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2017 Absa Cape Epic sees strongest field yet


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Both the men’s reigning Olympic champions, a Tour de France winner, a host of world champions and several previous Absa Cape Epic winners will be in the South African stage race’s strongest field yet when it kicks off on Sunday.



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Has the Epic relaxed its stance on those individuals who have been found to have doped in the past?

 

George Hincapie comes to mind.

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I'm not a roadie but I doubt there's been someone on the start line of the Epic with a palmares comparable to that of Rodriquez. Yup, they're all on the skinny wheels, but it still makes for impressive reading. (and yes I know Cuddles has the one Tour). I don't see them contesting for the leaders jersey or even a podium but I'm looking forward to seeing them race.

 

Susi and Yaro must be the favorites. Yaro must be the strongest guy there... except for the fact there's someone in the field that has ridden Yaro off his wheel at most races they rode together last year. I know it's not the same, but if it's happened once... The question is can Stirneman keep up.

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I'm not a roadie but I doubt there's been someone on the start line of the Epic with a palmares comparable to that of Rodriquez. Yup, they're all on the skinny wheels, but it still makes for impressive reading. (and yes I know Cuddles has the one Tour). I don't see them contesting for the leaders jersey or even a podium but I'm looking forward to seeing them race.

 

Susi and Yaro must be the favorites. Yaro must be the strongest guy there... except for the fact there's someone in the field that has ridden Yaro off his wheel at most races they rode together last year. I know it's not the same, but if it's happened once... The question is can Stirneman keep up.

Rodriquez has a VERY impressive CV. But interestingly he and Hermida will be starting in the second batch (not with the UCI pros). This is as a result of Purito's early return from retirement. 

 

The UCI requires returning Pros to be in the testing pool for 6 months before they can race in the UCI cats. 

 

Hermida joked at the presser yesterday that all they need to do is chase the Elites, make up 5 minutes and then they'll win the stage and grab a 5 minute lead. Joking, but not really joking I think... 

 

Will be great to watch.

 

Cadel on the other hand was very pragmatic. This will be George's second ever mountain bike race and he himself said he's not quite sure what they're in for. No doubt their competitive fires will light up pretty quickly though.

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Has the Epic relaxed its stance on those individuals who have been found to have doped in the past?

 

George Hincapie comes to mind.

Hincapie was bust before they imposed there rule and it does not apply retrospectively - if you were bust and sanctioned before Jan 1, 2013, you can ride once you ban is over. Anything after that and it is a lifetime ban

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I'm not a roadie but I doubt there's been someone on the start line of the Epic with a palmares comparable to that of Rodriquez. Yup, they're all on the skinny wheels, but it still makes for impressive reading. (and yes I know Cuddles has the one Tour). I don't see them contesting for the leaders jersey or even a podium but I'm looking forward to seeing them race.

 

Susi and Yaro must be the favorites. Yaro must be the strongest guy there... except for the fact there's someone in the field that has ridden Yaro off his wheel at most races they rode together last year. I know it's not the same, but if it's happened once... The question is can Stirneman keep up.

What a team they will make .. purely because they are both chilled funny guys.. I hope they blog about it, will make for very entertaining reading. [emoji106]

 

Saw some videos of Purito on the mtb.. very capable on the technical stuff.. and I am thinking our hills won't bug him at all..Hermida will have to hold on for dear life..

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Rodriquez has a VERY impressive CV. But interestingly he and Hermida will be starting in the second batch (not with the UCI pros). This is as a result of Purito's early return from retirement.

 

The UCI requires returning Pros to be in the testing pool for 6 months before they can race in the UCI cats.

 

Hermida joked at the presser yesterday that all they need to do is chase the Elites, make up 5 minutes and then they'll win the stage and grab a 5 minute lead. Joking, but not really joking I think...

 

Will be great to watch.

 

Cadel on the other hand was very pragmatic. This will be George's second ever mountain bike race and he himself said he's not quite sure what they're in for. No doubt their competitive fires will light up pretty quickly though.

I listened to the Armstrong podcast when he chatted to Hincapie, Van de velde and Dylan Casey. (I know, probably not the best admission to make on a Friday) They said there that George has been training more than some of the pros on his team. Apparently he's been putting in 24 hour weeks in the lead up. They're not just coming for the scenery.

 

Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk

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I'm not a roadie but I doubt there's been someone on the start line of the Epic with a palmares comparable to that of Rodriquez. Yup, they're all on the skinny wheels, but it still makes for impressive reading. (and yes I know Cuddles has the one Tour). I don't see them contesting for the leaders jersey or even a podium but I'm looking forward to seeing them race.

 

Susi and Yaro must be the favorites. Yaro must be the strongest guy there... except for the fact there's someone in the field that has ridden Yaro off his wheel at most races they rode together last year. I know it's not the same, but if it's happened once... The question is can Stirneman keep up.

Stirnemann is ranked six in the world for cross country and Schurter said at the press conference yesterday that he sometimes "kicks my ass". But he also said they were on a fact-finding mission and would be back to try win it next year

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Rodriquez has a VERY impressive CV. But interestingly he and Hermida will be starting in the second batch (not with the UCI pros). This is as a result of Purito's early return from retirement. 

 

The UCI requires returning Pros to be in the testing pool for 6 months before they can race in the UCI cats. 

 

Hermida joked at the presser yesterday that all they need to do is chase the Elites, make up 5 minutes and then they'll win the stage and grab a 5 minute lead. Joking, but not really joking I think... 

 

Will be great to watch.

 

Cadel on the other hand was very pragmatic. This will be George's second ever mountain bike race and he himself said he's not quite sure what they're in for. No doubt their competitive fires will light up pretty quickly though.

 

What testing pool? The only MTBrs I see in the testing pool are Kulhavy, Nino and Hermida. Wonder how the rest of these guys are tested on the whereabouts program?   

 

Link to said Testing Pool - http://uci.ch/clean-sport/international-registered-testing-pool-uci-rtp/

Edited by jcza
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Hincapie was bust before they imposed there rule and it does not apply retrospectively - if you were bust and sanctioned before Jan 1, 2013, you can ride once you ban is over. Anything after that and it is a lifetime ban

When did MTBsaiklist get bust?

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I listened to the Armstrong podcast when he chatted to Hincapie, Van de velde and Dylan Casey. (I know, probably not the best admission to make on a Friday) They said there that George has been training more than some of the pros on his team. Apparently he's been putting in 24 hour weeks in the lead up. They're not just coming for the scenery.

 

Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk

I am currently into 18min of that exact podcast.. I purely decided to listen to it to hear what Hincapie had to say about riding the Epic[emoji85]
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