1 minute read
I NSECTS CLAIM E PIC
■ Roelof de Jonge
The Insect Science Mountain Bike (MTB) pairing of Arno du Toit and Keagan Bontekoning finished a fine 16th place overall on last week’s 2023 edition of the Absa Cape Epic. It took them 28 hours, 45 minutes and 36 seconds to complete seven days of grueling stages.
Podium
Mechanical calamities during one of the seven stages prevented du Toit and Bontekoning from not only finishing higher up on the final results sheet, but also from claiming the top spot for the Africa Jersey classification.
The PYGO Euro Steel team of Phillip Buys and Alexander Miller took an eighth place overall and the win for the Absa African Jersey. Behind them, in second for the Africa Jersey and in 12th place overall, were Marco Joubert and Pieter du Toit from the Imbuko Type DEV-team. They were the winners of the jersey last year.
It was thanks to team-mates Alan Gordon and Herman Fourie who helped out with spare parts and so ensured their team-mates a place on the podium for the Africa jersey.
The Cape Epic is the largest full-service mountain bike stage race in the world. From the day the race starts, riders need only look after their bodies and continue racing. Everything else is taken care of.
The Cape Epic route team takes two years to plan exactly where in South Africa’s rugged Western Cape riders will test themselves with a distance of around 700km and 17 250m climbing. The route is a well-kept secret until it is announced each year. Guaranteed each year are challenging traverses of iconic fynbos valleys, majestic mountains ranges, deep ravines, indigenous forests, spectacular coastlines, and flourishing vineyards.
The terrain is as varied as it is harsh - dusty and demanding gravel roads, strenuous rocky climbs, thrilling technical descents, refreshing river crossings, and fast forest singletracks. The Cape Epic route gives riders and fans the opportunity to experience the historic and scenic towns in the Western Cape, many of them off the beaten tourist track, and more than 40 towns have been visited by the Absa Cape Epic since 2004.
