Cape Epic 2026

[NotSoBigBen]

3 minutes ago, 117 said:

So just getting back to the distances for the men vs the ladies debate, 

Do I understand correctly that its only the Elite ladies that get to ride the shorter event (with the myriad of reasoning behind it) but the normal ladies, masters, mixed etc dont get that luxury? 

You are correct

[117]

There's equality right there! 

So the elite ladies get to do their TSS stuff and relax the same amount of time as the elite men do (time wise over a shorter distance)

But all things not being equal and (as a normal lady) you're riding it out against the elite men and the top amateur riders in the mens category routes, and not getting the same fairness as the Elite ladies do. 

I'd bet thats going down nicely like a fart in the bath

#normalgirlsforthewin

 

[Simon123]

9 minutes ago, 117 said:

There's equality right there! 

So the elite ladies get to do their TSS stuff and relax the same amount of time as the elite men do (time wise over a shorter distance)

But all things not being equal and (as a normal lady) you're riding it out against the elite men and the top amateur riders in the mens category routes, and not getting the same fairness as the Elite ladies do. 

I'd bet thats going down nicely like a fart in the bath

#normalgirlsforthewin

 

It was not any different to the Cape Town Cycle Tour and there were no riots.

[tinmug]

😂 ... the cricket (literally) chirping in the commentary box.

[Robbie Stewart]

I wonder if the prize money will also be "shortened" for the elite ladies 

[Gerlach]

I can see how that will go down. 2 woman standing at a braai.

Did you do the epic?

Yes, I did.....

Elite?

Yes......

OOOOooooo.....  I did the full epic..... Mic drop....

 

Radio silents after that one.......

[117]

7 minutes ago, Simon123 said:

It was not any different to the Cape Town Cycle Tour and there were no riots.

True.

Might be due to the majority just getting on with it 

[karma]

23 hours ago, jcza said:

All the cool kids are in white bibs and white shoes, does my head in. 

Ok boomer... 😘

[DieselnDust]

1 hour ago, 117 said:

There's equality right there! 

So the elite ladies get to do their TSS stuff and relax the same amount of time as the elite men do (time wise over a shorter distance)

But all things not being equal and (as a normal lady) you're riding it out against the elite men and the top amateur riders in the mens category routes, and not getting the same fairness as the Elite ladies do. 

I'd bet thats going down nicely like a fart in the bath

#normalgirlsforthewin

 

"...like a fart in the bath.."#Lagmyklaar🤣

[DieselnDust]

1 hour ago, Simon123 said:

It was not any different to the Cape Town Cycle Tour and there were no riots.

totally different agenda and it actually works in that format.

[Jbr]

Anyone heard the interview from the Massi dutch woman ? I hope she cramps today and her teammate drops her 😅

Edited March 18 by Jbr

[Brakepad]

23 hours ago, tinmug said:

Speaking of different bikes, and straying far off topic, whatever happened to our Hair Creature's plans to ride the Munga on a BMX?

Think you find him on the golf course nowadays🤪

[Simon123]

9 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

totally different agenda and it actually works in that format.

expand on this.    it doesn't appear vastly different looking at it from the outside.

 

[J Wakefield]

20 hours ago, DieselnDust said:

No they don't want the same distance. They realise that ladies road cycling is not where the mens sport is. Most of the women are holding down two jobs including cycling whereas the men are full time employees. The minimum wage for men is EURO50,000 per year in Pro Tour @John Wakefield correct me if this figure is incorrect. So they have a practical problem in the ladies either needing to take leave from day jobs or work part-time. Not ideal to grow a sport but this is where the mens sport was in the 1950's. So there won't be event parity. Marion Rousse has done a good job in getting the womens TDF to the level its at but the ladies sport as a whole needs to be uplifted before the event will get to the 14 days  some of the ladies have thrown on the table. So what the ladies want has to be balanced by what can be afforded. It could piggy back off the mens event and the ladies can ride the same route but start closer to the finish for what is effectivley shorter stages  similar to what Cape Epic has done but there are different sponsors involved. Again it's the economics that drives the planning.

 The ladies XCO is roughly half the size of the mens and the % of actual teams is much smaller. Also there isn't equal pay is one gauged e.g. the 10th ranked rider and the 25th ranked. In both cases the male woul dbe earning more. Not sure of the quantum, but it's substantially more. That right there is a big reason why the Cape Epic does not attract many ladies XCO teams.

RSS is a very expensive place to get to , especially when you have to factor in travel to South Korea in May.

The best way to get more ladies XCO teams is to offer UCI XCO points to finishers. currently the points go to the XCM series and its not enough to incentivize teams to make the journey

Times have changed somewhat in women's cycling, yes some are earning nothing on a smaller team but then so are some men. Ladies on WT are earning a good wage, some close to a Million euros a year and a good domestique is on around 150-250 thousand euro a year.

 

[BuffsVintageBikes]

18 hours ago, Headshot said:

Also, marathon events may be mainstream here but are not that in Europe  and the USA. The other Epic style events around the world are also far smaller. Its an extreme niche sport unlike road riding and as you say even there the women's tour is still a work in progress. 

 

Yup and the Epic is not ideal prep for the rest of the short course season. Both Neff & Lecomte are in Stellenbosch at the moment preparing for the season and neither are at the Epic.

[ajnkzn]

The racing is blowing up big time - men’s bunch all over the place 

 

Cool to have a faster, open type day to watch