Really, No Epic 2023 Thread?

[OVERDRIVE]

27 minutes ago, gemmerbal said:

I mean you don't see okes rocking up at the Dakar for example without having done a similar event to qualify their desire to participate in a pinacle event.

Just the thought of going to the Dakar unprepared is what makes me loose sleep. I've been to the Dakar. Even the well prepared have come back from there wondering they did it-BRUTAL. I agree with you totally on this. 

[gemmerbal]

16 minutes ago, OVERDRIVE said:

Just the thought of going to the Dakar unprepared is what makes me loose sleep. I've been to the Dakar. Even the well prepared have come back from there wondering they did it-BRUTAL. I agree with you totally on this. 

You have participated? You are my hero... Did you possibly know my good friend Alex (aka Camelman) who was the mastermind behind the Amageza series?

Edited March 26, 2023 by gemmerbal

[OVERDRIVE]

37 minutes ago, gemmerbal said:

You have participated? You are my hero... Did you possibly know my good friend Alex (aka Camelman) who was the mastermind behind the Amageza series?

I wish!! Went as a fan. Entry fees and machine would make the Cape Epic look like the Jackall Dash🤣

Toyota Hilux Overdrive - Rally raid vehicles for sale - Racemarket.net | Europe's biggest racing marketplace network

Car only before anything else🤕

[babse]

2 hours ago, dev null said:

That is why I hate mass participation MTB races. I prefer riding the smaller ones. Same happens on the W2W at tech sections.

Did you say w2w and tech sections in the same sentence 🫢😜

[babse]

2 hours ago, DieselnDust said:

Kate has  problem in that she's the only woman on the team so ideally she'd need to team up with someone of similar ability from A Scott sponsored team. Her one and only win the ACE was in 2018 alongside Annika Langvad. She hasn't been back since and has never had the same form since leaving Specialized. The Scott SRAM team is really focussed on Nino's success. Thiss year they signed Filipo Colombo to the team. He is at least a match for Nino but wasn't available.

Kate still doesn't have a female compatriot on the team so till she doe's I doubt we will see her back unless she changes teams

 

Is it not safe to say that Scott is a XCO focused team and the Tour de France of mountain biking is just used as training race? 

Really doubt Scott would go spending doosh on another chick just to partner with Kate at the epic.

[babse]

3 hours ago, Stevovo said:

Oh yeah...congrats with Matts win @J Wakefield

Yeah Kudos!

 

Keen to hear what lies ahead for him for this year and what run in will he have before worlds? Surely he must be a serious favourite... 

[gemmerbal]

1 hour ago, babse said:

Is it not safe to say that Scott is a XCO focused team and the Tour de France of mountain biking is just used as training race? 

Really doubt Scott would go spending doosh on another chick just to partner with Kate at the epic.

If "Sparklewatts" married me like I asked her, her performances would never have dropped off like it has been doing. In stead she chose to block me on Insta... 😛

[love2fly]

8 hours ago, gemmerbal said:

I agree, I also stay away from mass participation events because I saw the same thing happen (for example) at CTCT MTB Event when it was still held at Murati and surrounds. Some tannie getting off her bike to push it over a rock on the 60km route, or someone too scared to ride along the steep drop-off you can see them visibly shaking and peeing their bibshorts. People wanting to do a ride for which they clearly don't have the necessary skillset. But I guess it's all in the name of inclusion and not discriminating on the basis of not having the requisite qualities (hey?!).

That begs the question I suppose, how do you deal with it (if at all)? Do you put in place a qualifying event of some kind? Points bases system with minimum requirements needed for entry? If this is a UCI event surely that would be considered to be within reason? I mean you don't see okes rocking up at the Dakar for example without having done a similar event to qualify their desire to participate in a pinacle event.

But, then you stand to lose the many hundreds of entries who come here for the "Untamed" experience, but seeing as how it is being watered down (sorry for the pun) sometimes, it's a bit like tourists coming to Africa to see lions in a cage. I don't know, maybe that's just me...

On a sidenote, I had to laugh at the interviewer today asking about the rider's experiences "up here in the African Wild" (3h20 of YT feed)... I mean, really? haha

Remember exactly the same problem at CTCT MTB...people getting off for very little apparent reason.

[love2fly]

5 hours ago, gemmerbal said:

If "Sparklewatts" married me like I asked her, her performances would never have dropped off like it has been doing. In stead she chose to block me on Insta... 😛

I'm not blocked yet....

[mazambaan]

10 hours ago, Stevovo said:

So happy for Matt and Blevins. Thank goodness we get something to label proudly SA. Hope he gets a vet bonus. Donnu how he would recover and get ready for the first Life time grand prix race in 4 weeks. We might see him continue training tomorrow, hey @J Wakefield?😆 He can start a bit later to get an extra hour of sleep.

Gutted for Candice and Amy. They gained a lot of respect for their ride but also for how they took the loss. 

scott should sack Nino and get two equally strong riders who can actually win the epic. They will have change leftover for a backup team I guess. No use to have the Goat on the payroll without wins. This is the Tour de France of mountainbiking, who cares about XCO anyways

#tailwipsdontwinraces😛 

Yup and I thought I heard they had a 14 minute advantage before they hit the great stone. Query. With that advantage why not go for inserts / 1kg tyres or both; safety first? Maybe neither would have helped hitting that mother at speed.

I heard a podcast with Yanick (all know Nino's mechanic) who said they had tried inserts but settled on wider rims (to limit sidewall punctures I guess).

[Robbie Stewart]

9 hours ago, gemmerbal said:

That begs the question I suppose, how do you deal with it (if at all)? Do you put in place a qualifying event of some kind? Points bases system with minimum requirements needed for entry? If this is a UCI event surely that would be considered to

A typical black diamond trail will have what is called a "squirrel catcher" feature at the very top, which is there precisely for this reason. If you can't ride this, don't go further. 

I would also say that the folks entering would require a specific skillset that includes the ability to ride over very deep blue rated technical terrain in the worst possible weather.

Failing which, maybe the promoters can finally stop referring to the Epic as being epic and untamed. Maybe promote it as a race for timid riders with fat wallets where the untamed segments of the ride veer from tar to gravel, maybe some mud and the odd optional rock.

[dev null]

8 hours ago, babse said:

Did you say w2w and tech sections in the same sentence 🫢😜

There are a few techie berms from the top of the hill to the bottom at Houw Hoek Inn. And I can remember riders queuing at one small rocky descent just before the first WP on the second day. But basically that was it.

[dev null]

6 minutes ago, Robbie Stewart said:

A typical black diamond trail will have what is called a "squirrel catcher" feature at the very top, which is there precisely for this reason. If you can't ride this, don't go further. 

I would also say that the folks entering would require a specific skillset that includes the ability to ride over very deep blue rated technical terrain in the worst possible weather.

Failing which, maybe the promoters can finally stop referring to the Epic as being epic and untamed. Maybe promote it as a race for timid riders with fat wallets where the untamed segments of the ride veer from tar to gravel, maybe some mud and the odd optional rock.

I believe as an entry requirement to the Epic all riders must be able to ride up the Irish climb (maybe to point 5) and then down Armageddon without dismounting. 

[Lexx]

1 hour ago, love2fly said:

Remember exactly the same problem at CTCT MTB...people getting off for very little apparent reason.

Go and check out Craig Kolesky Epic videos of each stage. Think it's stage 1 or 2 where there were teams walking on single tracks and he told them " Come on guys,ride it, its not technical" I mean, entering the Epic, you should be able to ride single tracks. 

[NotSoBigBen]

Must be cool to be at such a high level and be able to look down on and skoff at the achievements of other weekend warriors and housewives

As usual don't mind me I'm just old and grumpy 🤪

[Jewbacca]

I always love the tech bashing every year at Epic. Is it really offensive or a disgrace? Is it really important?

Get ahead of the congestion by getting fitter/faster or get over it. If you do a trail running race more than half the field walk up and down the technical bits. At Enduro's it is 100% acceptable to push up easy jeep track climbs, if you tell those bro's to get fitter they get helluva defensive about how shredding the gnar is the importanterest to Enduro and being fit isn't important and also, shut up and mind your business. 

These guys and gals pushing or walking are there to finish the Untamed toughest race on earth Absa Cape Epic. They couldn't care if it takes them an extra 4 hours if they walk some bits that they feel is taking a risk which might lead to a fall and eliminate them from achieving their goal of finishing. 

70% of the finishers of Comrades and Two Oceans walk/jog in the cut off bus and finish in the last 15 minutes of the allotted time. 

I think it is admirable that these people are there slogging it out all day every day to achieve something they believe is worth achieving.