ABSA Cape Epic: Into the Oven

ABSA Cape Epic, Stage 1: Robertson – Robertson. 115Km, 2350m

The ABSA Cape Epic has a reputation for being tough. With such a high percentage of finishers in 2011, it’s hard to think that course setter ‘Dr Evil’ felt that he had a reputation to uphold. Today’s stage that started and finished in Robertson was destined to be tough. With confidence high after a Prologue, and plenty of fresh legs, it was a fast pace as we took off at 7am out of town.

Typically in the ABSA Cape Epic, you need to get out of the start town, into the open spaces, and the groups need to thin down. If you’re quick enough to be starting in the A and B blocks, this is a sight to behold. Physiology and experience takes over. The bunch is reasonably large, but every corner and rise causes an acceleration and a split. Tactical nous will help, as will wheel selection for who you may choose to follow. The ever widening handlebar wars makes this group a little bit more nervous than on a road bike – it seems like you are constantly riding along with a barend about to impale someones bum cheek. But by and large, it is amazing being part of a fast moving group full of world and national champions, at close quarters, and on loose terrain. The main rule of the start? Don’t crash into a Pro.

With cloud cover over Robertson, it was a humid start, and the sweat was dripping. The views from the race helicopters must have been impressive, with the amount of dust kicking up and the rising sun, visibility was low as we raced through farmland and scrub before the first climbs. The snake of riders from the air would have been tracing the serpentine route out of Robertson. We couldn’t stay on the flatlands for long though.

Stage Racing involves a lot of second guessing. How fast are the teams around you, is their pace a good guide? Am I going too hard right now, or is this just how racing normally feels? And is my headset loose?

It was the latter that was playing on Will Hayter’s mind, as we had crested most of the first hills. Turns out, it was. And as he said “it’s too early in the race to wear out a headset”. Fair point. But as we stopped to sort it out, we realised how far up the field we were – as so many quick teams passed us by. As a local would have said, “Oh shame!”

Soon afterwards, we were making a quick pace with the Contego 28E team, and starting to make our way back to teams we had been with earlier. This whole time though, the sun was warming things up, the clouds were burning off – and people began to suffer. Suffering is a given in racing, and most mountain bikers know quite a lot about it. Sometimes I think if you want the suffering to end, then just pedal harder and get to the finish. It’s pretty useless advice, but said to oneself in your head, it can help. But it’s not usually advice you want to give to someone else.

Coming into water point 2 at 57km, I looked behind to my Subaru-MarathonMTB.com Team mate. Will looked to be hurting. With memories of Stage 1 last year I enthused that he couldn’t hunger flat now, to make sure he was getting food in. But there it was already – a slightly ineffective pedal stroke, and losing the front wheel in sandy corners now and then. The damage was done. The temperature climbed as we hit the first serious climb of the day, and it was gruelling. We’re running different low gears – my 28×36 trumps Will’s 26×36 in gear inches, but not in a good way. The result is that I have to try to go quicker on loose, steep climbs – just to maintain traction and momentum. Being a lanky lad, Will doesn’t seem to transition into the steeper climbs as well, but he gets there once started. Today was different, as they were rough, steep and loose. The sun baked, jerseys and bib shorts were sodden with sweat, and limbs were coated in dust.

We were dropping backwards, and pretty quickly too.

Despite all this, there were still plenty of positives today. Although the route predominantly goes through private land, there is always plenty of support out on the route. Marshall points rarely hold just a race marshall. Feedzones are crowded with other riders friends and family, who are more than happy to give everyone a cheer. Racing through farmland, just about all workers will stop and give a cheer.

The last 30km were frustrating, Will couldn’t explain why he felt so flat, as he had been eating plenty. To me it seemed obvious, and he’s been sent to bed in his Linebreak compression gear. No media tasks for him today. But he sure did suffer. Doing what I can I tried to pull him through the closing kilometres of the stage, including past the smelly Robertson Abbatoir. Interesting route selection.

At the front of the race there was some impressive riding. After the Prologue there has been quite a shift on GC. 36One-Songo-Specialized have consolidated their lead, putting another 5 minutes or more into the rest of the field. Evans and George fell a long way down, as did the BMC Team. Full results can be seen on the ABSA Cape Epic site.

And tomorrow? We race again of course. 119Km with 1650m (only?), starting and finishing here in Robertson again. So I will take a gamble now: heat, dust, loose rock and deserving winners.