the unofficial Cape Epic thread

[Shebeen]

51 minutes ago, Spinnekop said:

Who is head of communications/ media at epic? 

They might be keeping schtum because of legal action over negligence 

This incident has been an EPIC FAIL on their part. I see serious blow back on how this event was handled in general. 

Good selling early bird entries at 4pm. Whoever signs up for that now is a sucker.

[ChrisF]

16 minutes ago, SwissVan said:

Well done to you all that took part and finished 
 

I always wonder why overseas participants pay extra, it’s the same with the comrades marafun. 

 

 

Multi-tier pricing seems to be an international thing, for various items from tourism to sports.

 

 

Even CTCT has three price groups, SA, Southern Africa and then international.

 

@SwissVan do you know if a similar multi-tier pricing exists for sporting events in Europe ?

 

[Michael S]

https://www.instagram.com/capeepic/p/DHlO6VioEGh/

Something has come to light,
 

Edited Monday at 12:54 PM by Michael S

[RobynE]

@stephan - not sure which tag is correct - 

LOVED your write-up, thank you so much. I could feel every crank revolution and slipping foot. Super cool. 

[samson99]

31 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

Who is head of communications/ media at epic? 

They might be keeping schtum because of legal action over negligence 

This incident has been an EPIC FAIL on their part. I see serious blow back on how this event was handled in general. 

Good selling early bird entries at 4pm. Whoever signs up for that now is a sucker.

seems early bird has been postponed a week to 31 March

 

Seems @Michael S beat me to it

Edited Monday at 12:56 PM by samson99

[Robbie Stewart]

First off, well done to DieselNDust, Stephan and SamTaylor (and everyone else) for finishing the event. It sounds like it was tougher than the daily broadcasts made it look.

Reading the race reports I am convinced more than ever that the amateur field exists for the sole reason of funding the helicopters and nothing else. I am more convinced as well that I am 100% not a candidate for this type of event. I enjoy riding my mtb over long distances, but I enjoy riding single track more. And the more technical the trail, the higher my level of enjoyment. So for me to pay all that money and then stand in endless queues waiting for unskilled people to ride the most basic of trails would just end me. I have a short fuse already, so no need to add to it.

But at least this event isn't about me, and no one cares, but I will honestly say that I enjoyed watching the live streams every day, even long after the event stopped broadcasting, but still, I won't be lining up to partake in what to seems to me to be a fool's errand.

[NotSoBigBen]

8 hours ago, NotSoBigBen said:

So those friend I know really well a doctor I know at the clinic etc. stories were just that?

https://www.iol.co.za/sport/cycling/cape-epic-organisers-rubbish-rumours-of-rider-deaths-after-week-of-extreme-heat-7f900218-b836-4e31-a92e-b04dbd8215b2

OK, I take that back and sorry I may have doubted or offended anyone .... really sorry to read the latest from Epic comms 🙏

[ChrisF]

1 minute ago, Robbie Stewart said:

First off, well done to DieselNDust, Stephan and SamTaylor (and everyone else) for finishing the event. It sounds like it was tougher than the daily broadcasts made it look.

Reading the race reports I am convinced more than ever that the amateur field exists for the sole reason of funding the helicopters and nothing else. I am more convinced as well that I am 100% not a candidate for this type of event. I enjoy riding my mtb over long distances, but I enjoy riding single track more. And the more technical the trail, the higher my level of enjoyment. So for me to pay all that money and then stand in endless queues waiting for unskilled people to ride the most basic of trails would just end me. I have a short fuse already, so no need to add to it.

But at least this event isn't about me, and no one cares, but I will honestly say that I enjoyed watching the live streams every day, even long after the event stopped broadcasting, but still, I won't be lining up to partake in what to seems to me to be a fool's errand.

 

You will ENJOY the Eselfontein weekend.

[@grootlem]

Hi, I haven't been on here for a few months and thought I'll check in. If this was covered in the previous 80 pages I apologize. I was quite verbal on my social media that the Epic should have qualifying events and times, a bit like Comrades. But I guess part of the business model is to have a certain number out within a short time. I'm not a fan of shortened stages but after a coffee with one of the route guys I understand a bit better. Just a bit Hats off to everyone, I'm glad I did my 5 epics pre 2010 when we could still get half drunk in the chill zone after stages. One Epic Greg Minnaar and myself were last out every night. That's the advantage of a slower partner. RIP to the Belgian rider that passed away.

Edited Monday at 03:34 PM by @grootlem
Insensitive

[DieselnDust]

38 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

Who is head of communications/ media at epic? 

They might be keeping schtum because of legal action over negligence 

This incident has been an EPIC FAIL on their part. I see serious blow back on how this event was handled in general. 

Good selling early bird entries at 4pm. Whoever signs up for that now is a sucker.

Overall I think there is a serious problem with values. They held a “after party” last night while 3 people were fighting for their lives and now one has passed on. These riders deserved better. The event deserves better. There is sommuch wrong here that I it almost needs new Ownerrship to stop the downward spiral. 

[RobynE]

I saw a comment on social media from a Belgian guy whose brother was in ICU, where it said SOS was not responded to and it took something like 1:30 for him to get any help - I’ll try find the comment. 
 

Ok found it. Not sure if this is the guy. Edit: it is. Condolences to his family 😞 
 

Emergencies are real. If you are paying this sort of money there is simply no reason to not be able to extract people or at the very least have enough ILS and ALS medics on bikes or quads, hell, even on horseback, who can get to the locations of SOS calls and keep people from circling the drain. A time frame of 1:30 is not it! 
 

I really think the organisers need to be changed out completely, and to get someone else in there with a fresh eye and modern approach to high risk sporting event management. 
 

 

Edited Monday at 02:04 PM by RobynE
Rest in peace Ronny 🕊️

[W@nted]

1 hour ago, ChrisF said:

 

Multi-tier pricing seems to be an international thing, for various items from tourism to sports.

 

 

Even CTCT has three price groups, SA, Southern Africa and then international.

 

@SwissVan do you know if a similar multi-tier pricing exists for sporting events in Europe ?

 

Nope. I have only seen one price/option regarding nationality of the riders. Same for events in NL and Belgium.

 

[JohanDiv]

Yes, the belgium guy. Very sad news..

[Shebeen]

1 hour ago, Michael S said:

https://www.instagram.com/capeepic/p/DHlO6VioEGh/

Something has come to light,
 

Going to call it as I see it. This is epic upper management, (probably not even in SA) going into crisis mode. 

"Let's post the video of the afterparty with dance scenes"

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHlGXOYIgJA/

                  10 minutes later

"someone in IT says only 10 people have clicked on the early bird entry link each hour, normally it is 500+".

"ok we need a reason to reassess. Can we still roll out the story of someone who died, after we denied his existence for a few days hoping everyone would forget? Do we need to R15m instant cashflow to pay off suppliers this week? With half the expenditure after all the cost cutting, that shouldn't be too hard"

 

 

 

Kevin Vermaak will be able to buy this back at 20c in the Rand in 5 years' time. I'll back him to turn it around too.

[DieselnDust]

5 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

Going to call it as I see it. This is epic upper management, (probably not even in SA) going into crisis mode. 

"Let's post the video of the afterparty with dance scenes"

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHlGXOYIgJA/

                  10 minutes later

"someone in IT says only 10 people have clicked on the early bird entry link each hour, normally it is 500+".

"ok we need a reason to reassess. Can we still roll out the story of someone who died, after we denied his existence for a few days hoping everyone would forget? Do we need to R15m instant cashflow to pay off suppliers this week? With half the expenditure after all the cost cutting, that shouldn't be too hard"

 

 

 

Kevin Vermaak will be able to buy this back at 20c in the Rand in 5 years' time. I'll back him to turn it around too.

My thoughts exactly 

[Shebeen]

 

1 hour ago, @grootlem said:

 RIP to the Belgian rider that passed away. Hope his partner learns a lesson to listen to medical advice because he previously also continued in another race after being unconscious 

Hendrik, that's a bit unnecessary comment (after doing so well). To make such a statement you must know plenty to back it up. Someone died, and it looks like it could have been avoidable.

(edit: Ben = Ronny's riding partner for 2025.) He was not some noob, this was his third epic. (I think, Epic have in their wisdom killed the rider history function from 2025, so this is legacy info still up on their site - nice one again)

 

RIP Ronny. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited Monday at 02:50 PM by Shebeen
clarified riders