How do you justify a Cape Epic entry?

[DieselnDust]

22 minutes ago, Danger Dassie said:

Chinese company, Wanda Sports. Which isn't a bad thing, sets a lot of job security for those employed by the event and with the pandemic the ownership very likely saved jobs thanks to having the financial backing. This was always going to be for an international audience, which includes South Africans. Any event that goes international is going to be limiting to many due to both the coast and commitment required, look at the Dakar Rally. 

At least here in SA we have more events than the world combined to choose from. Even with the ever swirling apocalypse. 

Didn't Wanda Sports Sell the Ironman and therefore the Epic Series in 2019?

[Jewbacca]

2 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

Didn't Wanda Sports Sell the Ironman and therefore the Epic Series in 2019?

Advance purchased IronMan and Epic in 2020.... 

So it is owned by 'Murikans now

[_David_]

6 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

Didn't Wanda Sports Sell the Ironman and therefore the Epic Series in 2019?

.

Edited September 8, 2021 by _David_
double post

[ChrisF]

my 2c worth ... as an arm-gat that cant afford this type of event, nor have the legs to do it even if I get sponsored.

 

A couple of people we do business with have done the Epic, a couple of times .... company pays.  Each and every one of these are superb people, both out on the trails and in "real life".

 

Nope, I dont know anybody that has paid for this out of their "own pocket" .... 

 

Wife's niece's husband's farther (or something like that) owns farms the Epic crosses .... so boetie gets to ride it for free, mahala, .... Being in his early 20's he does not even go through the "serious race prep", show up and ride .... speaking to "boetie"  I DO get a different feel for the Epic ....

 

Also begs the question .... so of the "600 SA riders" ... how many are:

- sponsored riders (pro cyclists) ?

- business sponsored ...

- "boeties" with complimentary rides ...

- and how many actually do pay that amount of money to ride the Epic

 

 

 

As to the concept of stage races and its ever increasing fees.  A colleague used to meet up with his old varsity buddies at the Wine-2-Whales ... ZERO prep, just a lekka joll for a group fo 20-something riders.  The ride being part of the fun, with the real party between stages ... until they met up next year.  By 2017 it was "affordable" ..... by 2018 he mentioned the cost "increased", and the camp became an advertising platform for sponsors - interfering with their party time !  by 2019 the cost had seriously increased, and the "vibe" was gone.

 

The hard reality - it was over-subscribed, and the organisers could not feel a thing for the "average SA rider" that got the event going.

 

From a business perspective .... WHY would any organiser "charge less" when they are over subscribed .... tough for the arm-gatte that fall by the way side.

 

 

 

 

There is also this hard reality that should form part of any such discussion .... "international participation and international rates" .....  "local business" in SA and Southern Africa LOVES to build a brand on LOCAL SUPPORT, get into the travel journals, then UP the prices when the international tourists show up.  This morning we were at a holiday destination outside Oudtshoorn, for the last 15 years they have actively marketed themselves to the international tourist market.  "Thanks" to the current downturn in international tourists .... 50% down on all their rates ....  Bit of a bummer when you have solidly priced yourself out of the available market.

 

 

Back to theee Epic .... vaccination numbers rise worldwide .... tourism re-sets to some extent ..... the Epic will be fully booked again .... and the rates will keep on climbing.  Basic business ....

 

 

Now to see if anybody can put together a business plan for multi-day ride, with basic accommodation and a big beer tent, at a rate locals can afford .... trails are there already .... could be a nice extra for the industry ....

 

 

 

 

Last thought ..... somebody mentioned the "extra costs", over and above the entry fee.  Think it was 2018 when the Epic released some stats ... some 90% of riders bought a new bike leading up to the Epic, some 60% of these were in excess of 90k (or something like that).  Then the costs of the rides and events leading up to the Epic .... by all accounts the total cost was way more than double the "entry fee" ....

 

[Dirt Tracker]

38 minutes ago, Danger Dassie said:

Chinese company, Wanda Sports. Which isn't a bad thing, sets a lot of job security for those employed by the event and with the pandemic the ownership very likely saved jobs thanks to having the financial backing. This was always going to be for an international audience, which includes South Africans. Any event that goes international is going to be limiting to many due to both the coast and commitment required, look at the Dakar Rally. 

At least here in SA we have more events than the world combined to choose from. Even with the ever swirling apocalypse. 

I thought the yanks bought out the Iron Man Group in 2020 off the Chinese and took the Epic in that whole deal. Could be wrong tho. 

Edit: opps didn't read to the end of the fred. See it's been confirmed. 

Edited September 8, 2021 by Dirt Tracker

[Headshot]

Spent some time with an adventure moto riding buddy this weekend. His bike is oldish but cost R38k second hand. His kit cost R10k. He's off to an enduro event near Hogsback next year. Three days, three meals a day and a 3 man tent plus the race organization and ambulance etc. Total cost under R3.5k. Seems reasonable. Compare that to a 3 day MTB event in SA and you realize how the MTB craze has enabled a whole new kind of corporate greed. When it costs a fraction of the cost to travel to the EU, buy a lift pass and ride the Alps, than to ride the Epic, you realize how priorities are skewed in SA.  The home of die hard endurance riders most of whom never learned how to have fun on an MTB and are  more obsessed with FTP than how to bleed their brakes or do a manual or jump. Its quite sad really. ????  

[Shebeen]

6 minutes ago, ChrisF said:

Wife's niece's husband's farther (or something like that) owns farms the Epic crosses .... so boetie gets to ride it for free, mahala, .... Being in his early 20's he does not even go through the "serious race prep", show up and ride .... speaking to "boetie"  I DO get a different feel for the Epic ....

 

not sure which farm this is, but this story sounds very different to what I've heard. as Epic crosses many many properties the guys I know who are in this boat can get a guaranteed entry, but no discount on it. It would set a huge precedent if all traversed landowners rode free, so this must be an exceptional property portfolio

[Dirt Tracker]

19 minutes ago, Mountain Bru said:

In a joust between someone that's done the epic, and someone that's done the munga, who gets hit first?

 The epic knight will take a while looking for his best model horse, find some where to park his camper and horse box, get the horse a full massage, wait for his mate to finish the same and then ride out for the contest. The Munga rider will get a very reliable nag with alot of saddle bags but won't make it to the contest as he's still got 300km to finish, hasn't had any sleep and the lance was ditched in favour of a survival blanket that weighed far less and doubled as a tent, rain cape, poncho, mirror, water carrier and general friend / therapist for the journey. 

[Mountain Bru]

3 minutes ago, Dirt Tracker said:

 The epic knight will take a while looking for his best model horse, find some where to park his camper and horse box, get the horse a full massage, wait for his mate to finish the same and then ride out for the contest. The Munga rider will get a very reliable nag with alot of saddle bags but won't make it to the contest as he's still got 300km to finish, hasn't had any sleep and the lance was ditched in favour of a survival blanket that weighed far less and doubled as a tent, rain cape, poncho, mirror, water carrier and general friend / therapist for the journey. 

Note to self.... Get a survival blanket ????

[SwissVan]

Epic costs, never ending question 

It’s what it is, people live in mansions, buy Lamborghinis, etc…. When they could live in a normal house and drive a normal car, why?

because they can

Did it once, paid for my mate and I 

But it’s not that big of an attraction to spend that kind of dosh on a regular basis as a private non business entry

i only drive a Honda….

 

[MORNE]

9 minutes ago, SwissVan said:

snip

i only drive a Honda….

 

yea but only because you live in a country that punishes the highest polluters at the point of purchase...so it is in your best interest to rather drive a Honda than a Lambo Huracan LOL, everybody knows the swiss hate fast cars and motorsport. is it still banned there btw?

EDIT: i see you are allowed to dragrace electric cars atleast now 

PS..for those that dont know. motorsport has been banned it Switzerland since 1955 

Edited September 8, 2021 by MORNE

[ChrisF]

21 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

not sure which farm this is, but this story sounds very different to what I've heard. as Epic crosses many many properties the guys I know who are in this boat can get a guaranteed entry, but no discount on it. It would set a huge precedent if all traversed landowners rode free, so this must be an exceptional property portfolio

Thats the version we hear at the family gatherings .... 

 

Then again, daddy have been "caught" out spoiling boetie, while the sisters get nothing ..... 

[_David_]

20 minutes ago, MORNE said:

 

PS..for those that dont know. motorsport has been banned it Switzerland since 1955 

Sheesh... I've just learned something new

Edited September 8, 2021 by _David_
Just watched the vid on the 1955 Le Mans Motor Racing Disaster - that was a horrendous crash, 83 dead and 120 injured

[Underachiever]

15 hours ago, DonatelloOnPinarello said:

Serious question. 

I don't want to get into the merits of whether or not the epic is overpriced. It is, grossly so. Most stage races are, and the epic is the top of the crop. but it is also under normal circumstances completely oversubscribed, so there definitely is a market. 

But this week a couple of entries have popped up in the classifieds and it just got me wondering again.

So to those who actually pay for their entries, do you think it's justifiable, and why/how? 

 

(Full disclosure, I have done it twice, and it's a very special experience, but unless I am offered a free ride, there is no way I would do it again. Also, it's your money, spend it how you please, just interested in why the epic is still overbooked, even at upwards of R120k per team)

When you compare it even to international events, like the Transalp, which I will be doing next year for a third time with my own money, and am happy to pay for, it just gets absurd. Transalp entry, which includes all the logistics etc, race villages, catering and all that, is like R20 000.00pp if you include the basic accomdostion package. (Dorm rooms, school boarding houses etc).

 

We arrange our own bnb accomodation as soon as the route is announced, and shared by a group of 4, all in, with flights, accomodation and a few extra days in Lake Como or Trieste  afterwards, its still half the price of just the basic entry fee for epic.

Even the Swiss Epic, which is organized by the same company, is significantly cheaper, even though it's all luxury accomodation in Switzerland throughout the whole event.

 

So for the epic regulars, what keeps you going back?

 

For first timers, what made you choose the epic? Considering other options available?

 

 

I've not read all the replies & banter.  Will do so later.

How do you justify this. 

Simple, the same way you justify a Ferrari..... Audemars...R250k Spez or similar.... R7k coffee grinder...., 7 star hotel stay.... Super Yacht...... Penthouse apartment in Monaco.... I can go on and on...

Emotion, and lotsa cash!!!!

[Jewbacca]

53 minutes ago, MORNE said:

 

PS..for those that dont know. motorsport has been banned it Switzerland since 1955 

Good

Motorsport is more dumb than paying 150k to ride some gravel roads, open trails and get jippo guts 

[DieselnDust]

At the end of the day ride what you want to ride. If epic appeals to your sensibility or even irrationality then enter train and ride. Worry about the whaticouldhavespentthemoneyonrathers later 

you only live one life. Make the most of it