the unofficial Cape Epic thread

[Titleist]

8 minutes ago, BuffsVintageBikes said:

Welcome to Africa boys... this is why you train for the Epic at midday over the weekends and not at 5am in the cool of the morning 🙄 Those poor Euros must think they have arrived at the pit of hell 🔥

I would love to know what the average training hours per week was since December '24, for the slowest 25% of the field.

[DJuice]

Super proud of of my brother in law, was concerned the whole day.

Around 50km it was looking not so great for team, pulled through and came in at 7h25min.

[saturdayknight]

Just now, Underachiever said:

Exactly - did my training in 41 C into Swartberg and of course into the Hell...   Learnt a lot w.r.t. fluid management.  

Yip - did loads of heated power yoga and riding in the heat. I noticed last year the europeans didnt drink enough - sometimes you just have to stop, get off your bike, and bury your head in a stream or water source even if 20 guys ride past you - and carry a hydration pack. Need to drink a **** ton more than you think and pour water onto your chest and back as evaporative loss cools you down a lot quicker than convection or radiation. Its possible to ride in 43 degree heat but need to manage yourself well and prepare. Heat acclimatisaion takes weeks of preparation.

[Paul Ruinaard]

I am in Paarl - I had 46,8 Centigrade on my outside thermometer on my deck in the sun at Midday today. 41,5C in the car. Thats pretty much a recipe for disaster. Brutal conditions and really always the back markers who will be out there. Not much moving air and on Paarl mountain you will be baked to well done in minutes. 

[saturdayknight]

8 minutes ago, MongooseMan said:

Well, not quite (see my backstory, I was probably the least qualified entrant in that I only got on a mountain bike a month ago to help out a mate who had run out of partner options).
 

 

making it hard for yourself!! I also only got dropped in late Jan with no training or little riding the year before. I suffered massively. But I made sure i was heat tolerant, carried water ++, and somehow got through. Once you start getting heat stress is very very hard to pull it back. 

[117]

Is there a link we can check the DNF's?

[mikkelz]

https://www.epic-series.com/capeepic-riders-liveresults

[saturdayknight]

The organisers should keep the camera running at the finish on the live feed to see the backmarkers coming in. Those riders have suffered throughout the midday heat and are champions.

[117]

Thanks mikkelz.

What does IF stand for? 

[MORNE]

2 minutes ago, 117 said:

Thanks mikkelz.

What does IF stand for? 

Individual finish maybe? As in left team mate for dead😅

[MongooseMan]

3 minutes ago, saturdayknight said:

The organisers should keep the camera running at the finish on the live feed to see the backmarkers coming in. Those riders have suffered throughout the midday heat and are champions.

apparently no riders coming through in the last 30mins, as they were all stopped at 66k.

 

2 minutes ago, 117 said:

Thanks mikkelz.

What does IF stand for? 

Individual Finisher

[andydude]

10 minutes ago, 117 said:

Is there a link we can check the DNF's?

16 Blue Board Rider

16.1 Definition. A rider who has failed to complete any stage within the Maximum Stage Time but is allowed to continue the Race.

They will be classified as a Blue Board Rider (BR). Not applicable at FNB Wines2Whales.

16.2 First Shortfall. Any rider who does not complete a stage within the Maximum Stage Time for the first time will be classified as a

Blue Board Rider. Blue Board Riders may continue the Race (i.e., they may start the following stage) but will not be classified as

official Race finishers.

16.3 Second Shortfall. If any Blue Board Rider again fails to finish a stage within the Maximum Stage Time, they will not be allowed to

continue the Race (i.e., they will not be allowed to start the next stage or any subsequent stage).

16.4 Effect on the Team Member. Any rider whose team member is a Blue Board Rider (or who exits the Race under Rule 16.2) will

(provided that such rider has completed all stages within the Maximum Stage Times) be entitled to continue riding in the Race and

may qualify as an Individual Finisher, but will not qualify for any rankings

[ajnkzn]

So cool to see the Red Jersey leaders in both ladies' and mens' races on the overall podium 💥

[mikkelz]

IF = Incredibly F**ked (or Fit) 😂

Edited March 19 by mikkelz

[Hilton.]

Ok, according to the Race Register on the website, there were about 930 teams starting the Epic in 2025.

Of those, the 477 teams have finished today's Stage 3 so far, on the live Results page. Almost exactly 50% so far. Is that correct?

Pages and pages of Individual Finishers and DNF's. Latest finish time was about 7hrs 50 mins.

[Hilton.]

Cronje Beukes (Valley Electrical Titan Racing) lost his partner today (Jaco Venter).

And Margot Moschetti (e-Fort x ChemChamp) lost her partner today (Samara Sheppard)