the unofficial Cape Epic thread

[Spafsack]

1 minute ago, varkie2 said:

They called it too late. Way too late. Reports of a rider passing away.

O my word, this is bad!! How do vehciles get to those single track areas in any case, this is a nightmare......

[Vaultboy]

31 minutes ago, Mamil said:

!URGENT!

We are implementing a STAGE CANCELLATION AT WATER POINT 3 due to the extreme heat and will be assisting riders being removed from the route.  .....

Please do not make any statements to press or media.

Nothing yet on the official site, but media have the story now: ABSA CAPE EPIC STAGE 3 STOPPED EARLY FOR SAFETY REASONS – TREAD MEDIA 

[Paul Ruinaard]

so just checking whether the stage has officially been stopped. Where can we see that and what happens to those that were still out on the course?

[The Bull Shark]

39 minutes ago, RobynE said:

This really sounds so badly organised 😮 

 

It is piss poorly organised. Anybody who looked at the weather forecast 2 days ago and knew just a little bit about mountain biking in the Western Cape knew it was going to be bad. Especially Paarlberg which is extremely exposed to the sun on the western slopes and northern slopes. Just refer to some of the  earlier comments here on this forum from a few days ago.

Edited March 19, 2025 by dev null

[The Bull Shark]

30 minutes ago, MaMc said:

I'm not well versed in my epic history, has a cancellation and removing/evacuating riders from the course happened before?

Not that I am aware of. Only stage shortening or extension of cut-off times.

[MongooseMan]

9 minutes ago, Paul Ruinaard said:

so just checking whether the stage has officially been stopped. Where can we see that and what happens to those that were still out on the course?

The obvious answer would be to look at Cape Epic channels, but they're completely radio-silent.

Most of us are relying on second hand info coming from riders on course, or back at race village.

It's a very expensive clown-show.

[Bro Derek]

I'd guess that if people have died, they will need to be very careful how they release information.

There is also the case of 'My only Story' in terms of Image control and what can be covered up and denied in order to protect the product image.

With people dying at more than one IronMan event in the last 24 months and now this, one needs to ask some questions of the qualifying criteria for those taking part as well as the race organisers. 

There is zero control over who enters these races other than willing payer. Maybe that also needs to be looked at going into what is supposed to be the ultimate test in human endeavour. 

The 'self check' approach to overall competency may not be as effective as it used to be as we as humans evolve further and further towards a scene from Wall-E 

[babse]

The lack of water is absolutely inexcusable... 

[Paul Ruinaard]

At my house in Paarl today in the sun at 13:14. You could see then it was very dangerous then. . I saw 41,5 in the car at the same time

[The Bull Shark]

1 minute ago, Bro Derek said:

I'd guess that if people have died, they will need to be very careful how they release information.

There is also the case of 'My only Story' in terms of Image control and what can be covered up and denied in order to protect the product image.

With people dying at more than one IronMan event in the last 24 months and now this, one needs to ask some questions of the qualifying criteria for those taking part as well as the race organisers. 

There is zero control over who enters these races other than willing payer. Maybe that also needs to be looked at going into what is supposed to be the ultimate test in human endeavour. 

The 'self check' approach to overall competency may not be as effective as it used to be as we as humans evolve further and further towards a scene from Wall-E 

I think they are already stuffed as they cannot control info coming from riders and that it is already well known that they did not prepare well for today given the weather predictions. Running out of water is not excusable for such a high profile event, and they can expect a case against them at least from the family of the rider that passed away, if not more. Just asking people to sign waivers aint going to cut it when they could have implemented mitigation against casualties.

[Bro Derek]

2 minutes ago, dev null said:

I think they are already stuffed as they cannot control info coming from riders and that it is already well known that they did not prepare well for today given the weather predictions. Running out of water is not excusable for such a high profile event, and they can expect a case against them at least from the family of the rider that passed away, if not more. Just asking people to sign waivers aint going to cut it when they could have implemented mitigation against casualties.

For sure.

But an official statement comes with weight and as people have died, there are legal obligations.

I'm not excusing anyone or anything, but suggesting that there is a way things get done here in SA and sharing information without first covering ones backside isn't it. 

If you're unfamiliar with 'My only Story' check it out. The lengths institutions will go to protect their image is disturbing.

Pretty sure they are trying to find a suitably immeasurable way to blame the lack of water on something/someone that no one can confirm nor deny etc 

 

[NGM]

19 minutes ago, Bro Derek said:

For sure.

But an official statement comes with weight and as people have died, there are legal obligations.

 

 

Do we know this for sure?

It may well turn out to be true, but at this stage all I've seen is a post by @varkie2 a few pages back saying "There are reports that a rider has passed away".

Edited March 19, 2025 by NGM
extra info

[MongooseMan]

Newly updated front page

[Bro Derek]

8 minutes ago, NGM said:

Do we know this for sure?

It may well turn out to be true, but at this stage all I've seen is a post by @varkie2 a few pages back saying "There are reports that a rider has passed away".

The 'leak' from those on the ground is that it may be more than one.

I'm alluding to the fact that the official statement may not be forthcoming if that is the case. The longer the statement takes, the more likely it is that the news isn't good. 

Patience isn't a common virtue in todays social media natterings, but it may be best to sit tight for a while, turn it off and wait for the official news.

This was eerily predicted by multiple armchair meteorologist part time cyclists on this website, so the fact that there has been a big whoopsy despite the obvious forwarnings isn't a great look.

But in my original post it suggests that as there is no qualifying criteria other than having money to pay, the organisers have absolutely no idea who is making up the field and what sort of conditions the lowest level of competitor is capable of. IronMan had swimming deaths, cycling deaths and medical deaths in conditions not 'very' out of the ordinary. 

Having a baseline would make managing expectations a lot easier but would likely need a business idea shift across the board, which is likely a discussion for another time

[The Bull Shark]

1 minute ago, Bro Derek said:

The 'leak' from those on the ground is that it may be more than one.

I'm alluding to the fact that the official statement may not be forthcoming if that is the case. The longer the statement takes, the more likely it is that the news isn't good. 

Patience isn't a common virtue in todays social media natterings, but it may be best to sit tight for a while, turn it off and wait for the official news.

This was eerily predicted by multiple armchair meteorologist part time cyclists on this website, so the fact that there has been a big whoopsy despite the obvious forwarnings isn't a great look.

But in my original post it suggests that as there is no qualifying criteria other than having money to pay, the organisers have absolutely no idea who is making up the field and what sort of conditions the lowest level of competitor is capable of. IronMan had swimming deaths, cycling deaths and medical deaths in conditions not 'very' out of the ordinary. 

Having a baseline would make managing expectations a lot easier but would likely need a business idea shift across the board, which is likely a discussion for another time

I would like to add that this armchair meteorologist and part time cyclist with no claims of ever being able to become an Amabubesi, have just being MTBing in the Western Cape for long enough to "know" that shyte was about to hit the fan.

[varkie2]

70 people sent to hospital aparently  and 3 fatalities. Not confirmed though.