With just two days to go until the 10th Absa Cape Epic starts, the top professional riders were gathered in Cape Town to be presented to the world’s mountain biking media. And the collection of riders was highly impressive. With a mix of new Cape Epic riders, World Champions, Olympic medallists, and race veterans, one could only be amazed by the depth of the field.
Max Knox and Kohei Yamamoto admire some Tag Heuers
Kohei Yamamoto and Max Knox are united again in 2013, racing as Specialized-Songo. Although their race in 2012 was marred by multiple mechanicals, their pedigree is proven. Yamamoto animated the Songo.info charity race on Wednesday night, and these two will no doubt be a factor in the eight days of racing.
Some of the Exxaro Academy development team riders
An initiative to assist with development in historically impoverished areas, the Exxaro Development Academy has a number of riders at the 2013 race, and the Exxaro Development category jersey is also on the line each day.
The small, speedy Swiss Scott team – Nino Schurter and Florian Vogel
Two riders who will bring high levels of speed to the race are Nino Schurter and Florian Vogel. They are both adept at going fast, and Schurter should be developing the endurance required for going fast for eight days.
Nino Schurter gets his new Scott helmet, adorned with world champ stripes, from Thomas Frischknecht
Jaroslav Kulhavy and Christoph Sauser, likely bets for a top spot, with new sponsor Tag Heuer’s products
Kulhavy and Sauser must be firm favourites for the race – despite not having raced together in the Cape Epic before. As Suaser pointed out “he’s not made of pastry, he’s a man of steel”. But as a successful stage race duo must rely on familiarity and communication – will their firepower and Sauser’s experience be enough?
Yaroslav Kulhavy, Max Knox and Kohei Yamamoto with one of the Songo team
Karl Platt, Jaroslav Kulhavy and Kohei Yamamoto
Team Bulls – Dietsch, Sahm, Boehme, Huber and Platt
Team Bulls, casual and confident. There is a lot of stage race experience in this team – and they will have three teams in this years race. Karl Platt has raced all 10 races, and will be racing with new recruit Urs Huber. Tbey make a formidable duo, even if they do not yet have the ‘brother from another mother’ kinship that Platt and Stefan Sahm shared. Tim Bohme and Thomas Dietsch finished 4th last year, and will be racing for their own success – not in a support role. Stefan Sahm is taking a role leading the development of their U23 racer Stiebjahn.