Absa Cape Epic 2021 thread

[Cookie88]

Watching this morning it seems as though the coverage has improved a lot from where we were a couple of years go - but still leaves a lot to be desired - what is the reason the coverage & production of Cape Epic still lags behind other events?

[splat]

8 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

Jordan Sarrou and Specialized,...making hydration packs cool again

Were the Cannondale boys not successful with Uswe 

[DieselnDust]

1 minute ago, splat said:

Were the Cannondale boys not successful with Uswe 

 

 

Yes but you know is Seff Efrrika were nuting but a Spez are cool

[DieselnDust]

1 hour ago, rock said:

I'm assuming the 2nd place team with the rider in rainbow stripes is the marathon world champ? I thought the Epic was classed (rather oddly) as a XCO even as previously the XCO world champ (or Nino for short) raced in rainbow stripes?

 

 

UCI changed the rules to recognise the Cape Epic and Epic series as Marathon events. It now counts toward the UCI marathon World Cup series points and not the XCO series points

[Jewbacca]

10 minutes ago, Cookie88 said:

Watching this morning it seems as though the coverage has improved a lot from where we were a couple of years go - but still leaves a lot to be desired - what is the reason the coverage & production of Cape Epic still lags behind other events?

What other events?

XCO? Where they can set up a quality camera platform, test angles and speed etc numerous times and get the riders going past 5 times? Where batteries, broadcast centres, replacement bits etc are all within 1km of where they need to be, generators can run, support id always there......

Filming an A to B race in the wild nothing is a completely different ball game. As soon as one has to be completely 100% mobile you are sacrificing quality. 

If you mean road racing, the answer is motorbikes and support cars.

Did you watch World champs when they had a motorcross bike following the leaders, kicking up dust and wrecking the trails for those behind?

The CEO's would quit and never come back if they had to endure that.

I'm no fan of the Epic. I think it's dumb. But I do think the quality of their coverage is pretty good for what and where it is.

[Eldron]

What is wrong with Matt's bike????

Any ideas why he keeps looking down????

[Mike Mac]

I have been watching the coverage and feel the coverage of the men’s race (sharp end) pretty good. 
 

I do wish that the women’s race would receive equal coverage as the men’s, but do realise that as they race together, it is very difficult to focus on both equally as the races develop differently. 
 

Overall, I think they are doing a good job. The commentary is also pretty good. 

[DieselnDust]

14 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

What other events?

XCO? Where they can set up a quality camera platform, test angles and speed etc numerous times and get the riders going past 5 times? Where batteries, broadcast centres, replacement bits etc are all within 1km of where they need to be, generators can run, support id always there......

Filming an A to B race in the wild nothing is a completely different ball game. As soon as one has to be completely 100% mobile you are sacrificing quality. 

If you mean road racing, the answer is motorbikes and support cars.

Did you watch World champs when they had a motorcross bike following the leaders, kicking up dust and wrecking the trails for those behind?

The CEO's would quit and never come back if they had to endure that.

I'm no fan of the Epic. I think it's dumb. But I do think the quality of their coverage is pretty good for what and where it is.

 

I don't thinkthe event its self is dumb, the hype around it is. The marketing certainly is and the way the staff conduct themselves as God's gift to MTB is ROTFLMAO kind of stuff, but the coverage they provide for the event and the logistics is world class. That is at least at the leading edge of what is possible within the constraints of the ROI their shareholders demand

[DieselnDust]

8 minutes ago, Eldron said:

What is wrong with Matt's bike????

Any ideas why he keeps looking down????

not sure, it looks like he's dealing with a deflating tyre that appears to have settled at a pressure thats rideable.  Lets see how they go at the last WP

Edited October 18, 2021 by DieselnDust

[Shebeen]

5 minutes ago, Mike Mac said:

I have been watching the coverage and feel the coverage of the men’s race (sharp end) pretty good. 
 

I do wish that the women’s race would receive equal coverage as the men’s, but do realise that as they race together, it is very difficult to focus on both equally as the races develop differently. 
 

Overall, I think they are doing a good job. The commentary is also pretty good. 

Don't get me wrong here*, but the women's event has usually been incredibly boring.

normally it has just been Annika Langvad and her partner tapping out a comfortable pace with the rest of the field dropped. That's what it is, just look at the amount of teams within 30minutes of the leader and you'll just see there's more exciting racing in the mens field. I don't know if giving them equal tv time will make a difference, I'm pretty sure they get equal prize money which seems to be the kneejerk reaction to improving the quality of the women's field.

 

* I wish it wasn't the case,

 

 

[Gnarly]

15 hours ago, J Wakefield said:

Unfortunately I am not. I really wish I was truth be told but I flew home To spain on Monday and fly to Dubai for meetings and some team things tomorrow. 

Candice and Mariske I believe they can do well, really well and I have confidence in them doing just that.
They need to keep it upright and have their bad day Better than their competitions bad day. 

You had better come say hello!!!

[DieselnDust]

3 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

Don't get me wrong here*, but the women's event has usually been incredibly boring.

normally it has just been Annika Langvad and her partner tapping out a comfortable pace with the rest of the field dropped. That's what it is, just look at the amount of teams within 30minutes of the leader and you'll just see there's more exciting racing in the mens field. I don't know if giving them equal tv time will make a difference, I'm pretty sure they get equal prize money which seems to be the kneejerk reaction to improving the quality of the women's field.

 

* I wish it wasn't the case,

 

 

 

 

The Sina Laura show is 4min up the road already in Stage 1  so barring any mechanicals they have the stage sewn up already. Nothing to cover there.

The Men's race is quite exciting at this point. 

There in lies the difference.

Deserving equla footage and pay is one thing from a equality of opportunity pov but whats actually happening in the race should govern where the focus goes in terms of maintaining spectator interest

[Jewbacca]

19 minutes ago, Mike Mac said:

I have been watching the coverage and feel the coverage of the men’s race (sharp end) pretty good. 
 

I do wish that the women’s race would receive equal coverage as the men’s, but do realise that as they race together, it is very difficult to focus on both equally as the races develop differently. 
 

Overall, I think they are doing a good job. The commentary is also pretty good. 

I think another issue with covering the women's race is that they are quite often 'in the field' surrounded by pseudo pro's and the like.

Throwing an ebike, camera equipment and other obstacles and clutter into that dynamic is asking for trouble. 

Being out front and 'thin' on the ground makes it a heck of a lot easier to cover the men.

 

[Jbr]

is there bonus points for the stage win ? is there an actual point burning matches in a sprint when you could just chill and give up on 1 or 2 secs ?

[Mike Mac]

2 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

 

 

The Sina Laura show is 4min up the road already in Stage 1  so barring any mechanicals they have the stage sewn up already. Nothing to cover there.

The Men's race is quite exciting at this point. 

There in lies the difference.

Deserving equla footage and pay is one thing from a equality of opportunity pov but whats actually happening in the race should govern where the focus goes in terms of maintaining spectator interest

I agree. 
 

As they race together, the producers do need to focus on where the action is, no question. However quite often, and in most sports, the focus remains on the men’s lead and often ignore very interesting developments in the women’s race. 
 

Thus far in the coverage I have watched this morning (since making my comment) has IMO, been a pretty good split between men’s and women’s race with them focussing on the critical aspects of both races. 

[DieselnDust]

and Mariske has crashed..... eish

Hope shes ok