Gen Posted March 16, 2015 Posted March 16, 2015 What happening with USNTacker had them leading the AFrican Jersey earlier.. donno what has happened in the meantime. Things change very quick
slabs Posted March 16, 2015 Posted March 16, 2015 It's gonna have to be a real huge amount to top stage 1 of 2006 . Interesting from one of the Epic newsletters. Always debates about the tough stagess, but look at the last sentence. I did that one from Caledon to Oak Valley and it was not fun. So today they did not quite get that rain of 2012, but for stage 1 the bikes are going to take serious strain. The poor backmarkers are in for a tough few days if they cannot get the bikes repaired. You will probably find there will be no brake pads left at the race village after tonight! And now for the weather ... http://www.cape-epic.com/cms/data/newsimgs/687.20150313055120.img.jpgThere are 1 200 people gathering in Cape Town who are spending more time than usual poring over weather reports … and doing so in-between bouts of trying to manage the butterflies zooming around their stomachs.They are, of course, the riders who are taking on the rugged, eight-day Absa Cape Epic mountain bike stage race. It all starts on Sunday, when the prologue is held on Table Mountain, and the weather can play a fundamental role in making a stage manageable – or unbearable. A headwind is ghastly, but a tailwind is terrific. Rain can settle down trails nicely, but too much can churn up mud and damage equipment. Heat can take its toll, as can bitter cold.Long-range weather reports have mixed news for the riders: it’s generally going to be “coolish” … but it seems there will be a bit of rain around.According to the much vaunted yr.no site there might be some light rain on the mountain on Sundaymorning – 0.4mm between 5am and 11am. That, however, will be good news if it helps settle down trails that have become dusty recently (and more so with all the practising on the route the past few days). The wind should be light/gentle, with the SA Weather Service predicting it will get to around 9km/h in the morning. The temperature will peak at a manageable 21ºC.On Monday riders head off to the Elgin Valley for Stages 1 and 2, both looped courses which start and end at the Oak Valley Wine Estate race village. yr.no is predicting that more than 4mm of rain will come down on Monday’s tough 113km route, mainly from 8am until mid-afternoon. The temperature won’t get much past 18ºC, it will be cloudy and the wind will be light to moderate. Cyclists worried about the damage wet conditions will do to their bikes might take some consolation from the Weather Service’s suggestion that there is only a 30% probability of rain.By Tuesday morning the rain should have cleared and the day will be mostly cloudy, suggests yr.no. Temperatures will get up to 26ºC later in the day, but the morning shouldn’t be too bad. The Weather Service warns though that the wind might pick up to a fresh 19km/h from the south east, which might mean a headwind on sections of the route.On Wednesday the sun will come out, but temperatures as riders leave Elgin for Worcester shouldn’t get much past 18ºC, according to yr.no. The wind might get quite frisky – the Weather Service predicts 19km/h again – but the good news is that it will again be a south easterly and will mostly be a tailwind or sidewind. The temperature in Worcester will peak at 27ºC, where it should be clear and sunny.Thursday sees riders again doing a loop, starting and finishing in Worcester. The wind will switch to the north west, but will apparently be negligible. yr.no predicts that the temperature will get to 29ºC, which would make it the hottest day of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic. It might be even hotter in the valleys through which the riders will be racing.On Friday (and bearing in mind that this really is a long range prediction right now) they might be escorted out of Worcester by light rain – 0.6mm during the morning and not much in the way of wind. The temperature there is not expected to get above 18ºC while riders are still in or around Worcester, but it could get up to about 28ºC in Wellington when they arrive later in the day.On Saturday the temperature in Wellington shouldn’t get above 25ºC but will be cooler for most of the morning. yr.no describes the wind as a “light breeze” from the south east and there will be a bit of cloud around from mid-morning.And then it’s Sunday and the ride to the finish from Wellington to Durbanville. The temperature in Wellington on that morning is not expected to get above 20ºC, but the breeze will be “moderate” from the south east: a sidewind. Fittingly, the weather at the Grand Finale venue, the Meerendal Wine Estate in Durbanville, will be clear and sunny, with temperatures rising to about 28ºC.But then again, the weather services never predicted the notoriously cold and wet day in 2012 which some veteran Absa Cape Epic riders now regard as the toughest stage ever …
Wyatt Earp Posted March 16, 2015 Posted March 16, 2015 Interesting from one of the Epic newsletters. Always debates about the tough stagess, but look at the last sentence. I did that one from Caledon to Oak Valley and it was not fun. So today they did not quite get that rain of 2012, but for stage 1 the bikes are going to take serious strain. The poor backmarkers are in for a tough few days if they cannot get the bikes repaired. You will probably find there will be no brake pads left at the race village after tonight! And now for the weather ... http://www.cape-epic.com/cms/data/newsimgs/687.20150313055120.img.jpgThere are 1 200 people gathering in Cape Town who are spending more time than usual poring over weather reports … and doing so in-between bouts of trying to manage the butterflies zooming around their stomachs.They are, of course, the riders who are taking on the rugged, eight-day Absa Cape Epic mountain bike stage race. It all starts on Sunday, when the prologue is held on Table Mountain, and the weather can play a fundamental role in making a stage manageable – or unbearable. A headwind is ghastly, but a tailwind is terrific. Rain can settle down trails nicely, but too much can churn up mud and damage equipment. Heat can take its toll, as can bitter cold.Long-range weather reports have mixed news for the riders: it’s generally going to be “coolish” … but it seems there will be a bit of rain around.According to the much vaunted yr.no site there might be some light rain on the mountain on Sundaymorning – 0.4mm between 5am and 11am. That, however, will be good news if it helps settle down trails that have become dusty recently (and more so with all the practising on the route the past few days). The wind should be light/gentle, with the SA Weather Service predicting it will get to around 9km/h in the morning. The temperature will peak at a manageable 21ºC.On Monday riders head off to the Elgin Valley for Stages 1 and 2, both looped courses which start and end at the Oak Valley Wine Estate race village. yr.no is predicting that more than 4mm of rain will come down on Monday’s tough 113km route, mainly from 8am until mid-afternoon. The temperature won’t get much past 18ºC, it will be cloudy and the wind will be light to moderate. Cyclists worried about the damage wet conditions will do to their bikes might take some consolation from the Weather Service’s suggestion that there is only a 30% probability of rain.By Tuesday morning the rain should have cleared and the day will be mostly cloudy, suggests yr.no. Temperatures will get up to 26ºC later in the day, but the morning shouldn’t be too bad. The Weather Service warns though that the wind might pick up to a fresh 19km/h from the south east, which might mean a headwind on sections of the route.On Wednesday the sun will come out, but temperatures as riders leave Elgin for Worcester shouldn’t get much past 18ºC, according to yr.no. The wind might get quite frisky – the Weather Service predicts 19km/h again – but the good news is that it will again be a south easterly and will mostly be a tailwind or sidewind. The temperature in Worcester will peak at 27ºC, where it should be clear and sunny.Thursday sees riders again doing a loop, starting and finishing in Worcester. The wind will switch to the north west, but will apparently be negligible. yr.no predicts that the temperature will get to 29ºC, which would make it the hottest day of the 2015 Absa Cape Epic. It might be even hotter in the valleys through which the riders will be racing.On Friday (and bearing in mind that this really is a long range prediction right now) they might be escorted out of Worcester by light rain – 0.6mm during the morning and not much in the way of wind. The temperature there is not expected to get above 18ºC while riders are still in or around Worcester, but it could get up to about 28ºC in Wellington when they arrive later in the day.On Saturday the temperature in Wellington shouldn’t get above 25ºC but will be cooler for most of the morning. yr.no describes the wind as a “light breeze” from the south east and there will be a bit of cloud around from mid-morning.And then it’s Sunday and the ride to the finish from Wellington to Durbanville. The temperature in Wellington on that morning is not expected to get above 20ºC, but the breeze will be “moderate” from the south east: a sidewind. Fittingly, the weather at the Grand Finale venue, the Meerendal Wine Estate in Durbanville, will be clear and sunny, with temperatures rising to about 28ºC.But then again, the weather services never predicted the notoriously cold and wet day in 2012 which some veteran Absa Cape Epic riders now regard as the toughest stage ever … I have read that last sentence before, it was no different to stage 1 in 2006, cold and continuous soft to very hard rain, cut-off was extended by two hours.Nightmare day. Riders during muddy Stage 1It rained most of the way to George and the riders did not even curse the last long climb to the finish - downhills are scary when no one has brakes! The second stage over 116 kilometres between George and Mossel Bay found another 2 020 metres of climbing before the gas works loomed on the horizon, but all was forgiven as a spectacular campsite right on the beach rolled into view. After a good night’s rest, the fat cows in the green fields around Riversdale were a welcome sight as the riders made short work of their 122 kilometre third stage. In the aftermath of that first day’s mud bath, chains, gear cables and bottom brackets were committing suicide, and there were now more mechanics than friends drifting around the camp. Stage 4 was a reminder that numbers don’t always tell the truth. A 132 kilometre route over 2 175 metres of climbing seemed daunting, but the reality was a very pleasant ride over open farm roads with just enough of a breeze to enjoy the pastoral scenery and even the cobbled Bontebok National Park outside Swellendam.
slabs Posted March 16, 2015 Posted March 16, 2015 I have read that last sentence before, it was no different to stage 1 in 2006, cold and continuous soft to very hard rain, cut-off was extended by two hours.Nightmare day. Riders during muddy Stage 1It rained most of the way to George and the riders did not even curse the last long climb to the finish - downhills are scary when no one has brakes! The second stage over 116 kilometres between George and Mossel Bay found another 2 020 metres of climbing before the gas works loomed on the horizon, but all was forgiven as a spectacular campsite right on the beach rolled into view. After a good night’s rest, the fat cows in the green fields around Riversdale were a welcome sight as the riders made short work of their 122 kilometre third stage. In the aftermath of that first day’s mud bath, chains, gear cables and bottom brackets were committing suicide, and there were now more mechanics than friends drifting around the camp. Stage 4 was a reminder that numbers don’t always tell the truth. A 132 kilometre route over 2 175 metres of climbing seemed daunting, but the reality was a very pleasant ride over open farm roads with just enough of a breeze to enjoy the pastoral scenery and even the cobbled Bontebok National Park outside Swellendam. Yip always a debate, but as I said some serious bike issues going forward in this race. All that fine dust will now be mud that will be in cables, etc Must say riding these elevations and distances in the weather of '06 or '12 is one of the worst days on a bike
dev null Posted March 16, 2015 Posted March 16, 2015 It's not raining that hard to cause bad mud. It's just enough to compact the dust and sand. The trails have been very sandy and dusty the last month here in the Cape. Between the sand and a bit of rain, I will take a bit a rain any day. Not huge amounts though.
BlinkFan Posted March 16, 2015 Posted March 16, 2015 I have read that last sentence before, it was no different to stage 1 in 2006, cold and continuous soft to very hard rain, cut-off was extended by two hours.Nightmare day. One thing is for sure, no one will be praying for more rain tonight just to say "My Epic was the hardest".
Pure Savage Posted March 16, 2015 Posted March 16, 2015 Where the hell is JCZA? He was the only person I had to follow last year for the epic? Is he riding? (Only real excuse)(Well he should be live tweeting!)
dev null Posted March 16, 2015 Posted March 16, 2015 One thing is for sure, no one will be praying for more rain tonight just to say "My Epic was the hardest". No more rain for the rest of the week. Maybe some on Friday, but also only a refreshing sprinkling. They will wish for some cooler weather come Thursday.
Wyatt Earp Posted March 16, 2015 Posted March 16, 2015 One thing is for sure, no one will be praying for more rain tonight just to say "My Epic was the hardest".Exactly.Bearing in mind, that every Epic will be the hardest ,it's always harder than previous years .
Wyatt Earp Posted March 16, 2015 Posted March 16, 2015 Where the hell is JCZA? He was the only person I had to follow last year for the epic? Is he riding? (Only real excuse)(Well he should be live tweeting!)Did he do the Epic last year ?
Pure Savage Posted March 16, 2015 Posted March 16, 2015 Did he do the Epic last year ? I don't think so as he was updating the Epic thread a lot. Maybe he has one of those holders for his iPhone on his handle bar When I mean following, I meant for updates, he provided a rather comprehensive minute by minute update of the Epic last year. *Cleared up some confusion *
Tubehunter Posted March 16, 2015 Posted March 16, 2015 The ladies Spez team seem even more formidable than last year!
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