Adventure and Travel

Epic Insider: Abundant orange mud and passing the tests of Stage 2

· By BikeHubCoreAdmin · 20 comments

We woke up to grim weather this morning, not heavy rain but a constant light rain and cold.

We started in C and our start time at 7:10 couldn’t have come soon enough as the wind was biting. We turned out of the start and immediately hit thick brown mud, a rider on the left went down as his wheel sunk fork deep into a hole. The next 5km consisted of thick puddles of orange mud that slowed the group and covered everyone from head to toe.

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Photo by Sam Clark/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS

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Photo by Sam Clark/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS

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A quick dip through the Breede River on a concrete road had the derailleurs and brakes clean again for around 50 meters as we climbed out of the river onto muddy farm road again.

There were no puddles on these roads but the mud was thick and sticky. It caked our tires and made the going slippery and heavy. The climbs on the farm roads were for the most part gradual but the surface was now heavy and the few small steep sections tested our equipment. With front and rear derailleurs now just big clumps of mud shifting became challenging.

The flowing tracks that followed were welcome but had some surprises with deep ruts and wash-aways that needed some bunny-hopping and quick reactions on some of the faster sections.

Water point 1 was a frenzy of riders trying to clean drivetrains and lube chains before we set off on an immediate climb. The landscape here changed from soggy farm roads to the typical Karoo jagged shale jeep tracks.

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Photo by Karin Schermbrucker/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS

The hard track with its sharp threatening edges kept us looking for the best lines. Climbing for 4km’s with brief dips to recover but then picking up again and slowing the pace. We reached the top and had open road for a few hundred meters before we turned onto more flowing trails that cut through the hillsides changing from thick muddy dual track to flowing shale tracks that picked the average speed up a bit.

At about 40km more muddy roads and a short incline brought me to a stop as mud jammed up my front wheel between the shock and between my back wheel and the rear stays. I tried to remove as much as possible and ended up using up a whole water bottle to try get as much out with only mediocre success. The farm roads now rose gradually to water point 2.

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The atmosphere in McGregor was great with a generous, very vocal crowd having a great time. My partners front derailleur had stopped working so he checked that in with neutral support as I gathered nutrition and liquid. A hose down of the drivetrain was also essential. My sunglasses were now caked in mud and I was surprised I could still see through them. Thankfully they were cleaned quickly at the Oakley Clean Zone.

On the bike again and a short section of farm road led us to a climb on district road that wound its way through the hills and dropped us over the other side where we made some fast kilometers before turning onto more flowing trails. Where do all these trails come from ?

We climbed more jagged trails and had the pleasure of descending some quick jeep track that again had a few deep wash-outs and bunny-hopping skills were tested as we made good time on these trails to water point 3.

Feeling a bit hungry I grabbed a bar of a sort I don’t normally use and threw a big bite down the hatch. 2km’s later as we started climbing “Neil’s Folly”, the toughest rockiest climb of the day I started feeling a bit queasy and the stomach turned few times. (Rookie mistake I know but lesson learnt).

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Photo by Gary Perkin/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS

Coolness:

As with many cyclists, I am a self confessed coffee addict and thus the Woolworths coffee stand is an oasis.

Product of the day:

Massage, this is such an important part of recovery and very underestimated.

Highlight:

The weir crossing at 91km, a welcome relief from mud.

Lowlight:

Nutrition mistake at water point 3.

I managed my pace to the top of the climb still feeling nauseas and started the fast descents on hard packed road. Getting some cheap kilometers in again and by now the nausea was forgotten. We were back onto the farm roads again at picking up loads of mud again until we crossed a long fast flowing weir at 91km that cleaned bikes, shoes and spirits.

We quickly criss-crossed vineyards until we hit the sting in the tail. A short very sharp ascent that tested the legs but the top boasted a great view of more vineyards and the race village in the distance. More vineyard riding brought us to a very muddy road that again showered us in orange mud just to make sure that we looked the part as we turned into the finish straight and crossed the line.

103km with 1550m ascent covered in 6hrs 1 minute and a lot of mud.

This was supposed to be an easy day but turned into a really hard day for some as legs and equipment was tested to the max. Easy flowing mountain trails turned into rutted mud baths with deep washouts and fast farm roads sucked your wheel and sapped energy.

Random comment on the route: “Oh look the sun”

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Keep an eye out for Rob’s daily reports here on The Hub as he tackles the 2014 Absa Cape Epic.

Rob’s weapon of choice:

KTM Myroon Master 29er

XT Groupset

VRV Cycles carbon straight bars and bar ends

Selle Italia XR saddle

Fizik seatpost

Rockshox SiD XX 29er

Hope Pro Hubs with ZTR Arch Rims

GEAX Saguaro 29×2.2 TNT

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Comments

Bat

Mar 25, 2014, 8:10 PM

Well done on such a hard day. I see at least your saddle is still clean. Lol (sorry I hope you see the funny part of it) hope for better conditions in the days to come.

canadonis

Mar 25, 2014, 8:16 PM

Hi

 

Great article, please keep us further informed will look for your articles everyday. Well done on your achievements thus far. Enjoy and be safe

GLuvsMtb

Mar 25, 2014, 8:22 PM

I enjoyed your account of today's tough stage. Well done and keep em turning!

Warren_G

Mar 25, 2014, 8:28 PM

Some entertaining reading, keep it up! I shall live vicariously through you until I can afford the 50k price tag:)

Mopkop

Mar 25, 2014, 9:05 PM

Respect! its like I am there myself, keep it up ;-)

Nemeziz_za

Mar 25, 2014, 9:42 PM

Keep the updates coming, a great read of what sounded like a very tough day!

Rob K

Mar 26, 2014, 4:13 AM

A really worthwhile read from the trenches and well worth it.

 

We only get to see the highlights on TV and they mainly concentrate on the pro's.

 

We get very little info from the troops and your articles are much appreciated.

 

Good luck and keep them coming.

Warren911

Mar 26, 2014, 4:24 AM

Well written, keep it coming! and good luck!!

Squier

Mar 26, 2014, 4:52 AM

Well done!! Let's hope the weather treats you better for the rest of the week.

mtbDobby

Mar 26, 2014, 5:01 AM

respect!

Underachiever

Mar 26, 2014, 5:56 AM

HUUUUGE respect. Did CPT in 2012 with lots of rain and mud, and hated every minute!! Hang in there!!

travisza

Mar 26, 2014, 7:43 AM

Enjoying the race reports

Louzy

Mar 26, 2014, 8:26 AM

very well done! so cool to be able to read first hand experiences. no mention of any tyre issues, punctures etc... GEAX must be the way forward?

jules1976

Mar 26, 2014, 11:25 AM

Huge respect for all those competing in these conditions !!

Batmanza

Mar 26, 2014, 6:34 PM

Thanks for the support guys, Day 3 post to be up soon.

 

Re: tire pressure and flats, had a slow puncture today so lucky thus far as there have been loads of flats. We are going to around 30psi for the past few days and harder today because of all the district road.

Batmanza

Mar 26, 2014, 6:35 PM

@Bat lol yes I saw that after taking the pic, the only part of the bike that was covered the whole time :-)

Cassie

Mar 26, 2014, 7:40 PM

A really worthwhile read from the trenches and well worth it.

 

We only get to see the highlights on TV and they mainly concentrate on the pro's.

 

We get very little info from the troops and your articles are much appreciated.

 

Good luck and keep them coming.

 

agree 100%...I want to see the back-end of the field as well...give us a 2hr highlight package!! :cursing:

Cassie

Mar 26, 2014, 7:41 PM

I also asume there will be bugger-all GoPro footage of stages 2 & 3??

Waaay too much mud....

Batmanza

Mar 27, 2014, 1:42 PM

If I actually manage to get myself GoPro savvy I might actually get some pics, apparently this is too HG for me. :-)

HowardSteele

Mar 27, 2014, 1:50 PM

Well done..hope it dries up a little for tomorrow's stage

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