the unofficial Cape Epic thread

[PhilipV]

5 days of racing and there is 30 seconds in it between 1 and 2. 
love it!!

[tinmug]

Does Marco drive a Big Six Ford and smoke Camels? White pants?

Or am I confusing him from some fragment of memory from the Seventies? 😆 Either way awesome to see the locals (ladies too) doing so well. 👍

[babse]

lets keep the wild accusations discussion out of here

[Paul Ruinaard]

  On 3/19/2025 at 5:48 PM, love2fly said:

In the CTCT you see people walking up (is it Edinburgh Drive?) Bishopscourt area....and in last year's YouTube video you could see Epic riders walking down a medium difficulty decent.

You should have to "qualify" to get an entry but think of how much that would affect profit......I pity the riders staying in tents and getting the Epic Delhi Belly gyppos.....

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You need to understand how the camera flattens those ascents and descents. They are crazy steep and super cambered with gravel and everything trying to push you off line. Very tough and very risky. Also get in to the mindset of an epic rider. The costs, effort and sacrifices you have made are monumental. Anything that causes you to fall or is a risk you avoid. So that stuff you would normally ride you walk because if you take a risk and screw it up you take your team out and potentially end both of your races. I can tell you, you start to think and ride very differently and worry more about the long game than acing a technical section. 

[PhilipV]

  On 3/20/2025 at 8:21 AM, saturdayknight said:

I think you have hit the nail on the head - the organisers have had a year to plan, they know its in Paarl which is as hot as hades, and some simple understanding of heat stress and heat stroke and maths would allow them to plan for this. It's not rocket science - multiple extra water points, require riders to carry hydration packs. 1700 riders x 30 liters per rider - that gives them 15 litres to throw over themselves and 15 litres to drink gives about 50 tons of water - that's 5 large water tanks spread over the course. Thats not THAT difficult with a budget of over 100 million rands and a year of planning. And additional medics and access routes to attend to riders with heat stress. And most of that route is very accessible. 

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Agreed. Getting 5tons of water to the water points really isn’t that hard. Not even to KrismasKamp. Add another 5tonner for safe margin. 
 

The top of Groenlandberg is a different story, but then you put a WP at the bottom and a cache of water as high up as you can. 

 

[love2fly]

  On 3/20/2025 at 8:29 AM, Paul Ruinaard said:

You need to understand how the camera flattens those ascents and descents. They are crazy steep and super cambered with gravel and everything trying to push you off line. Very tough and very risky. Also get in to the mindset of an epic rider. The costs, effort and sacrifices you have made are monumental. Anything that causes you to fall or is a risk you avoid. So that stuff you would normally ride you walk because if you take a risk and screw it up you take your team out and potentially end both of your races. I can tell you, you start to think and ride very differently and worry more about the long game than acing a technical section. 

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I hear you but on Craig Koleskys YT video he was clearly frustrated and he's no racing snake ... 

Edited March 20 by love2fly
Typos

[dev null]

I see Speed Company is not so speedy anymore. And Beers & partner is bleeding time. I think his Epic podium has long took flight.

Really impressed by the SA youngsters. All those Spur school races of years back starting to realise results. Pity it went tits up.

Edited March 20 by dev null

[JohanDiv]

Few drops starting to fall in town now.. feels like the heat is breaking

 

Edit: false alarm, still hot and humid

Edited March 20 by JohanDiv

[Jbr]

  On 3/20/2025 at 8:18 AM, babse said:

@Jbr watching Nino's interview, keeps me inspired 👩‍🦲

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Me too man, me too 😜

[Spafsack]

Just read Sofia and Keegan are married, never knew that. Thought I would share for what it's worth

[ChrisF]

  On 3/20/2025 at 8:41 AM, dev null said:

I see Speed Company is not so speedy anymore. And Beers & partner is bleeding time. I think his Epic podium has long took flight.

Really impressed by the SA youngsters. All those Spur school races of years back starting to realise results. Pity it went tits up.

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SPUR withdrew as main sponsor.

 

But the SERIES is still very much alive and well, run by CSA-Schools.

[Randolph]

  On 3/20/2025 at 8:32 AM, love2fly said:

I hear you but onCrsig Koleskys YT video he was clearly frustrated and he's no racing snake ... 

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where do I get Craigs videos? I looked at his channel and did not see new content 

[matthew de haast]

  On 3/20/2025 at 10:31 AM, Randolph said:

where do I get Craigs videos? I looked at his channel and did not see new content 

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Craig isn’t riding this year. He is currently working on a project in Namibia 

[love2fly]

  On 3/20/2025 at 10:31 AM, Randolph said:

where do I get Craigs videos? I looked at his channel and did not see new content 

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Ja I see no new content. That's a pity. However, I'm not sure why but sometimes his videos are short compared to the stage and he doesn't show the suffering on the big climbs. Maybe not allowed to....Check out Jasper Verkuil channel for last year, longer and more focused. He's got a young recently born child so he's not here this year. Jasper has an amazing channel, hope he gets started again when their summer arrived.

[RobynE]

https://www.treadmtb.co.za/absa-cape-epic-issues-statement-on-stage-3-safety-measures/

 

If there were fatalities they’re sure keeping them under wraps. 

[RobynE]

Have they ever done a Race and Review (TB style)? Like keep the Race for UCI, Elites and highly seeded ammies, and then do a Review for Joe Public?