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I will be very pleased with this podium

Just imagine; Momentum Medical Scheme (a licensed financial services provider) Race to the Casino 149,76 million km from the Sun, powered by Biogen SA (products are not intended to cure or prevent any illness or disease) The poor commentators and okes on TV 😜

https://www.instagram.com/kevinbenky/p/DIIpBB-qpeJ/?img_index=21 Pics here - podiums included

Like Race to the Lagoon which is open to the Sea, 4.11km away? Catchy!

For R 50k I'd buy a Trek, Specialized, Canyon, Giant - your resale value will be far greater as it's more common and will have better support. Or a really nice Titan - they come with a 5 year multi user warranty - that's what I'd buy if I went to the dark side of road riding...

Savage / amazing day out. In spite of my comments earlier in the week, 3 days of rain caused carnage. Most of the route was great but 4/5 spots looked like the worst CX mudbath you’ll find this side of Belgium in December. Except the humidity. That was more Durban. Marco Joubert and Tristan Nortje passed me when I was 81km into my 100k race. They were on 130ish km at this point and passed me on a slight downhill like I was pedaling the other way. It’s one thing seeing these guys on TV but in real life it’s insane. The then did a longer loop than the 100k route with a huge climb and I still only just got to the finish before them 🤯. Marco won, Tristan second. I then needed to lie down and stop cramping so missed third. Not sure about ladies. I may need to burn my kit, shoes and possibly even the bike. They may never be the same again 🤣💩. A true challenge for all and a proper test for the elites.

https://en.brujulabike.com/pogacar-advances-his-strategy-for-flanders-and-talks-about-the-worst-side-of-social-media/ Seems to be a class act this chap. Interesting statements were made by Tadej Pogacar at the press conference before the Tour de Flandes 2025, where he will seek revenge after his defeat in Milan-San Remo, although, in reality, according to his own words, he does not see it that way "Revenge for San Remo in De Ronde? I don't know why I should be upset or seek revenge when no one has done anything wrong to me. There is nothing to avenge," Pogacar stated, showing sportsmanship, respect, and the good relationship he has always demonstrated with Mathieu van der Poel. In any case, he was understanding of the performance of the Visma-Lease a Bike team in that race "These are things that happen in races. Visma made a mistake, they got confident, there is nothing wrong with that. Neilson was very strong in the final sprint." He also empathized with Wout van Aert's situation "The team depends on Wout every time he participates in a race. He goes to win and finishing second after a situation of three against one is crap. But these are things that happen in races. He will recover, he will arrive at the next race without thinking about it and will give his best again. Whether he does well or not, it's not the end of the world, they are just bike races."

Most countries if you work the system.

The Grubers take the most breathtaking, honest, incredible photos. Worth my annual Escape Collective membership just for their work...

Really hope that Wout can get out of his head and put some wins on the board. In another era sans MVDP and Pogacar he’d be the winningest 1 day rider around I think.

Rode yesterday, the route changes have (hopefully) dodged the areas that had become a mess. Tricky to say what will happen this week with weather - sunny now but most days' forecasts are showing a bit of rain at least. Unless there's lots of rain the route really shouldn't be too bad at all.

It will make a huge difference to get a larger bike. Most "modern" geo bikes for your height will have a reach of 460-480mm at least. The current Element in a large (suggested size for 177cm - 188cm) is a 480mm reach.

DnD - thank you for this 🫡

I think something like a Giant Stance will be better to upgrade to. Geometry and future proofness will be far better. And they’re very affordable, as these things go - R 16 - R 25 k will get you into a nearly new bike with all the normal “standards” and easier serviceability.

A civil case is often easier to prove guilt in so not all is lost. Anyone who has had dealings with the legal system anywhere on the planet will know how convoluted and ridiculous it is - hardly t.i.a.

Joberg2c lives on as Go2Berg!

I really think that the race would benefit from a split like Sani 2 C & Wines 2 Whales do. Enforce a minimum 3 day stage race completion within 9 months of Cape Epic start, with your percentage of winners result being taken as your seeding. Top 50% race with the elites (elites exempt from 3 day stage race seeding if they are part of an organized team entry with valid elite level results from top level races). Lower 50% of the entrants race similar, say 75% distance routes, a few days before / after the big dogs. But more of a focus on the gees and user experience as these guys are less likely to be using camper vans / Camps Bay villas. Motivates slower guys to race more, get faster and possibly return to the race if they aren’t initially “allowed” to do the “fast” event. If Cape Epic were to make the tenting and feeding an optional extra cost, I’m sure that even the bean counters in their ivory tower wouldn’t be able to argue that there’d be extra tent / setup costs. I’d love to get an accurate occupancy ratio of the tent village / dinners etc for each day.

https://off.road.cc/content/feature/2025-absa-cape-epic-prologue-gallery-16749 https://off.road.cc/content/feature/bike-check-lukas-baums-2025-cape-epic-orbea-oiz-16775 https://off.road.cc/content/feature/how-amputee-riders-approach-the-cape-epic-16763 https://off.road.cc/content/feature/retrospective-the-evolution-of-nino-schurter-s-cross-country-race-bikes-14797

Won't be enough, MVDP will still shut you guys down 😆

Piddy - Pidcock not Pogacar I think.

I’ve been using these Leatts - definitely wider than your average. https://bike-addict.co.za/collections/leatt-shoes/products/leatt-6-0-clip-v22-shoe-2022 Their new Proclip 6.0 and 8.0 also look wider than many more traditional shoes

To pay R 57k each and have to pay extra for food and drink in the rider zone is a bit of a stretch...

For clarity, is an entry approx R 140-R150k for a team, or per person?

Thanks very much for taking the time each day. Not easy when you’re trying to recover. As I also start the journey to getting faster as I pass 40, a post on the basics of your training and especially nutrition / hydration in the heat would be much appreciated. Epic, by the sounds of things, is something that you want to be as fast as possible for (to get ahead of the plonkers) and sadly, not a race you do for the #gees, so staying offsite is a preferable option. Perhaps they need to follow the lead of many other races and drop entry price slightly, offering accomm and food package deals as add ons…most of the people I knew stayed offsite and seemed very happy to do so. With all the trails around Table Mountain, Durbanville and Stellenbosch and the ever urbanization of the route, I reckon next year the route will allow a 20 min commute to the daily start from a Tygerberg AirBnB 🤣

M. V. D. P. That last 20km was incredible. The number of attacks from Pogacar, I’ve never seen him go that deep. Ganna’s never give up spirit. A three way sprint for the win. Honestly that was one of the best finishes to a Monument ever 🤘