the unofficial Cape Epic thread

[NC_lurker]

1 hour ago, BaGearA said:

Can I gooi a spanner ?

 

Take someone like Matt or Nino 

 

They race the MF'er to the line on day 8 

 

So if they were to ride at a pace that allows them to come in with the last finisher would it be a casual stroll for them  or somewhere in between just so they don't have to be one the bike so long but long enough for it to feel like a 60% effort 

 

 

/random though while reading the last few pages //

Go watch Daryl Impey's daily videos, I think it gives a good idea of just how huge the gap is between a world tour pro and a middle of the pack Epic rider.

[DieselnDust]

1 hour ago, BaGearA said:

Can I gooi a spanner ?

 

Take someone like Matt or Nino 

 

They race the MF'er to the line on day 8 

 

So if they were to ride at a pace that allows them to come in with the last finisher would it be a casual stroll for them  or somewhere in between just so they don't have to be one the bike so long but long enough for it to feel like a 60% effort 

 

 

/random though while reading the last few pages //

Here’s what a 20min all out effort looks like before and after.

You know some of the names so it’s relatively simple to extrapolate 

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5G6EIQKz6M/?igsh=amVkYmkxNGk0NXU=

[tubed]

20 hours ago, two hands said:

Been interesting scrolling through the during- and post-Epic comments and correlating it to my experience of riding the event this year.

then you will also know that there are some efforts to refresh the commentary team, if you are up for a public flaying on here, I think it would be nice to hear your voice and insights, I have suggested Hermida to throw in some Spanglish too

got anything in the diary for next year March? who do we suggest it to?

[love2fly]

Bart plus at least one American, oh and of course Annika Langvad .....

[DieselnDust]

19 hours ago, DieselnDust said:

Here’s what a 20min all out effort looks like before and after.

You know some of the names so it’s relatively simple to extrapolate 

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5G6EIQKz6M/?igsh=amVkYmkxNGk0NXU=

Pity they didn’t interview Luke Moir before and after as he won the XCC from Alan. The latter looks like he was on a cruise though 

Edited March 30, 2024 by DieselnDust

[Shebeen]

19 hours ago, BaGearA said:

Can I gooi a spanner ?

 

Take someone like Matt or Nino 

 

They race the MF'er to the line on day 8 

 

So if they were to ride at a pace that allows them to come in with the last finisher would it be a casual stroll for them  or somewhere in between just so they don't have to be one the bike so long but long enough for it to feel like a 60% effort 

 

 

/random though while reading the last few pages //

They would be tired from the track standing

[DieselnDust]

1 hour ago, Shebeen said:

They would be tired from the track standing

Fact 

but well rested from napping after every single track 

[Eugene Oppelt]

“We are going for 400 watts average or 448 normalised power...”   - Buff-Megamo team tactical discussion in the kitchen a day before the prologue.

Gotta love the heart and soul in this video release.

 

Edited April 6, 2024 by 'Dale

[nathrix]

 

[DieselnDust]

15 hours ago, nathrix said:

 

Watched this yesterday. It’s very good. Tells the struggles in the amateur field, wounds and all

[_David_]

Awesome video! Love the footage of the amateur racers.

[saturdayknight]

On 3/23/2024 at 5:00 PM, DieselnDust said:

Yes Nino and Fini being pragmatic. World cups start in 4 weeks. They need to be ready . The marathon guys don’t have as busy a schedule so they can afford to go deeper. 
matt and Howard rode a very very well measured race. Grotts riding a bit more conservative in stage 1 and 2 proved to be  the best pathway for their team. So good strategy. Not sure how much of a hand Mr Wakefield had in that but I’m sure it was more than a pinky. 
the revelation of the race was Buff Megamo. They surprised. Didn’t see them coming . They had a bad day but bounced back. At first i though they extended their one shot wonder to two shots but it’s been 5 shots so maybe they’ve made a preparation breakthrough.

georg eggar’s interview sounds like Lucas is suffering from exhaustion , the heat would have played a big role in that. Probably not heat acclimated enough. That little feature in the Garmin bike computer is quite useful. Laura Stark is suffering from similar symptoms and did not start this morning. Some saying stomach bug but there’s no gastric flu bug doing the rounds. There is a covid bug going around. 
every year the race does Tulbagh it’s stupidly hot and people suffer heat exhaustion but other things get blamed.

preparing for the heat cannot be over emphasised

 

On 3/29/2024 at 10:06 AM, two hands said:

Been interesting scrolling through the during- and post-Epic comments and correlating it to my experience of riding the event this year.
Since I was the journalist who actually got this quote from Burry back in 2012, in an interview for the 10-year coffee table book "African Epic: The Untamed Mountain Bike Race" maybe I can offer some context. This was part of a long, rambling and fairly philosophical conversation Burry and I had as he was driving to the airport to race another World Cup block. If you knew Burry, you'll know this wasn't about discounting anyone's mountain biking experience or commitment to the sport. It has nothing to do with whether Epic riders are the only true mountain bikers. He certainly didn't believe that. It wasn't inferring that the Epic was a measure of your worth as a mountain biker. Hell, at that stage most of the World Cup pro field hadn't even considered racing a Cape Epic. Nino had only done one (in 2010).
Burry genuinely rejoiced in meeting and encouraging all riders, no matter their age, background or ability. He was simply saying that no matter where in the field you finish – in a jersey or with twice the finishing time of the pro field – the Epic unites us all in that it takes a certain amount of vasbyt and suffering to complete one. Anyone who has ridden a Cape Epic knows this. Those who have supported a pro team, a mate or loved one know this too. Even if you arrive at the Prologue in the best shape of your life (fitter than your partner, even!) you are now at the mercy of the weather, the terrain, mechanicals, race village viruses, other riders' skill levels, your own mental health, the list goes on... This is true for the entire field. Sometimes you are the hammer, sometimes you are the nail. Not only relative to your partner but at the hands of all the variables that conspire to end your Epic campaign. If you're human, you'll suffer somewhere out there. Burry recognised that was true for all Epic riders, himself included, and wanted to close the perceived gap between the experience of top riders and those further back in the field.

love this post - that was me at the Epic - SUFFERING and somehow just hanging in there to the end. And having one the greatest downhill runs of my life on Day 4 - where did everyone go? The trail just opened up coming off "Alp de Huez" and my trail bike did the rest. Feel very grateful to have competed and to my partner who kept me in it when all I wanted to do was give up.

[saturdayknight]

On 3/28/2024 at 8:06 AM, eala said:

The riders come from places that people do ride like south america and Spain .One year there were many Belgians and in 2019 there was a big team from Colombia  

totally - chatted with many spanish speaking riders during the race. Lots from S. America. They were saying why go to the USA or Europe for holiday - they realised its so much cheaper to come to Cape Town and get a brilliant experience. So much trail, great food and wine and lots of fun. And these guys spend. Epic should link to Tourism Cape Town and get the riders to spend some time here after or maybe put a booth up at the Epic so they can see whats on.

[saturdayknight]

On 3/26/2024 at 4:30 PM, Jewbacca said:

The strength of commitment and emotional responses on this thread by guys who aren't ever going to ride the race is testament to how big the race is!!! 😜

Running Comrades is easy. Way easier than finishing the Epic. 

8 days of riding under pressure in a row is tough. There is absolutely no denying that. Probably tougher for the very back markers than the front/mid pack amateurs.

Walking trails when you're dehydrated, exhausted and running on empty is often a management tool. You just want to get to the finish without breaking anything.

Same as guys walking up hills.

If you haven't done a race longer than 3 or 4 days, you are likely not in touch with what goes on physically or mentally.

Compounded fatigue is real.

I still think the challenge is rad, as long as the motivation driving you isn't to be a part of an imaginary real mtb rider club.

Regardless of body shape, skill, bike brand etc getting this battle done isn't for everybody, but a helluva achievement nonetheless.

 

i was a back marker esp after mechanicals on Stage 1 and nausea and gut problems on stage 2 and 3 - my aim was to get to finish of Stage 4 and if I did this my epic legs would be ok for the rest. A lot of riders dropped out on day 4 with heat stress - over 60 were admitted to hospital in kidney failure. Well Stage 5 was supposed to be the easy recovery stage with 1800m climbing but I felt absolutely stuffed throughout and could not get into a rythmn, and stage 6 and 7 was also really tough. It just didnt get easier although I got fitter. A lot of riders do get better at the technical sections towards the end of the race. With the epic there are just so many variables to cope with - its a mental challenge as well as a physical challenge, and really requires team work.

[@grootlem]

I don't think the Epic will allow this to be published in its current form. They don't allow images of amateurs and backmarkers pushing, walking, struggling

[Pandatron]

9 minutes ago, @grootlem said:

I don't think the Epic will allow this to be published in its current form. They don't allow images of amateurs and backmarkers pushing, walking, struggling

There's 2022 and 2021 of struggle on youtube, next conspiracy theory