The Absa Cape Epic is a beast of a race. Every year it is hard. Even though the rate of attrition dropped from 2011 to 2012, that doesn’t mean it’s getting easier. Riders are just preparing themselves and their equipment better. And the Cape Epic is highly demanding of both the rider and their equipment. […]
Archives for March 2013
Absa Cape Epic: Stage 5, pedalling in anger
There were a lot of upset riders and team managers after Stage 4 of the 2013 Absa Cape Epic, as the rider and manager protest gave some time back to the riders who found themselves on the Stage 5 course. Full details of the protest have been posted already. With a stage length of 75km […]
Cape Epic Stage 4: Results of the Protest
The Press Office for the Absa Cape Epic have released the following details from today’s stage, where the chasing group of Team Bulls 1 and 2 and Merida-Multivan missed a course marker, and came upon the Stage 5 marking. “Teams Multivan Merida, Bulls and Bulls 2 missed a route marker. After following what they thought […]
Absa Cape Epic: Protests on Stage 4
As touched on yesterday, when talking about DNF’s, we read a lot about races in the results sheets alone – even though they don’t always relay the whole story of a race. At the moment, it seems the 4th Stage of the 2013 Absa Cape Epic is set to be another race where the results […]
The Disappointment of a DNF
Results sheets are usually the clear facts of racing. The first person was the winner, and everyone else just didn’t manage it that day. What a results sheet lacks is a story, a compassionate link to what all the individuals went through in any given race. Although we often only care who won, and who […]
Absa Cape Epic 2013 Stage 3 – ‘easy’ day
When a 94k stage with almost 2,000m of climbing is described as a ‘rest’ or ‘easy’ day, you know something odd is going on. But that’s the Absa Cape Epic for you; it doesn’t really play by normal rules. And it’s certainly true that after Monday’s 96k sandfest and yesterday’s loooong 146k day, maybe today […]
The BC Bike Race in Jamaica: A video and photo diary
Taking leave from the icy temperaturesĀ of their native Canada, members of the team behind the BC Bike Race travelled to Jamaica to join theĀ Caribbean nation’s Fat Tyre Festival. The crew captured the colour and vibrance of their experience in the following short film and a stunning photo diary. Proof that mountain biking – and cycling […]
Truly Epic: 2013 Flinders Ranges Outback Epic
With the option of a 205km marathon, the 2013 Flinders Ranges Outback Epic appears ready to live up to its title. The mammoth one-day race will take place on April 28 this month as it traverses the entirety of Australia’s legendary Flinders Ranges in South Australia. Competitors in the 205km event will have 16 hours […]
Absa Cape Epic 2013 Stage 2 – The Queen
Today was the Queen stage at the Absa Cape Epic for 2013. A mere 146km from Citrusdal to Saronsberg wine estate in Tulbagh, with 2350m of climbing. It was billed as something of a ‘roadie’ stage; and indeed there was a decent amount of tar and dirt road. Despite the length, this was almost certainly […]
Building the future: The Exxaro Development Team
Exxaro has been the official Development partner of the Absa Cape Epic since the 2012 edition of the event. The Exxaro MTB Academy was established to introduce mountain biking to historically disadvantaged communities and encourage young people to make healthy lifestyle choices. Hundreds of young people have already been touched by the activities of the […]