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Cape Epic 2014


Pieterg

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Does this mean that the top XCO guys could (in theory) dominate a stage race like the Epic? Maybe the lines are blurring.

 

That remains to be seen. Sauser lives to win the Epic. The rest do not take it quite as seriously as it is a long event that requires a longer recovery and the XC season always starts almost immediately after. If the Epic was timed to start maybe three weeks before the first XC World Cup events then we may see the XC guys taking it more seriously.

 

Also I don't subscribe to the idea that Schurter only raced the shorter technical stages. The strategy they appear to have followed is a similar one that many ACE riders have used in the past and that is to take the first few days easy to allow your legs to adapt. The limiter in Scott Racing Odlo team was Philip Buys. He needed more time to adapt and find his pace for this events.

 

But of course there will those who believe wheel size dictated their tactics........can't help those people, they're lost.

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Looks like the riders are doing a bit of off track sight seeing just before WP1. :ph34r:

 

post-40232-0-98330600-1396073079_thumb.jpg

 

Oh dear plenty of penalties to be handed out today, Rules are rules

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It is my opinion that the top level XCO riders would easily do well in marathon events but the guys that focus on marathon won't necessarily keep the pace in a XC event.

 

Hell is there not more XCO guys in the top 10 than dedicated marathon riders. That Chiarini guy that rides with Paulison is also a roadie and he is kicking some serious ass in the later stages.

 

Love this year's epic! Smart money has to be on Topeak Ergon and to be honest I think it would be good if someone wins that was not expected to be a contender for top spot

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Lets just say that the top XCO racers will do much better in marathon stage racing than any stage racing specialists will ever do in XCO.

 

Mostly because they are top of the game - they generally move on to Marathon once they cant compete at the high level XCO requires, something to do with age.

 

But here in ZA its different because most of the big sponsored races / series are marathons so that's what most of the top athletes do, any XCO will be incidental.

 

Nino is definitely one of, if not the worlds top mountain biker

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@AbsaCapeEpic: RACE 9:10 @nschurter and @philbuys ajead by country mile. @TeamTopeakErgon push hard to hold gap to @sauserwind @frantisekrabon - 40 sec.

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I reckon if the race was 10 days instead of 8 that Schurter and Buys will make big inroads into the GC, like maybe 2nd or 1st.

 

Or leaders are not chasing them because they're not a threat in GC

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