2024 Cape Epic Route Announced

[News bot]

We’re suckers for hype, and the Epic route launch is something that inevitably has us speculating around the (virtual) water cooler. Without further ado, here’s the press release detailing the full route for the ‘Tour de France of mountain biking’, the 2024 Absa Cape Epic: This year riders are set for an epic action-packed 8 days consisting of 16 850 metres of climbing, packed into 613 kilometres of racing The twentieth edition and it’s test of tenacity has once again attracted the world’s best, forging a reputation as a rite of passage for all mountain bikers. The unforgiving yet breathtakingly beautiful […]

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[Shebeen]

used to get excited about the Epic Route launch. it used to be an exciting thing. not so much these days!

[BMCfan]

One hell of a tough route though!!!

[Carmichael]

Same old.. more or less same as 2016.

[Yyyy]

Would be interesting if they expanded the route to the broader Western Cape

[Bub Marley]

Had a feeling they going to use that cliffhanger trail this year.

[Jewbacca]

4 minutes ago, Yyyy said:

Would be interesting if they expanded the route to the broader Western Cape

Or make it the SA Epic and do it all over the place!

I know it is relationships, contracts, land owner agreements, finish venues etc that keep it here, but as the comments show, it has definitely lost some of it's appeal and if not now, will likely need to reassess at some point.

The international entries definitely keep things ticking over for now

[babse]

is it even about the route? 

[BMCfan]

4 minutes ago, babse said:

is it even about the route? 

No, its about my hard earned cash.

That said, does anyone have a smart detailed summary of all the overall costs involved doing the event? Obviously its not all about the entry fee 😉

[DieselnDust]

thats a bit of an anti-climax....

[Carmichael]

the knysna to say lourensford route for the 20th edition would have been awesome..

[DieselnDust]

1 minute ago, Carmichael said:

the knysna to say lourensford route for the 20th edition would have been awesome..

There was talk of them doing something different for this edition but its just more of the same

[Zebra]

32 minutes ago, Carmichael said:

the knysna to say lourensford route for the 20th edition would have been awesome..

I met with Kevin Vermaak before the 09th edition, (we were tying to assist with a VIP guest heli), and asked if they could ‘return to roots’ for TENTH Epic, but he said just not commercially feasible -

-interesting facts back then was they used the SAME water source everyday for 8 days, from Cape Town by means of water-tanker, so (esp) International entrants did not get Delhi-belly from 8 different water-sources, meaning they could CONTROL the water quality…

Would HAVE BEEN brilliant to have ONE ‘return to roots’ for the TWENTIETH edition, hell, I reckon I would have entered athat, seriously!

But that Clover-leaf course design, with multiple nights in same camp, just works for them, financially and LOGISTICALLY.

I live in hope!

Chris (‘05, ‘06, ‘07)

Edited September 15, 2023 by Zebra

[Ozzie NL]

46 minutes ago, BMCfan said:

No, its about my hard earned cash.

That said, does anyone have a smart detailed summary of all the overall costs involved doing the event? Obviously its not all about the entry fee 😉

When I did it in 22, the total cost per person was R82k which is incl of maintenance package, rental car, flights to/from JHB, BnB accommodation and meals for 3 people as we took a soigneur/ driver along. The entry fee was R46.5k that year. So added was R36.7k per rider

Hope that helps

[DJuice]

1 hour ago, BMCfan said:

No, its about my hard earned cash.

That said, does anyone have a smart detailed summary of all the overall costs involved doing the event? Obviously its not all about the entry fee 😉

Many years ago(10+) it was double your entry fee.

 

[Shebeen]

2 hours ago, Carmichael said:

Same old.. more or less same as 2016.

so 2016

prologue @ UCT

Saronsberg 2 Saronsberg

Saronsberg 2 Saronsberg

Saronsberg 2 CPUT wellington

CPUT wellington 2 CPUT wellington

CPUT wellington 2 Boschendal

Boschendal 2 Boschendal

Boschendal 2 Meerendal

 

2024

prologue @ UCT  /Lourensford

Saronsberg 2 Saronsberg

Saronsberg 2 Saronsberg

Saronsberg 2 CPUT wellington

CPUT wellington 2 CPUT wellington

CPUT wellington 2 Boschendal /CPUT Wellington  & transfer

Boschendal 2 Boschendal/Stellenbosch2Stellenbosch

Boschendal 2 Meerendal/Stellenbosch2Stellenbosch

 

There's a transfer after stage 5, that must be a first. I'd say this route is an improvement on 2016. If I did my first in 2016, and came back this year I'd be disappointed, but for the rest this is kind of what they dish up.