mejia

325-2

Oscar Foulkes

199-2

Warren Price

243-1

Markus Jokinen

285-1

Diego Mauricio Herrera Alzate

326-1

Nico Johannes Kotze

200-1

Alison Jones

244-1

Yutinai Tiraganant

285-2

Mauricio Vasquez Barrera

326-2

Yolandi Steyn

200-2

Vincent Schino

245-1

David Gaillard

286-1

Grant Laatz

327-1

Mark Olivier

201-1

Nicholas Schino

245-2

Marco Zumsteg

286-2

Jonathan Hornsby

327-2

Andrew Donkin

201-2

Garrett Cunico

246-1

Ana Lucia Campos

287-1

Clemens Bartlome

328-1

Hendrik Du Toit

202-1

Charles Swart

246-2

Giovani Toscano Bondança

287-2

Olin Bartlome

328-2

Dirk Joubert

202-2

Revelin Minihane

247-1

Francisco Rotta Muller

288-1

Callie Mellet

329-1

Bernard Roode

203-1

Eric Woods

247-2

Mateus Zandona

288-2

Jacques Van Heerden

329-2

Charl De Klerk

203-2

Sacha Petancic

248-1

Garth Petersen

289-1

Jacques Raymond

330-1

Thomas Reib

204-2

Yuri Hauswald

248-2

Lourens Oberholzer

289-2

Werner Joyce

330-2

Sean Greve

204-1

Brian Vaughan

249-1

Gary Moorcroft

290-1

Cristian Reinolfo Zuluaga Ramirez

331-1

Michael van Rooyen

205-1

Michael Talbert

249-2

Glenn Broadhurst

290-2

Oscar Alberto Coca Gomez

331-2

Albertus Jooste

205-2

Mike Bennett

250-1

Niel Rossouw

291-1

Guilherme Bueno

332-1

Ewert Small

206-1

Mike Dannelley

250-2

Leon Erasmus

291-2

Uira Ribeiro

332-2

Steve Amos

206-2

Mary Dannelley

251-1

Anton Bartman

292-1

Andrea Noventa

333-1

Franso Steyn

207-1

Darrell Jones

251-2

Niel Kirsten

292-2

Emanuele Nardello

333-2

Colene Steyn

207-2

Tom Ebbern

252-1

Chak Shing Cheng

293-1

Antonio Turner

334-1

Nadine Smith

208-1

Troy Fidler

252-2

Ying Ling

293-2

Gonzalo Maureira

334-2

Craig Smith

208-2

Andrew Shearer-Smith

253-1

Jamie De Wet

294-1

Claus Plaut

335-1

Johan Bezuidenhout

209-1

Heinz Posch

253-2

Lourens Van Der Westhuizen

294-2

Enrique Uribe

335-2

Pieter Bezuidenhout

209-2

Nina Brenn

254-1

Marco Slabbert

295-1

Alessandro Costantini

336-1

Andries Van Der Merwe

210-1

Sabina Compassi

254-2

Marko Visser

295-2

Fabrizio Bocca

336-2

Charlene Barkhuizen

210-2

Paul Buhler

255-1

Arno Jordaan

296-1

Francois Auret

337-1

Pieter-ben Pienaar

211-1

Fritz Egli

255-2

Charlie Louw

296-2

Pieter Marx

337-2

Floris Botha

211-2

Marco Luthi

256-1

Christopher Haas

297-1

Johann De Wet

338-1

Michael Creedon

212-1

Andi Hofer

256-2

Stephan Weber

297-2

Wynand Louw

338-2

Andy Davies

212-2

Markus Weber

257-1

Joeri Van Leeuwen

298-1

Ismael Franco Folgueira

339-1

Jan-Louis Pretorius

213-1

Heinrich Leuthard

257-2

Kristian Steckler

298-2

Miguel Mongil López

339-2

Janine Pretorius

213-2

Werner Leuthard

258-1

Jean Van Wyk

299-1

Reuben Van Niekerk

340-1

Alex Otto

214-1

Andi Ettlin

258-2

Thys-koch Burden

299-2

Kevin Rodney Benkenstein

340-2

Christo Van Den Heever

214-2

Reto Wallimann

259-1

Martin Luzuriaga Moncayo

300-1

Erik Knoetze

341-1

Abrie Greyling

215-1

Markus Gisler

259-2

Nicolas Fernandez Schatzer

300-2

Fred Van Zyl

341-2

Denham Gosling

215-2

Mirco Mengucci

260-1

Andy Eggleston

301-1

Adam Scott

342-1

Riaan Munnik

216-1

Victor Zurita Exposito

260-2

Christopher Lavender

301-2

Darryll Harding

342-2

Gideon Rossouw

216-2

Daniel Lopez Compos

261-1

Chris Visser

302-1

Carl Crous

343-1

Rudi Pollard

217-1

Soraya Senao Fernandez

261-2

Nic Visser

302-2

Pieter Van Heerden

343-2

Dwain Butler

217-2

Beatriz Gallego Carbajo

262-1

Hugo Prado Neto

303-1

Philip Vermeulen

344-1

Bruce Campbell

218-1

Victor Palomar Asenjo

262-2

Lukas Kaufmann

303-2

Richard Goussard

344-2

Tim Ellerbeck

218-2

Francisco Jose Garcia-purriños

263-1

Stephen Husted

304-1

Piet Du Toit

345-1

Johnnie Roelofse

219-1

Luis Garcia Ibañez Cisneros

263-2

David Delfiugo

304-2

Jan Louis Stevens

345-2

Louis Bekker

219-2

Estefani Rottier Puche

264-1

Cornelius Jakob Wiedenmann

305-1

Vickus Boshoff

346-1

Charl Fouche

66

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

2018 | RIDER NAMES 346-2

Jaco Brand

395-2

Timothy Michael Pearson

437-1

Willem Pretorius

478-1

Herike Assis Silva

347-1

Gus Close

396-1

Hannu Oja

437-2

Willie Van Schalkwyk

478-2

Paulo Cesar Jeveaux

347-2

Tyrone Walker

396-2

Juha Vähämetsä

438-1

Chak Fung Lau

479-1

Chris Horter

348-1

Brand Pretorius

397-1

Alex Teixidor Sais

438-2

Chi Hang Yuen

479-2

Ian Smith

348-2

Dawid Malan

397-2

Xavier Fiego Diaz

439-1

Paul Jatho

480-1

Henlo Webber

349-1

Andrew Dewey

398-1

Fabio Lopes

439-2

Waldek Wasowicz

480-2

Marc Rosenberg

349-2

David Coupar

398-2

Xiri Nascimento

440-1

Francois Burger

481-1

Kevin Hickey

350-1

Marcel De Klerk

399-1

Dominik Dimatellis

440-2

Lammert Oosthuizen

481-2

Davy Muller

350-2

Jacobus Adriaan Lategan

399-2

Johan Huisamen

441-1

Grant De Ridder

482-1

Garth De Jager

351-1

Rowan Williams

400-1

Marco Marques

441-2

Nathaniel Duarte

482-2

Kevin Walter

351-2

Lance Williams

401-1

Weylin Ludick

442-1

Dave Beeche

483-1

Jaime Alcaraz Freijo

352-1

Nigel Payne

401-2

Xenephin Ludick

442-2

William Turner

483-2

Javier Llinares

352-2

August Van Heerden

402-1

Philip Tollefsen

443-1

Christiaan Pretorius

484-1

Hein Knacke

353-1

Justin Jeffery

402-2

Fredrik Norrby

443-2

Johannes Smit

484-2

Jaco Ferreira

353-2

Bevan Jeffery

403-1

Martin Hall

444-1

Lars Rosencrantz

485-1

Peter Lüthi

354-1

Geoffrey Lee

403-2

Mike Eglington

444-2

Oscar Ek

485-2

Martin Staub

354-2

Matthew Lee

404-1

Thys Redelinghuys

445-1

Gregor Hengst

486-1

Stefan Holst

355-1

Johann Grobler

404-2

Anton Jooste

445-2

Johann Reich

486-2

Manuel Monteiro

355-2

Ockert Van Schoor

405-1

Gerhard Mans

446-1

Matthys Louw

487-1

Simon Rollo

356-1

Shaun Van Biljon

405-2

Gerhard Jnr Mans

446-2

Thys Louw

488-1

Ockert Scholtz

356-2

Phillip Malan

406-1

Carmine Signorelli

447-1

Christiaan Marais

488-2

Mike Visser

357-1

Clinton Johns

406-2

Thomas Andrew Daddi

447-2

Daniel Mannweiler

489-1

Duncan Macdonald

357-2

Marc Ruwiel

407-1

Mario Cutino

448-1

Christian Kuhn

489-2

Louis Du Toit

358-1

Stephen Brown

407-2

Willem Mouton

448-2

Markus Amann

490-1

Jenna Borrill

358-2

Sandiso Xethu

408-1

Johannes Loubser

449-1

Conrad Meyer

490-2

Tandi Kitching

359-1

Till Streichert

408-2

Van Zyl Botha

449-2

Werner Van Heerden

491-1

Sandra Reyes Coronilla

359-2

Bryce Munro

409-1

Francois Henrion

450-1

Luke Evans

491-2

Anna Barea Garcia

360-1

Bertie Van Zyl

409-2

Shaun Keppler

450-2

Richard Damant

492-1

Olivia Smedley

360-2

Ferdie Potgieter

410-1

Gary Kirsten

451-1

Ingolf Welsch

492-2

Madeleine Gérard

361-1

Dirk Samuel Botha

410-2

Roddy van Breda

451-2

Stephan Salscheider

493-1

Lisa Land

361-2

Francois Du Toit

411-1

Maurice Mdlolo

452-1

Anthony Haralambous

493-2

Kate Ross

362-1

Heinrich Moller

411-2

Letshego Zulu

452-2

James McCallum

494-1

Verity Appleyard

362-2

Zaan De Vries

412-1

Craig Duggan

453-1

Gonzalo Astiz Alonso

494-2

Maxine Filby

363-1

Dirk Oberholzer

412-2

Michael Switzer

453-2

Leopoldo Arias

495-1

Heather Kelley

363-2

Leon Burger

413-1

Khulekani Ngcongo

454-1

Mario Santana

495-2

Emily Dunning

364-1

Floris Botha

413-2

Thabo Khojane

454-2

Scott Forrest

496-1

Dannielle French

364-2

Stefan Olivier

414-1

Leon Kotting

455-1

Abrie Stone

496-2

Michelle Guerin

365-1

Sean Baloyi

414-2

Willem Herselman

455-2

Carel Hoffman

497-1

Nicki Sutherland

365-2

Clement Mabula

415-1

Juan Roldan

456-1

Adam Schoeman

497-2

Michelle Van Aswegen

366-1

Sipho Kupiso

415-2

Xavier Coello

456-2

Johan Van Rooyen

498-1

Alewyn Grove

366-2

Bongumusa Zikhali

416-1

Clinton Haley

457-1

Harry Nay

498-2

Markus Van Niekerk

367-1

Ndumiso Dontso

416-2

Grant Hall

457-2

Justin Nay

499-1

Steve Etherton

367-2

Luvuyo Siyasi

417-1

Abdullah Jaffar

458-1

Beka Nareklishvili

499-2

Lucy Etherton

368-1

Aphiwe Giyayo

417-2

Yacoob Jaffar

458-2

Giorgi Nareklishvili

500-1

George Mcnulty

368-2

Ntlantla Nonkasa

418-1

Jan Gutter

459-1

Pieter Heyns

500-2

Karin Steyn

375-1

Methoa Mabasa

418-2

Jan-hendrik Gutter

459-2

Pieter Strydom

501-1

Belinda Knowles

375-2

Tsepo Nyirenda

419-1

Brian Koder

460-1

Gustavo Penaherrera

501-2

Hamish Knowles

376-1

Loyiso Gaba

419-2

Luke Brechwald

460-2

Sebastian Naranjo

502-1

Steve Willson

376-2

Lwazi Ntsakaza

420-1

Justin Ritchie

461-1

Pedro Francisco Vieira Neto

502-2

Melanie Melville

377-1

Luyanda Thobigunya

420-2

Maruis Marais

461-2

Remerson Neri

503-1

Duncan Viljoen

377-2

Baphelele Mbobo

421-1

Florian Sankt

462-1

Dennis Duarte

503-2

Sylvia Van Tromp

380-1

Catalin Sprinceana

421-2

Markus Jenny

462-2

Wilhelm Jansen

504-1

Nadine Visagie

380-2

Hans Comijn

422-1

Ingus Ozolants

463-1

Ivo Pravda

504-2

Roger Nicholson

381-1

Chan Chun Hing

422-2

Janis Vanags

463-2

Jakub Partik

505-1

Hadas Weiss

381-2

Sze Yuen Chan

423-1

Niel Goosen

464-1

Craig Mackintosh

505-2

Tomer Osher

382-1

Benjamin Justesen

423-2

Zean Bourbon-leftley

464-2

Jeremy Mackintosh

506-1

Wikke Tuinhout

382-2

Thomas Bundgaard

424-1

Graham Potgieter

465-1

Patric Tinner

506-2

Sander Bokelman

383-1

Erasmus Pretorius

424-2

Shaun Mccallum

465-2

Simeon Niederer

507-1

Milena Bettocchi

383-2

Henry Stoltz

425-1

Andre Lombard

466-1

Bruno Bazzan Collato

507-2

Giuseppe Salerno

384-1

Danny Griebenow

425-2

Theo Lombard

466-2

Thales CanÇado Jr

508-1

Ahmed Al Fahim

384-2

Johan Bezuidenhoud

426-1

Jan Andries Joubert

467-1

Christophe Barbey

508-2

Barbara Ihrig

385-1

Carl Gevers

426-2

Raoul Hamman

467-2

Emmanuel Corpetti

509-1

Janick Dähler

385-2

Marc Gevers

427-1

Cameron Adams

468-1

Daniele Ancarani

509-2

Melina Flurina Schweizer

386-1

Daniël Driessen

427-2

Jonathan Adams

468-2

Gianluca Vetricini

510-1

Luke Maga

386-2

Norman Meerkerk

428-1

Yin Chun Chan

469-1

Clive Brooks

510-2

Jeanie De Villiers

387-1

Christopher Grundberg

428-2

Siu Man Lau

469-2

Werner Botha

511-1

Luz Gonzalez

387-2

Mark Warren

429-1

Kit Hang Li

470-1

Alejandro Gómez Rosende

511-2

Yonattan Florez

388-1

Bryan Nicholson

429-2

Tsz Ting Wong

470-2

Miguel Ángel Casado Bravo

512-1

Felipe Egues Espinosa

388-2

Jon Luca Del Fante

430-1

Eugene Kelly

471-1

Cristiano Juliani

512-2

Ana Idrovo

389-1

Attilio Pagni

430-2

Michael Mcdonald

471-2

Thiago Schieber Saude Quinteiro

513-1

Tara Bakker

389-2

Kevin Elliot

431-2

Riaan Hendrikse

472-1

Christiaan Wehmeyer

513-2

Craig Bakker

390-1

Nicholas Hops

431-1

Jan Lawrence Goosen

472-2

Christiaan Niemand

514-1

Briony Mattocks

390-2

Ryann Dean

432-1

Emeric Turcat

473-1

Daniel Saaiman

514-2

Wayne Dickinson

391-1

Heinro Malan

432-2

Sylvain Robert

473-2

Warren Labuschagne

515-1

Wilmien Venter

391-2

Robert Snyders

433-1

Hennie Visser

474-1

Callie Steyn

515-2

Jannie Steyn

392-1

Grant Lingard

433-2

Jacques De Villiers

474-2

Casparus Steyn

516-1

Gustaaf Vaes

392-2

Steven Lingard

434-1

Lau Longfung

475-1

Ivan Doncaster

516-2

Amy Horstmeyer

393-1

Jandre Prinsloo

434-2

Lau Chi Chung

475-2

Paul Coetzee

517-1

Jessika Fuchs

393-2

Shaun Harris

435-1

Fjord Jordaan

476-1

Estiaan Senekal

517-2

Stefan Zuber

394-1

Bjorn De Roo

435-2

Liam Graham

476-2

Francois Steyn

518-1

Claude Crepeau

394-2

Stijn Verstraeten

436-1

David Denbury

477-1

Alessandrini Enrico

518-2

Josee Heppell

395-1

Justin Nash

436-2

Robert Pearse

477-2

Fabio Cappelletti

519-1

Agustina Maria Apaza

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

67

519-2

Cesar Lettoli

560-2

Patrick Lackey

601-2

Luis Enrique Martinez

644-1

Carel Van Heerden

520-1

Nina Hartleb

561-1

Christophe Bosc

602-1

Felipe Martínez García

644-2

Chrisjan Vorster

520-2

Dirk Edinger

561-2

Sylvain Bosc

602-2

Carlos Benitez

645-1

Bruce Miller

521-1

Marianne Kern

562-1

Dav Hugo

603-1

Gael Mainard

645-2

Rod Goncalves

521-2

Marcel Kamm

562-2

Stuart Johnston

603-2

Largier Christian

646-1

Julian Zetler

522-1

Xixi Zhang

563-1

Juan Manuel Gomez Guillen

604-1

Frans Snyman

646-2

Lionel Pamensky

522-2

Nuo Zhang

563-2

Jorge Sopeña Sanz

604-2

Holden Marshall

647-1

Soren Lind Wenck

523-1

Rafael Wyss

564-1

Jonathan Wright

605-1

George Todd

647-2

Peter Selkrig

523-2

Sofia Loewens

564-2

Carl Wilson

605-2

Alex Mason-apps

648-1

Merwede Van Der Berg

524-1

Justin Caldwell

565-1

Willie Fourie

606-1

Grant Scott

648-2

Chris Stofberg

524-2

Collette Bastard

565-2

Johan Meyer

606-2

Isak Pretorius

649-1

Rob Surtees

525-1

Melanie Brenner

566-1

Tiago Almeida

607-1

Marius Wasserfall

649-2

Michael Reynolds

525-2

Deon Brenner

566-2

Marco Macedo

607-2

Edwin Videler

650-1

Ron Dagan

526-1

Jessica Griesel

567-1

Battista Galli

608-1

David Cuff

650-2

Jan Huyse

526-2

Bernard Griesel

567-2

Davide Pojer

608-2

Tom Murray

651-1

Marc Cosaert

527-1

Nicolien Booysen

568-1

Glenn James

609-1

Andrew Gillett

651-2

Tristan Dhondt

527-2

Lance Hamel

568-2

Kurt Begemann

609-2

Vaughan Van Eden

652-1

Graham Morton

528-1

Anton Steyn

569-1

Jun Wang

610-1

Grant Watson

652-2

Simeon Eaton

528-2

Anneke Viljoen

569-2

Qiuyu Meng

610-2

Brett Van Coller

653-1

Jan Gabris

529-1

Irene Van Den Berg

570-1

Stephane Torchio

611-1

Ian Loebenberg

653-2

Ales Kilnar

529-2

Derek Van Den Berg

570-2

Philippe DiFruscia

611-2

Gavin Griggs

654-1

Joerg Riedl

530-1

Jeanine Peck

571-1

Stefano Maran

612-1

Terry Keller

654-2

Steffen Allert

530-2

Werner Du Toit

571-2

Dino Pavan

612-2

Andrew Bateson

655-1

Anton Pielmeier

531-1

Adriaan Jonker

572-1

Ivan Ischia

613-1

Neil Retief

655-2

Jan-peter Rudolf

531-2

Lize Theron

572-2

Joan Junyent

613-2

Phillip Retief

656-1

Gianfranco Ferrari

532-1

Robert Alexander

573-1

Pedro Marques

614-1

Craig Gerber

656-2

Elard Meier

532-2

Sarah Alexander

573-2

Rui Cortegaca

614-2

Martin Epstein

657-1

Willem Van Der Meulen

533-1

Sergio Madonna

574-1

Jhon Jairo Villarraga Montilla

615-1

Pak Lam Wan

657-2

Cornelis Verbeek

533-2

Kristina Murray

574-2

Santiago Robledo

615-2

Matthew Cheung

658-1

Steven Berkowitz

534-1

Nick Hutton

575-1

Joaquim Santos

616-1

Mark Pfister

658-2

Ian Bryan

534-2

Andrew Wong

575-2

Paulo Ferreira

616-2

Gavin Pfister

659-1

Boris Vukasovic

535-1

Dick During

576-1

Dennis Immerzeel

617-1

Grant Robertson

659-2

Enrique Gutierrez

535-2

Erhard Coetzee

576-2

Tjeerd Den Houter

617-2

Ashley Seiler

660-1

David Trinder

536-1

Paul Rowe

577-1

Michel Mocellini

618-1

Emil Stark

660-2

Simon Nicks

536-2

Gary Tullis

577-2

Sandro Battaini

618-2

Louis Broodryk

661-1

Nicholas Hughes

537-1

Robert Kruger

578-1

Danilo Jordan

619-1

Kin Ming Tang

661-2

Colin Brown

537-2

Ian Martin

578-2

Mark Bannister

619-2

Wah Shing So

662-1

Bruno Richner

538-1

Andy Millar

579-1

Hans Michiels

620-1

Andrew Cherrington

662-2

Max Richner

538-2

Martin De Villiers

579-2

Jurgen Van Achter

620-2

Devrin Muir

663-1

Paul Duffy

539-1

Antonio Faundez

580-1

Leonard Martin

621-1

Robin Lewis

663-2

Graham Collins

539-2

Alex Kruger

580-2

Silvio Suardi

621-2

Garth Ennion

664-1

Ignacio Javier Micheltorena

540-1

Jeroen Hirdes

581-1

Lance Polloreno

622-1

Colin Allkin

664-2

Cristian Cuadra Schlie

540-2

Niels Van Der Wal

581-2

Jason Tuffs

622-2

Robert De Rooy

666-1

Emanuele Di Stefano

541-1

René Zorn

582-1

Grégory Escuain

623-1

Rinus Van Den Ende

666-2

Riccardo Acuto

541-2

Rigo Schultz

582-2

Ruiz Jerome

623-2

Ivan Barclay

667-1

Kent Wilson

542-1

Ryk Van Niekerk

583-1

Julian Buelvas

624-1

Dieter Prinsloo

667-2

Peter O’sullivan

542-2

Louis Rex

583-2

Gabriel Baeza

624-2

Nico Schoeman

668-1

James Keirstead

543-1

Ryan Lewis

584-1

Gustavo Ruiz

625-1

Willem Serfontein

668-2

Carl Pearson

543-2

Mike O’donovan

584-2

Gabriel Ravasio

625-2

Gabriel Jordaan

669-1

Gert Marx

544-1

Felix Kobel

585-1

Mick Klemens

626-1

Paul Albertus Van Jaarsveld

669-2

Johan Mare

544-2

Schaaf Frederic

585-2

Peter Waldron

626-2

Johannes Marthinus Joubert

670-1

Francois Odendaal

545-1

Duncan Brown

586-1

Christopher Seago

627-1

Wilfried Reichle

670-2

Marthinus Pienaar

545-2

Verissimo Tavares

586-2

Michael Jordan

627-2

Thorsten Röttgers

671-1

Roman Siroky

546-1

Michael De Kock

587-1

Andrew Robinson

628-1

Hanno Kruger

671-2

Radim Novotny

546-2

Marc Lagesse

587-2

Terence O’Neill

628-2

Bertus Kruger

672-1

Bruce Kaiser

547-1

Cliff Wills

588-1

Steve Vanderveken

629-1

Dawie Theron

672-2

Don Boyce

547-2

Wayne Gimingham

588-2

Bart Van Gorp

629-2

Nelis Coetzee

673-1

Trevor D’oliveira

548-1

Klaus Pauly

589-1

Guilherme Turano

630-1

Greg Macfarlane

673-2

Dieter Rothman

548-2

Tom Woeckener

589-2

Gustavo Arruda

630-2

Clinton Froneman

674-1

Pieter Mccord

549-1

Jose Cruz Garcia Gonzalez

590-1

Adriano José Malinowski

631-1

Jaco Erasmus

674-2

Johan Erasmus

549-2

Jorge Salinas

590-2

João Pedro Jesus Carvalho

631-2

Ernest Van Rooyen

675-1

Mark Prince

550-1

Meng Yam Pang

591-1

Friso Wittebol

632-1

Evan Robson

675-2

Deon Van Vuuren

550-2

Don Ng

591-2

Richard De Jongh

632-2

Matt Pennefather

676-1

Mike Israel

551-1

João Pedro

592-1

Laurent Hanique

633-1

Luca Della Vedova

676-2

Garry James

551-2

Luis Tenriro

592-2

Bernard Hanique

633-2

Giorgio Cardin

677-1

Hans-Petter Mellerud

552-1

Rusch Yannnick

593-1

Dean Foley

634-1

Hans Jensen

677-2

Lars Arnljot Saeboe

552-2

Benoit Lalevee

593-2

Chris Lentjes

634-2

Timothy Blegenhout

678-1

Anthony Adler

553-1

Nicolas Aquistapace

594-1

Sebastian Arnstedt

635-1

Karina Bonta

678-2

Edward Bennett

553-2

Juan Pablo Richard

594-2

Rune Sanbeck

635-2

Juganaru Razvan

679-1

Michael Van Kralingen

554-1

David Russell

595-1

Pedro Vintimilla

636-1

Moolman Welgemoed

680-1

Joko Vogel

554-2

Sebastien Petit

595-2

Juan Almeida

636-2

Douglas Burger

680-2

Martin Elmiger

555-1

Christopher Roque

596-1

Michele Gallina

637-1

William Stockland

681-1

Lyle Nesbitt

555-2

Dennis Fagundo

596-2

Matteo Bonazza

637-2

Shaun Claasen

681-2

Henry Angove

556-1

Tom Eekhof

597-1

Choon Yen Choey

638-1

Stephen Dickie

682-1

Allard Dijkstra

556-2

Martin Rijswijk

597-2

Alvin Tw Low

638-2

Jason Bryan

682-2

Onno Baack

557-1

Marco Wegmann

598-1

Gus Venter

639-1

Cesar Bogunovich

557-2

Martin Studer

598-2

Colin Spencer

640-1

Peter Griffiths

558-1

Jose Alvarado Ruiz

599-1

Siant Sue

640-2

Kelly Huber

558-2

Claudio Botten Concha

599-2

Choon Hwa Lim

641-1

Mark Newton

559-1

Camilo Mcallister

600-1

Allen Cox

642-1

Brad Clarke

559-2

Santiago Lievano

600-2

Bernd Barbrock

642-2

Rohin Adams

560-1

Christopher Moore

601-1

Tomas Latorre

643-1

Augusto Bernardi

68

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

CHARITIES In addition to rider fundraising, the Absa Cape Epic is proud to have a formal charity engagement programme with selected charities. They either utilise cycling to improve the lives of those less fortunate or actively work in the communities, area or environment through which the race travels.

R17.2 MILLION RAISED SINCE 2011

ANNA FOUNDATION The Anna Foundation is all about inspiring young people. We aim to empower disadvantaged rural children with life skills and core values, building self-worth and self-responsibility. Our “3 Rs programme: Reading, Running, Right-ing” is implemented during after-school hours and incorporates education (literacy), sports (riding, running and sports development) and life skills programmes (presented through drama). Women and men from farming communities are trained by the Foundation to run the 3 R’s programme, and teenager and parent workshops are also provided.

After the work comes some play, with the youngsters enjoying the pump tracks in the many Anna Foundation riding projects in the Western Cape.

ANNA FOUNDATION CONTACT Helen Lee | helen@annafoundation.com

CAPE LEOPARD TRUST The Cape Leopard Trust is all about leopards, right?

Well, yes and no. As well as conducting scientific research to ensure the long-term survival of leopards, we also offer a comprehensive environmental education programme, which includes wilderness camps and outings for school children and young adults.

The goal is to reconnect young people with nature and to nurture a greater respect for all fauna and flora that share our world. The Trust was launched in August 2004 as an active predator-conservation organisation in the Cape, using the leopard as a flagship species to address broader environmental challenges. Since then we have become an authority on predator conservation in South Africa and have active projects in the Cederberg, Gouritz Corridor and the Boland mountains.

CAPE LEOPARD CONTACT Helen Turnbull | contact@capeleopard.org.za

70

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

IRONMAN FOUNDATION The IRONMAN triathlon was born in the Hawaiian Islands and our team of athletes participating in the Absa Cape Epic bring with them the spirit of Kokua – a Hawaiian word meaning “giving back unselfishly to others”. The IRONMAN Foundation’s mission is to provide tangible change in the communities our athletes race in around the world, whether that be in an IRONMAN Triathlon, an iconic mountain bike race or running a marathon. In 2018, The IRONMAN Foundation will provide funding support totalling R225 000 across the three race host communities.

Through this initiative we aim to leave a lasting impact in these communities long after the race has ended. Whether it is helping flood victims, rebuilding a community centre after a fire or creating programmes to support the youth, consider joining us in 2019 and #RaceForMore IRONMAN CONTACT David Deschenes | david.deschenes@ironman.com

LAUREUS Heideveld on the Cape Flats is often associated with poverty, drugs, teenage pregnancy and crime. But a group of young children in the area are being offered a chance to escape from all that thanks to Laureus’ Sport for Good programme run at local schools by committed activist Mario van Niekerk and his dedicated team of 54 volunteers. Our core concept is to create global awards that recognise the achievements of today’s sporting heroes and bring sportspeople together.

That community, once it is brought together, and with the support and investment of Laureus’ founding patrons and partners, creates a powerful message that helps social projects that use sport as a tool for social change. The Heideveld project is one of many examples of that approach being put to practice.

LAUREUS CONTACT Brett Graham | brett@laureus.co.za

QHUBEKA We believe bicycles change lives because we’ve seen it first-hand. We’ve distributed more than 80 000 bicycles since 2005 and watched how these tools have helped people move forward. With a bicycle, a person can travel faster and further, and carry more.

When people earn bicycles through our various programmes, they tell us how the bicycles will help them to access schools, clinics and jobs. But if you’re reading this as an Epic rider or supporter, you’re already very aware of the joy that a bicycle can bring.

By supporting Qhubeka, you can help us to change more lives with bicycles.

For more info, visit www.qhubeka.org.

QHUBEKA CONTACT Gaylene Campbell | events@qhubeka.org

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

71

A DAY IN THE LIFE

OF AN EPIC RIDER

by Kevin McCallum

It starts with the sound of a cat singing and ends with a beer.

It’s 5am and I’m dreaming that the pipes, the pipes are calling. From glen to glen, and down…wait… this isn’t “Danny Boy”. It’s 5am and there is a cat singing the song of its people outside my tent. I used to like listening to the bagpipes. At 5am, with twitchy legs and my own twitchy internal pipes, it is not a sound that stirs me.

They say that you get used to the rhythm of stage racing life after day three. It’s day three and I’m in a twilight zone of routine and trepidation. Wake up, put on soft shoes, do the soft shoe shuffle to the portaloo, head to breakfast to shovel down food that stopped having taste two days ago and is now just fuel.

Click on to the Dimension Data wifi, which downloads last night’s football scores quicker than I can get the first spoon of porridge inside me.

Check Whatsapp messages. Look on Twitter and facebook, and feel proud and a little tearful at the support. My partner asks me if I’m okay. I say that I am, but we both miss home and we both know it. But we have each other. We plot to assassinate the man with the bagpipes.

Back to the tent and the joy of applying cold chamois cream before sliding into ASSOS bib shorts. Do you put cream on bum, or cream on chamois? I forget the etiquette and don’t care. As you snap the straps over your shoulders, you thank the Swiss genius who designed padding that has thus far kept us from the bum sore patrol at the Mediclinic.

We have seen grown men cry there and have had to avert our eyes.

Our team is all about the pre-race prep. We’ve dropped off our bottles for the water point the night before. The relief of that ice-cold hit of energy on a tough day cannot be over-stated. It’s like room service, except it is in the middle of nowhere.

We take a moment to look at the route profile that we’ve stuck on our top tubes. We look for the Land Rover Technical Terrains. That is our 72

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

sort of riding. Fun. Well, we think it’s fun. Fast and hard and rock ’n roll riding that lifts the heart, taking you back to the soul of mountain biking and the joy of riding a bicycle.

Glorious.

The mechanics and bike wash have made our bikes brand new. The thorns that tried their best to pierce our Mitas tyres have been sent to the place that dead thorns go to die.

I run my tyres hard, perhaps a little harder than I should, but I like the feel of them. My partner is a little softer than I. Hehehehe. It’s a joke that will never end.

The jokes start. We wait to start.

The checklist is performed again.

Then again. Everything is in place.

You are ready. And yet you are not.

Day three. You look at the route description and already begin the count-down of the distance and the climbing. My partner and I look at each other. We smile. We laugh. We high five. We hug, but quietly. It has gotten a little serious now. Good luck. I love you.

We’re off.

Checklist to do. SPOT satellite tracking system on. Check. Now the missus will know exactly where I am at every minute of the day. She told me last night she wants me to get one so she knows when I am down at the pub. Ah, that woman. The love is real. Buff? Check. There has been little rain down in the Western Cape. That is why we are here. To sweat in the Western Cape to help the drought. Think Mad Max dry. We don’t want to take half of it home with us in our lungs.

Each stage has its moments. You forget some parts and can never shake others. The mountain with no end, the rut on the descent that almost ended your Epic with a hungry gulp and the whoosh of the singletrack that had you whooping like a kid. The pit-stop rush of the water points. The wonder of salted potatoes and the sugar of sour worm sweets. The ice-cold water, the kick of an ice-cold aQuellé water.

Bumping into fellow racers you have spent part of this journey with along the way. Rushing out again. Checking the route description. Counting the distance. Counting the climbing.

Into the pens. The nerves start.

And then, we are done.

The day is finished. The stage is ours. We roll over the line. I’ll never get over that feeling, nor the people who come to meet you.

Those glorious volunteers. Those glorious sponsors. This one takes your bike to the people at Muc-off to get the gunk off your chain and bike, this one has a cold cloth and a cup of Energade. The kindness of the people from Woolworths and their recovery meals, wolfed down with a USN recovery protein shake - that you’re clever enough to make before you even sleepwalked to breakfast in the morning - to give the body all it needs for tomorrow. What do they say? You are always eating for tomorrow at the Absa Cape Epic.

A shower, a massage, and yet more to eat. Dimension Data have given us a red phone home, and we

tell the world we have completed another day at the Untamed African MTB Race. It is, as it should be, time to settle in a beanbag at the Chill Zone for a Castle Free or two as the sun rolls down. Beer was made for mountain biking. It feels like Champagne after a stage, a celebration of doing something less ordinary.

Dinner in the tent is noisier than breakfast. There is much to talk about, war stories to tell and a chance to celebrate the riders at the sharp end of the Epic. Kati, the Race Director, tells us about the next day, of any changes and dangers and sand and things we may excite or alarm you. And then it is off to the tents, to sleep, perchance to dream before a cat starts singing.

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

73

WW36852/E

MAKE EVERY

1

DROP COUNT

WE’RE CULTIVATING WATER SAVINGS

As part of our Farming for the Future programme, our produce, wine and flower farmers are saving water by only irrigating when necessary. We’re also committed to using less water in our own business.

3

2

KEEPING OUR WATER CLEAN AND CLEAR Farming for the Future means reducing the amount of chemical fertilisers and other chemicals that go back into our water sources. We also partner with fabric and clothing suppliers who are committed to putting clean water back into the environment.

A PARTNERSHIP FOR PRESERVATION Water stewardship is all about Government, NGOs and the community working together to save and protect the precious water resources we all share. Together with the WWF, the Alliance for Water Stewardship and Marks & Spencer, we’re helping our Ceres fruit farmers to manage the water on their farms better.

IN MOST OF OUR STORES, WE’RE MONITORING WATER USE, HARVESTING RAINWATER AND INCREASING EFFICIENCY. SINCE 2007, WE HAVE ALREADY REDUCED RELATIVE WATER USE BY 56%.

4

CLEAN WATER AND CLEAN CLOTHES

5

We’ve introduced phosphate-free laundry detergents that help preserve water quality without compromising on cleaning efficiency.

JOIN US ON OUR JOURNEY: WOOLWORTHS.CO.ZA/WATER

TEACHING TOMORROW’S GENERATION With the future in mind, our Making the Difference programme educates learners about the importance of using water wisely.

AN EPIC SERIES It’s virtually impossible to become bored of the stunning landscapes and engaging trails Absa Cape Epic riders experience on their eight-day endeavour (just ask any of the Last Lions – the intrepid four who have finished every event since its inception in 2004). Yet, even the most die-hard fans of the Untamed African Mountain Bike Race might now be persuaded to explore new mountain biking horizons.

Now part of the brand-new Epic Series, The Pioneer and the Perskindol Swiss Epic are the premium mountain biking events on their respective continents. These ‘Epic-style’ events are to become the pillars of this brand new global family of off-road endurance events.

Headed up by Absa Cape Epic founder Kevin Vermaak, the Epic Series is all about finding the essence of mountain biking that is unique to each region. The core of any race is the route and the team combines local expertise to find the

best trails with the lessons learnt from 15 years of experience with the Absa Cape Epic, ensuring slick, full-service professionalism. Riders will want for nothing, leaving them to enjoy the rolling valleys, challenging terrain and even the vertiginous climbs!

The founder of The Pioneer, Dave Beeche, visited South Africa in 2017 with his team and remarked, “The Absa Cape Epic is certainly the market leader in this space. Our race director, Bec Williams, came away with a hundred new ideas that we can implement to continue to enhance our athlete experience.”

With entries for the Absa Cape Epic oversubscribed, aspiring athletes will also have an opportunity to qualify for guaranteed slots, both through a top performance at the race and via a lottery system at these events.

As Kona is to Ironman, the Absa Cape Epic is the pinnacle of mountain biking.

No mountain bike experience in the world can compare to racing side by side with a trusted team mate, surrounded by spectacular scenery at a top-class event, with nothing left to do but pedal and revel in the Western Cape’s best trails. Well, now there might just be something to rival that…

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

75

THE PIONEER Held in the Southern Alps of New Zealand, The Pioneer starts and finishes in Queenstown. It heads into the wilderness where athletes are hosted in tented race villages and taken though some of the most remote and untouched parts of New Zealand’s South Island. The terrain comprises a combination of singletrack, dual trails and rural gravel roads, and in two years, the race has already become world-famous for its mind-blowing scenery and legendary Kiwi hospitality. “This year we’ve added even more singletrack! For six days, you and a mate can switch off and unplug from the world to totally immerse yourself for a week, and think about nothing else but your next pedal stroke and that stunning view in front of you!” says Beeche.

DISTANCE: 430km CLIMBING: 15 500m DAYS: 6 TERRAIN: Combination of singletrack, dual trails and rural gravel roads ACCOMMODATION: 4 nights in tents / 2 nights in hotels (hotel not included in the entry fee) Mobile home upgrade option PACKAGES (PER TEAM): $6386 NZD (±R60 000) www.thepioneer.co.nz

76

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

PERSKINDOL SWISS EPIC The luxury of Swiss hotel accommodation serves as the antidote to the high-altitude ascents and exhilarating Alpine singletrack. Founded in 2014 by Joko Vogel, Daniel Gehrig and Thomas Frischknecht, the race has become the most iconic mountain bike event in Europe. The race kicks off in the mountain village of Bettmeralp, perched high above the Rhone Valley. Spending two nights in each Race Village, riders traverse the Valais region surrounded by iconic mountain peaks, stopping midweek in Grächen, then finishing in Zermatt, directly in front of the world-famous, 4500m-high Matterhorn.

Route designer Stefan Wolfisberg says, “It’s great to host the event in my backyard – I can show people from all over the world my favourite trails!” As an extra special treat, the race will pass the Great Aletsch Glacier, the longest in the Alps at around 23km and part of an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

DISTANCE: 350km CLIMBING 12 000m DAYS: 5 TERRAIN: High percentage of flow trails, steep terrain, relatively smooth climbing ACCOMMODATION: 6 nights in hotels / guest houses PACKAGES (PER TEAM): CHF3790 (±R53 000 - until 31 May) CHF3990 (±R56 500 - until 31 July) www.swiss-epic.com

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

77

UNTAMED

There are many reasons for competing in the Absa Cape Epic.

They range from seeking for a sense of self-worth, a celebration of the lives of others, the challenge of taking on Africa’s Untamed African MTB Race simply because it is, like Mount Everest, there to be conquered. Away from the front of the race, in the middle and the tail-end, are women and men who may bring up the rear but who are as much heroes and icons of the Absa Cape Epic as those who have won.

They come from near and from afar.

There will be 53 countries represented in the 2018 race, 78

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

riders from Boksburg and Bermuda, London and Latvia, China and Cape Town. They are the heartbeat of the Absa Cape Epic, the riders who carve out time to train whilst working 9-5 jobs, spending days away from their families and loved ones, giving up their holidays to ready themselves for the greatest eight days of their lives.

Some of them are regulars, some will be taking part for the first time.

Two-time Xterra age group world champion Benoit Lalevee of France is riding the race for the first time because it is “the Mecca of mountain bike racing”. American

Jon Luca Del Fante entered for the first time because it “sounded like a good idea … after a few brandies”.

Some are driven by chances lost.

Anton van der Westhuizen was caught out by the blistering heat of the first stage in 2017 and had to leave the Epic before he had begun.

He is driven by a sense of unfinished business: “I’ve got a bone to pick due to last year’s Stage 1 obliterating the field, including yours truly…”

There are those who ride to remember.

Letshego Zulu will be teaming up with Maurice Mdlolo as part of the Land Rover-backed squad of teams for her

dedicated his second Absa Cape Epic to the memory of a lost pal: “I cycle this race for my friend who died. He was an enthusiastic cyclist and really wanted to compete with me at this race.”

There are those who ride to raise money for others less fortunate than themselves, such as Martinus Geldenhuys, who will be raising money to assist the parents of his autistic nephew with their medical expenses.

Chris Norton is back for his fourth Absa Cape Epic to celebrate a life he nearly lost after surviving “being hit from behind by a motor car and thrown 60 metres, numerous amounts of surgery and still being alive to finish the Untamed African MTB Race and tell the tale”.

Michelle van Aswegen is doing her second Absa Cape Epic to show “moms that it is achievable to work, ride and have a family. I was extremely unfit when I had my daughter but she has inspired me to get fit and healthy again and have fun.” second Absa Cape Epic in memory of her late husband, the much-loved Gugu Zulu, who passed away in 2016 after attempting to summit Kilimanjaro. Gugu, a rally driver who called himself the “Fastest Brother in Africa”, had completed four Epics before his death, having ridden his final one in 2016 with Mdlolo. “Gugu was a great influence and got me involved in this fantastic sport, which really resonated with my adventurous side,” said Letshego.

Gugu proposed to her on the finish line of the 2013 race.

Lars Wichert, who rowed in the Olympics for Germany, has

There are those who ride to achieve landmarks, notably the Amabubesi Club for three-time finishers. Chak Sing Cheng, the first Chinese rider to take part in the race, will ride his third Epic with debutant Ying Ling.

“We call the Absa Cape Epic the ‘Tour de France of mountain biking’ in our country and many riders want to do this race,” said Cheng.

Speaking of the Tour de France, Douglas Ryder, who took Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka to the Tour de France, will team up with local South African celebrity Jan Braai, the man behind

National Braai Day, for 2018.

They will seek to raise funds for Qhubeka’s Bicycles Change Lives programme.

“I’ve been talking about riding the Absa Cape Epic for a while now,” said Ryder, who will make his debut at the race. “and I think it is about time that I actually did it. It’s an iconic race, and Kevin Vermaak (the Race Founder) has always shown myself and the team incredible support. He has put on a world-class event in South Africa, which has shown just what incredible things this country is capable of.”

Braai, who has finished one Absa Cape Epic, joked that he and Ryder would be taking it a little easy. “Doug and I intend tackling the event casually, enjoying the scenery, chatting to fellow riders, stopping wherever spectators are having a braai and perhaps tasting some wine at some of the many wine farms we will pass on the beautiful 2018 route.

In preparation for the event we are both following the high protein diet of mainly braaied meat.”

And last, but never ever least, are the Last Lions, the stalwarts who have ridden in every race since it first began in 2004. All of them, Hannele Steyn, Mike Nixon, John Gale and Craig Beech, will be back for their 15th Absa Cape Epic. A Last Lion trophy – designed by renowned South African artist, Dylan Lewis will be awarded to the final one of them, but when that will be presented is anyone’s guess. They have no notion of giving up this race that has become such a vital part of their lives. “After my first Epic in 2004, it’s become a drug and one of my most amazing life and sporting experiences,” said Steyn.

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

79

RACE VILLAGE 5 17

3

2

18

6

1 4

7 10

16 15

12 13

11

8

9

14

10

18

7

5 6

1 4

3

2

1.

Start and Finish

7.

Castle Free Chill Zone

13.

Rider Dining

2.

Timing and PA

8.

Race Office

14.

Crew Dining

3.

Woolworths Recovery Zone

9.

Race Hospital and Massage

15.

Rider Showers

4.

Absa Hospitality

10.

Virgin Active Club-V Kids Zone

16.

Scicon Rider Bag Service

5.

Sponsor Row and Trade Tech

11.

Rider Tents

17.

Bike Park

6.

Presentation Podium

12.

Mobile Homes

18.

Dimension Data Interview Lounge ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

81

SOAR ABOVE THE RACE WATCH RIDERS CONQUER THEIR DAILY TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS At the Absa Cape Epic from an exclusive “bird’s eye view”

FLIGHTS AVAILABLE DAILY 20 MINUTE FLIGHTS

R2280.00 per person

FOR BOOKINGS PLEASE VISIT CAPE-EPIC.COM/STORE | +27 (0) 21 426 4373

82

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

Tough moments don’t last, tough teams do We believe technology helps you achieve great things. The Absa Cape Epic is a gruelling race, covering 658 km of the most hazardous and remote terrain in Africa. Dimension Data has helped to bring the Absa Cape Epic’s ambitious vision to life by connecting the toughest mountain biking race to the world. If you believe you can do anything, we are here to help you do it.

For other great stories on how technology is changing the world, visit dimensiondata.com/BelieveInGreatness

THE EPIC LOUNGE AT THE GRAND FINALE The Epic Lounge overlooks the final finish stretch with a perfect view of the Grand Finale finish line of the 2018 Absa Cape Epic at Val de Vie. Come and enjoy the unbeatable atmosphere in the Epic Lounge on the 25th of March as eight days of sheer grit are celebrated with this amazing untamed journey coming to a close for the 2018 participants.

Venue: Date: Time: Cost:

Val de Vie Estate, Paarl Sunday, 25 March 2018 09:00 - 15:00 R 1900.00 per adult and R 350.00 for children under 10 years

To buy tickets please visit webtickets.co.za For corporate hosting opportunities please contact: Jana Rosslee hospitality@cape-epic.com +27 (0) 21 426 4373

in partnership with

IT’S BACK PLAY and stand a chance to win an Absa Cape Epic Entry SEE WHO IS CONTENDING IN EACH CATEGORY AND PREDICT YOUR DAILY WINNERS! Once again, Bike Hub SA will run the Absa Cape Epic Fantasy League with awesome daily prizes!

The grand prize for the winning predictions wins a team entry into the 2019 race courtesy of ASSOS. See the Bike Hub website – www.bikehub.co.za - for more details

FOLLOW THE EPIC LIVE

RIDER TRACKING, RACE UPDATES AND MORE Spectators and fans of the race can track the Absa Cape Epic LIVE from the comfort of their own home or office. Up to the minute ticker updates, finish line feeds, leader boards, results, SPOT rider tracking and general race updates are all just a click away.

WWW.CAPE-EPIC.COM 18-25 MARCH 2018

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

85

A PERFECT SEASON IN 365 DAYS

Nino Schurter had a dream season in 2017, winning just about everything it was possible for him to win. It began with victory in the Absa Cape Epic before he dominated the World Cup and became World Champion for the fifth time. Schurter talks us through his magical year and how the start of the 2018 season in the Western Cape is “perfect” for him.

86

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

2017 WAS AN INCREDIBLE SEASON FOR YOU, PERHAPS THE GREATEST YEAR BY A MOUNTAIN BIKER YET. COULD YOU HAVE WISHED IT TO BE MORE PERFECT? DID YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU HAD SUCH A SEASON IN YOU?

spiced up the soup. Going to the first world cup with already having a major victory in the books helped tremendously for the rest of the season. It sure is the biggest stage race to win and something I’m super proud of.

To be honest, the 2017 season also beat my expectations. Winning the Absa Cape Epic already was a wonderful surprise. The World Cup was my main goal, but that I could win all of them was not something I had planned on doing. Only when I saw that I can be the first one to win five world cup races in a row did I kind of get some extra motivation to go for it. And after winning five, I said to myself, ‘why not win them all’.

The icing on the cake was the World Champion title at the end.

SOME OF THE MARATHON RIDERS BELIEVE THE 2018 EPIC SUITS THEM A LITTLE MORE THAN THE CROSS-COUNTRY RIDERS, ALTHOUGH IT FEELS LIKE THERE ARE DAYS THAT WILL SUIT BOTH. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE ROUTE? HOW WILL THE TIME TRIAL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EPIC CHANGE THE DYNAMICS OF THE RACING?

IT ALL STARTED WITH YOUR FIRST VICTORY AT THE ABSA CAPE EPIC IN YOUR FOURTH ATTEMPT. JUST ABOUT A PERFECT WIN FOR YOU AND SCOTT-SRAM. TAKE US THROUGH YOUR 2017 EPIC JOURNEY. The Cape Epic is a very complex project as performing well in this stage race depends on so many factors. Also factors that, compared to world cup races, I can’t fully control. The reason Matthias Stirnemann and I did so well was a combination of forming a good team not only Mathias and myself, but the whole Scott-Sram team, in particular a super strong backup team, that helped us win the Epic.

Last but not least, it was also a matter of having enough luck to not have one single mechanical throughout the whole race. Everything fitted together just perfectly.

HOW IMPORTANT WAS THAT EPIC VICTORY TO YOU, NOT JUST AS A WIN AT AFRICA’S UNTAMED MTB RACE, BUT IN SETTING UP YOUR PERFECT SEASON? WOULD YOU SAY THE EPIC HAS BECOME A VITAL PART IN STARTING THE SEASON? Winning the Absa Cape Epic was the base of the perfect season. It really

It’s the riders who make the race, not the route. The strongest team with the best tactic and luck will be on top at the end. The time trial might change tactics a bit, but in the end it will not be game changing.

PREDICTION TIME. WHO DO YOU THINK WILL BE THE BIGGEST CONTENDERS AT THE EPIC? WHO WILL YOU BE KEEPING AN EYE ON? We focus on our performances and don‘t look too much what the other teams are doing. But Jaroslav and Howard are for sure a strong team.

THE SCOTT-SRAM YOUNG GUNS ARE BEING SPOKEN OF AS POTENTIAL WINNERS OF THE EPIC IN THE NEAR FUTURE. DO YOU AGREE? JUST HOW IMPRESSIVE WERE THEY IN THEIR FIRST EPIC? The Cape Epic takes a lot of routine and experience. This said it was impressive what the young guns were able to deliver. They sure have future potential, maybe also in a different combination as a team.

But for 2018, I think it’s too early for them to even consider going for the win.

YOU HAVE TEAMED UP WITH MATTHIAS STIRNEMANN AGAIN. WHAT QUALITIES DOES HE BRING AND WHAT IS THE SECRET OF YOUR PARTNERSHIP?

Knowing each other very well is part of making it through without troubles. Both individuals are riding at the limit for eight days straight.

But you can only race fast as long as you work as a team, respecting each other’s strength and weaknesses. I like being around him. He is a funny guy to spend a week on the bike and in the camper together.

IN MARCH, THE WESTERN CAPE WILL BE THE CENTRE OF WORLD MOUNTAIN BIKING, WITH THE FIRST LEG OF THE UCI WORLD CUP IN STELLENBOSCH AND THEN THE CAPE EPIC. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE THIS AS A PERMANENT FIXTURE ON THE UCI CALENDAR – AN ENTIRE MONTH IN YOUR SECOND HOME? This schedule truly is the perfect schedule for me. Having the first World Cup round at my second home is something I look forward to, for sure. I hope this schedule will remain in the year’s to come.

WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE WESTERN CAPE THAT IS SO SPECIAL TO YOU? I spend quite some weeks in Stellenbosch. January /February are the most intense months for training. In this period, I want to count on good weather and great riding possibilities. The Western Cape has it all. On top of that, I like the town itself with its young population and good restaurants.

AS YOU LOOK AHEAD TO 2018, WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES AND DREAMS FOR THE YEAR? First of all, to keep the luck on my side, not getting injured or deal with other negative aspects. For 2018 I have one big goal and that is winning the World Championship in Lenzerheide on my home turf.

“The reason Matthias Stirnemann and I did so well was a combination of forming a good team not only Mathias and myself, but the whole Scott-Sram team”

ABSA CAPE EPIC 2018 | RIDE GUIDE

87

IN NUMBERS

FEMALE

MALE

FINISH

9%

91%

84%

AVERAGE AGE 37

AVERAGE AGE 42 AVERAGE WEIGHT 76KG

OCTOBER

1

YOUNGEST FINISHER 18

AVERAGE WEIGHT 59KG

MOST TELEVISED MTB RACE IN THE WORLD

34 000

200

12 HOURS TRAINING PER WEEK

OLDEST FINISHER 70

58

HOURS OF GLOBAL TELEVISION BROADCAST

6 MONTHS OF TRAINING

12

COUNTRIES REPRESENTED

49%

SOUTH AFRICAN PARTICIPANTS

51%

INTERNATIONAL PARTICIPANTS

71%

TRAVEL TO ATTEND THE RACE

OLYMPIC MEDALLISTS

27

WORLD CHAMPIONS

17% USE A

90% HAVE DUAL

DROPPER POST

SUSPENSION

188 COUNTRIES

78â„“ OF MUC-OFF

WATCHED LIVE STREAM

CHAIN LUBE USED

MEDIA CREW AND REPRESENTATIVES

LONGEST RACE

KM

SHORTEST RACE

KM

SHORTEST STAGE

KM

CLIMBED SINCE 2004

DISTANCE RIDDEN SINCE 2004

KM

LONGEST STAGE

KM

84 0 CREW AND VOLUNTEERS

M

BAGS OF RIDER LAUNDRY

R17,2 MILLION

RAISED FOR CHARITY SINCE 2011

DRIVE TRAIN

1X, 2X OR 3X?

18% ENTIRE DRIVE TRAIN

30% SINGLE CHAINRING

42% CASETTE AND CHAIN

67% DOUBLE CHAINRING

18% CHAIN ONLY

3%

1472 EQUIPMENT TRANSPORTED DURING THE RACE

750

CHILDREN in Anna Foundation doing their literacy, sports and lifestyle programmes

8730

QHUBEKA BIKES distributed since 2011

TRIPLE CHAINRING

20 000

KG RIDER LUGGAGE TRANSPORTED

90 MOBILE HOMES

10 800

children educated by the Cape Leopard Trust in 3 community outreach programmes in Absa Cape Epic towns

R225 000

to be provided by IRONMAN Foundation to organizations and initiatives in three race village host towns

22

projects supported by Laureus Sport For Good Foundation

2018 RIDE GUIDE

THE UNTAMED AFRICAN MTB RACE

OFFICIAL ABSA CAPE EPIC ® MERCHANDISE NOW AVAILABLE

18-25 March 2018

Buff Trucker Cap

Wine Box Set

Custom T-Shirts

Buy official Absa Cape Epic ® merchandise at our event Logo Store, also available online at www.cape-epic.store ON-BIKE APPAREL | CASUAL WEAR | ACCESSORIES | GIFTS