2009 presented by adidas
THE ROUTE All the profiles, all the info
WHO TO WATCH 12 teams you can’t afford to miss
GIVING BACK Meet the JAG AllStars
in association with
www.cape-epic.com
Contents 10
4
Editor’s note
7
Message from the Director and Founder
8
Sponsor teams
10
JAG Foundation and Challenge
21
Sporting stars turning sport to the good
30 21
The heroes Stage and race winners through the years Editor: Adèle Tait
24
Amabubesi Hall of Fame – riders with 3 or more Absa Cape Epics under the belt
30 38
Camp life
Contributors: Kati Csak, Michael Flinn, Neil Gardiner, Sara Harrop, Tanya Odendaal, Mário Roma, Victor Sables, Kevin Vermaak
There’s a whole life off the bike as well
Advertising Representatives: Attie de Nysschen, Marc Slabbert, Natalie Wood
Behind the scenes
Design: Leaping Frog – Alma Horn
The stats behind the logistics
41
24 13
An international perspective
A breakdown of each day’s stage – maps, profiles, descriptions, water points, cut-offs
50
from an overseas participant and journalist
16
The teams Who to watch
Layout: Andrew Steer, Dallas Cronwright
The route
Rules & regulations The riders’ responsibilities
54
Website map
Production Manager: Fenella Somerville Photos: Courtesy Absa Cape Epic, Sven Martin, Gary Perkin, Mário Roma, Karin Schermbrucker, Sportzpics, www.oakpics.com Produced by Ride magazine
Find your way around www.cape-epic.com
www.cape-epic.com
“They should...â€? don’t know how race organisers sometimes manage to keep a civil tongue when race participants offer their constructive criticism. These people are your paying customers, but that does not automatically mean they know a single thing about making the event better or more enjoyable for anybody. I tend to agree that every rider should help to organise at least one event per year, to give them the beneďŹ t of a little insight into the behind-the-scenes scramble that attends even a very modest race day. I have been a fan since the ďŹ rst edition of the event we now proudly hail as the Absa Cape Epic; consuming and adding to every public domain word written and said about it, attending information sessions and training camps, participating in the pre-rides, actually riding the race whenever possible and then talking about it for the other twelve months of the year. My ofďŹ ce walls are plastered with Absa Cape Epic number boards, and once when I was hoping to impress a man, I wore a certain shirt‌ After
I
Absa Cape Epic - heading in the right direction
all that, you’d really think I knew all there was to know about this event, but I have to say, working with the Grandstand Management team on the Ride Guide has been an eye-opener. After all these years, the scale of the race, and the attention to detail required to make it all happen still astonishes me. We should be so lucky as to have a thing such as the Absa Cape Epic! Adèle Tait Editor
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2009 RIDE GUIDE
Notice something different?
very rider, including the top professionals, wants to know, “Is 2009 harder?” and “Is it more technical?” or most obviously, “Why did you change it?” It’s no surprise that the most common question I get asked lately is about the new Absa Cape Epic race format. The answers are “maybe”, “yes”, and “do you want the long or the short story?” Well, the long story starts with a comment from our race doctor, Dr Basil Bonner, who has been part of the event since inception. Three weeks after the 2008 race he asked, “Why do we have to move every day?” This got us thinking. Adding fertiliser to that seed was a mountain biking day-trip to Grabouw with some mates. Realising that one day is not nearly enough to explore the region’s biking potential, we spoke to our course builder, Dr Evil, about making the most of the vast number of route possibilities available in the area. The brief, as always, was “enhance the rider experience”. Since then, the logistics arm of our organisation has worked tirelessly, as the new format has presented some challenges. Especially considering that this is the first time a competitive mountain bike race has ever been held on the slopes of Table Mountain. After months of hard graft, the all-new 2009 Absa Cape Epic is a now reality – a full evolution of the event. Firstly, thanks go to the crew who helped to make it happen, then to the sponsors who’ve supported us through this innovation. Also, I’d like to thank the stage towns that host us, and the landowners and national parks for granting us permission to pass through the beautiful countryside. And not least, thanks to the riders, especially to the ones who’ve been with us every year… With the new format, those who competed in the very first race will be doing their first Absa Cape Epic all over again!
E
Good luck to all. Kevin Vermaak Absa Cape Epic Race Founder
Diarise Now: Absa Cape Epic 20-27 March 2010
Sponsor Teams Team Absa at your side The Absa Cape Epic has developed a unique character and spirit, and is genuinely revered as one of the toughest mountain bike races in the world. It is an inspiration to participate in the race, to test one’s mental and physical endurance and to foster life-long relationships. The foundation of Team Absa is partnership and teamwork and the 15 teams, comprising a number of Absa staff members, customers and celebrities, will again test their mettle in this year’s race.Team Absa riders know they can depend on the team to urge each other on and to develop the mental toughness to conquer every stage of the race. A similar understanding can be expected from a true financial partner like Absa Corporate and Business Bank. May you have an outstanding race in 2009! Team Absa
adidas - ensuring that impossible is nothing
Nico Pfitzenmaier
Alison Sydor
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Thousands of athletes all over the world can be proud that they’ve pushed far beyond their limits – gone further, higher and faster than they ever thought possible. To every rider who’s ever completed the Absa Cape Epic, impossible is nothing. Good luck to those competing this year, especially to our representative teams: Local legends Hannele Steyn-Kotze & Fourie Kotze who have been there before and won; Gauteng-based Amabubesi members Martin Buck & Bonnie Swanepoel – part of an elite group who’ve never missed a race; Germans Markus Pielenz & Sandra Sumerauer who’ve been preparing for months in the cold to race on this tough and unforgiving terrain; Mr Africa, 2004 winner, Mannie Heymans & Namibian talent Marc Bassingthwaighte who will be vying for overall honours; and international biking superstars Alison Sydor & Nico Pfitzenmaier, each past winners of the Absa Cape Epic. We feel proud to be in such illustrious company and privileged to play a part in the dream of overcoming fears and obstacles.
2009 RIDE GUIDE
Toyota excited to lead the way once more in the Absa Cape Epic Table Mountain, one of South Africa’s famous natural landmarks will be the starting point of the arduous yet exciting 2009 Absa Cape Epic. Toyota South Africa is proud to be the official vehicle of this magnificent race once again. Toyota’s range of vehicles is perfectly suited to such outdoor activities. This year, Toyota will be entering four teams. Amabubesi riders Danie Smit and partner Kobie Pruis will be attempting their fourth consecutive Epic. Fellow Toyota employee, John Thomson, and partner Duncan Bowman are hoping for a rewarding race. “We are once again very proud to represent the company in this internationally acclaimed race and we are training hard preparing ourselves for the race,” said Thomson. Representing Toyota Advanced Driving is Travis Krause and partner Andrew King; while the company’s Senior Vice President responsible for Sales & Marketing, Andrew Kirby will take up the Epic challenge with his cousin, Kevin Kirby
for the first time. In addition to these entries, Toyota will be sponsoring a Development Team consisting of Ben Mwanje and a partner that is still to be confirmed. This team will receive a sponsorship amount of R100 from the company for every kilometre completed in the race (685km in total). The money raised will be ploughed back into the Toyota SuperCycling Academy powered by Team Barloworld’s Robert Hunter, to nurture up and coming development cyclists. Ben is especially proud to be working with Toyota on leading the way to help others into a brighter future.
MTN Energade - In support of Africa’s finest David George and Kevin Evans will participate for the second time as a team in the 2009 edition of the Absa Cape Epic. This pairing stood on the podium no less than three times during the 2008 event. After their prologue victory and a stage win which saw them test their highs and lows in the event, they finished in 3rd place overall and the first African team to stand on the Grand Podium. The goal for 2009 is to stand on the top step of the podium, come March 28th. They are better prepared after riding to top 10 and top 15 results in the Tour of Ireland 2008 and Tour of Britain in 2008, and Kevin also narrowly missed his dream of a top 10 finish in the 2008 World Marathon Championships ending in 14th place. With all that in their legs and refined preparation, 2009 could be the year that an African team takes charge. Jupiter Nameembo (Zambia) and Adrien Niyonshuti (Rwanda) are no strangers to the Absa Cape Epic, having completed the event in 2008, but on separate teams. Jupiter riding with his Team Zambia partner finished in 28th place overall, while Adrien with his Team Rwanda partner rode to an 18th place. In 2009 they will tackle this event together and with the guidance and mentorship of their team mates in the leading African team, they are a force to be reckoned with. With the support of MTN Energade and the dedicated coaching of Dr. Carol Austin of Activeworx we look forward to seeing them in the front group and challenging for a top 10 spot in this year’s event.
www.cape-epic.com
Not just ball sports, all sports Mark Fish, former Bafana Bafana player and Leeds United captain, recently went the full distance at the 2008 Cape Odyssey, raising funds in aid of the JAG Foundation. In an interview shortly after he’d crossed the line he said, “I’d like to issue a challenge to the other national sportsmen out there, get out of your comfort zones, come and finish an event like this and do it for a good cause.” His sense of humour still intact after this 5-day, 200km run, he named a few who he thought should do just that. ish talks the talk and walks it too. He signed up for the 2009 Absa Cape Epic and he inspired ex-Springboks Breyton Paulse and Marius Hurter, former Blue Bulls coach Mike Bayly and former SA rugby union fly-half and centre Braam van Straaten to join him. They’ll be tackling the technical 700km route with the help and experience of Owen Hannie of Supercycling and Linus van Onselen, the ageless mountain biking legend. Breyton Paulse is delighted to be involved with the programme, “The JAG Foundation does so much for communities, going out to the townships, meeting the kids and working with them. I’m doing so little compared to them.” Nevertheless, he acknowledges that he finds riding the Absa Cape Epic a scary prospect. They all have big shoes to fill – the 2008 Absa Cape Epic saw the considerably slimmed-down, 120kg ex-Springbok forward Robbie Kempson’s intrepid progress and eventual success. Many, including members of the media, had wagered on his early retirement from the race. Despite a physiology not particularly suited to an endurance event of this kind, his never-say-die attitude drove him to arrive each day before the official cut-off, having winched his enormous frame up some of the Cape’s toughest climbs. Afterwards, he commented, “This was far worse than Kamp Staaldraad!”
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Mark Fish - ready for action
A nervous Paulse is expecting to have a hard time of it, “It’s all new to me and I never thought it would be such a daunting task. I’ve been preparing for over three months now and have a new respect for these athletes. I’m confident that I’ve got a wonderful partner in Linus. His levels of physical and mental fitness are unbelievable for his age. I’m now watching what I eat, which I never thought I’d be doing again, so I’ve lost a few kilograms too. We did a one-day training race in Oak Valley and after 6 hours my body couldn’t go anymore but then the mind kicked in and we kept going.” All this, in the name of charity. Sport to the good The JAG Foundation is a non-profit organisation that aims to engage the public and raise awareness and funds for South Africa’s underprivileged youth through sport and education. The JAG AllStars Challenge was launched on 29 October 2008. Funds are raised for the Mighty Metres programme, where R200 enables one child to participate on the programme for one year. Launched in April 2007, the JAG Foundation has made a difference to over 30 000 children in this short space of time, using sport and education as weapons against drugs and crime. The JAG Foundation CEO and Olympic medallist, Elana Meyer outlines the cause, “The Foundation supports children using schools as the vehicles and sport as the fuel. The future of South Africa depends on nourishing our children, ensuring they are first and foremost protected from the harm of drugs and gangsterism; and secondly that they have access to the opportunities to be fit and healthy, to increase their self worth and to help them focus on their studies. Our mission at JAG is to give young people opportunities to develop pride in themselves, enhancing personal development and promoting leadership and peace.”
2009 RIDE GUIDE
Some big names in the biking world have supported the foundation. At last year’s Absa Cape Epic, the JAG Foundation teamed up with Christoph Sauser, current world cross-country mountain bike champion, and Burry Stander, the 2008 Under-23 UCI World Cup winner, in order to raise funds for building BMX track in Kayamandi, an informal settlement just outside Stellenbosch. Thanks to generous donations, the track is now complete and is used regularly by over 80 kids from the surrounding area. “We are delighted to have these sporting heroes take on this challenge on our behalf,” says Meyer. “Completing the Absa Cape Epic is a serious challenge,” she acknowledges. Mark Fish is optimistic. “While I might not be a born cyclist, I’ve always been passionate about sport, whether on the soccer pitch or on a bicycle. I’m not a natural runner so completing the Odyssey was a huge personal challenge for me. Completing the Epic, however, is a more difficult trial – I’m aware that the Epic is one of the world’s most punishing tests of endurance.” “Lining up at the start will be totally different from going out on the field and facing the All Blacks,” says Paulse. “At least in a test match I knew my opponents, I knew what to expect. I’d rather face an opponent I know. With the Epic, the scariest part is the unknown.” Official charity of the Absa Cape Epic
Breyton Paulse at the Absa training camp
www.cape-epic.com
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2009 RIDE GUIDE
The Absa Cape Epic... more than a race, it is a physical and spiritual experience! By international journalist Mário Roma
y first contact with the Cape Epic was in 2003 when my friend Sonja Güldner-Hamel sent me an email message about a stage race in Africa. Naturally the first thing that popped into my mind was ‘lions’ – never mind how I would pedal a distance of 900km with 16 000m of elevation gain through 12 micro-climates! I first participated in the race in 2005, and when I arrived in Knysna for the start, I was absolutely astonished to see athletes of so many nationalities, including some who are legends in mountain biking: Bart Brentjens, Christoph Sauser who was then the young, aspiring world champion and several others were mingling with the more ordinary riders as if it was the most natural thing to do. The organisation of the race impressed me immediately – they issued me with four magnetic chips! One looked like a watch, and gave me access to restricted areas like the cafeteria; another was inserted in a special pouch of the huge bag in which the race organisation would transport my clothes and supplements from destination to destination; a third was attached to the number board on my bike, so it could be accommodated in the overnight bike parks; and then there was the usual timing chip, which I wore on my ankle. Finally the day arrived, and we all lined up to start the race, with the voice of Mike Mike ringing in our ears. That is a voice that no one who has done the Cape Epic will ever forget! We were about to start an adrenalin- and emotion-filled 900km journey towards the wine farm at Spier on the outskirts of Stellenbosch. Relieved to finish the first stage, I was surprised to find a whole mini-city of little yellow tents, and all the other necessities including a bike wash, showers, hand basins, toilets, a cybercafé, a field hospital and more... all set up in the middle of an open field! Everything ran with military precision, as if we were knights on a two-wheeled crusade. One of the most incredible moments I have ever had on a bike came during the Cape Epic of 2005 when, following a hot and sweaty climb up the monstrous Groenlandberg, we suddenly found ourselves in bright sunshine, with a solid bank of clouds shrouding the landscape below. The sky was reflected in the clouds below and this moment was, without doubt, Epic. At one of those dinners where carbo-loading got a new meaning, thanks to the five star resort which prepared the meals, we received
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Mário hanging out with Christoph Sauser
the news that we would be crossing a Big Five reserve. Lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalo could be sharing the tracks with us in the Sanbona Wildlife Reserve in the heart of the Little Karoo. That night the foreigners did not sleep much... At the park entrance, we were greeted by game rangers armed with rifles, and several more were monitoring the animals from the road. Near a water hole, we were informed that lions had been seen just 250m away! For us, this was a day of mixed emotions, but certainly some fear. The standard of the organisation generally, and the good care taken of all the athletes was impressive. Members of the rescue team were posted at all the pressure points and every 30 minutes or so, we were passed by the quad bikers, looking out for problem areas, or ferrying medics, or photographers to record our antics. At the refreshment stations, volunteers did an amazing job of recharging us, and back in the camp each day, the support staff were only too ready to help wherever they could. Were we experiencing the MTB equivalent of the way riders at the Tour de France are treated? Another big adventure of that year’s Epic was when my partner crashed and snapped his rear skewer. Imagine being stuck in the middle of wildest Africa without a skewer! I decided to go ahead down the mountain to look for a solution, while my partner followed, carrying the bike. That was when I met Steve Thomas who organises the Daytrippers package, which allows people to ride as much as they want of the route, and then get into the support vehicle – without the shirt and the medal at the end, naturally. When I told Steve about our problem, he promptly took out his own skewer, and we lived to fight another day. We finished at Spier, with more than a thousand spectators, and the sound of local bands. Later there was an almighty after-party, with tables
the first thing that “popped into my mind was ‘lions’ – never mind how I would pedal a distance of 900km
”
www.cape-epic.com
groaning under plates of local delicacies. Everyone was impressed with these unique eight days of riding. The Absa Cape Epic is a competition run in pairs. Eventually your partner is an extension of yourself. If your partner suffers, you will also suffer. If one of you doesn’t make the cut-off, neither of you do. If one of the bikes break, neither of you can be classified as a “finisher”. The competition welds two individuals together for an eight-day marriage with one clear objective: to take your two tired bodies to the finish line together and complete this formidable quest! The world is so big and there are so many beautiful and astonishing things to experience that I don’t like to have the same stamp in my passport twice, but every rule has an exception, and something about the Cape Epic kept whispering “come back” in my ear, like a mermaid. So there I was, back in Knysna, come March 2007. The town was already bursting with 1 206 competitors from 43 countries. Every now and then you would look up and see someone really famous like Christoph Sauser, Karl Platt, Roel Paulissen, José Hermida, Ralph Naef or the world downhill champion, Greg Minnaar. Apparently we were also riding with a Race Across America Solo winner, an XTerra champion, and the South African time trial champion. Two years had gone by since my previous experience of the event, and media interest (which was already pretty intense the previous time) had grown even more. Ever larger numbers of mountain bikers from the elite level of the sport through to the enthusiasts now embraced the event. “Where to next for this event?” I thought to myself. I completed the registration process and received my “start kit” – that’s the moment you really feel part of the race, and experience that unique mixture of fear and excitement – there’s no going back at this point. The day ended with a big dinner in “Mario’s” Italian restaurant – 15 people from four different countries enjoyed a lot of pasta and a good South African red wine, followed by several toasts and wishes of good luck. This time I was competing in the 40+ “Masters” category with a professional athlete, and I got to see the Absa Cape Epic from a totally new perspective. The first change I noticed was in the colour of the tents, which were now red, in honour of the naming sponsor of the event. The number of
participants had increased and just imagine, what seemed perfect before had improved... At the second refreshment station of each stage, and at the end of each stage, the race organisation was offering mechanical support; allowing more people to finish the race. The spirit of the sport of mountain biking was still there though, and often you would see teams getting together to help each other. This time we saw Thomas Frishknecht pulling off the trail to take photographs of the pelotons and the surroundings, and José Hermida joking around. It was astonishing to see these idols of the MTB world whom we normally only see on the World Cup circuit, playing around like children having fun at a local MTB competition. This really is something completely unique to the Absa Cape Epic. There were also improvements in the hospitality areas, besides the fruit, cold coke, and different flavours of energy drinks, the chill zones in the overnight camps were more welcoming, with an assortment of refreshments and bean bags that were surprisingly hard to leave once you had settled in. On one of the days during my 2007 ride, I found myself next to the charismatic Christoph Sauser, by then just riding his bike for fun, as he had lost his team mate and retired from the race. Nowhere else in the world could an ordinary mortal hope to spend time riding with a cyclist of that level, and it was very amusing to watch the faces of the other riders, who were wondering, “how could he be here?” and “is it really him?” Every time he greeted someone, it was like an injection of vitality! I will never forget the last two stages of the Cape Epic in 2007. For the sixth time the horn woke us up at 5:00 a.m. and we walked, mechanically, to get our morning coffee, which was more and more difficult to swallow every day. Then we went back to the tent to get our bags and put on our shammy cream. You could actually smell it in the air and this is a smell that we will always associate with the Absa Cape Epic. Each day these routines were getting slower and slower. The seventh day would take us to Kleinmond. After lots of pedal strokes, we arrived at the coast, with a deep blue sea fringed by the white foam of the waves rolling towards the beach. At the finish line it felt as if we had been given the golden key! We spent the afternoon relaxing at a table
To see the view was “ awesome – that is what heaven should look like. ”
David Labuschagne – Amabubesi
Groenlandberg Conservancy
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2009 RIDE GUIDE
facing the sea, waiting in a beautiful setting for our friends to finish, and Christoph Sauser joined us for a beer to celebrate. That was a classic MTB day. That night, dinner was already something of a party. We were just a few hours away from our last day and the pub was full of toasts. The last stage to Lourensford was 80km with “only” 1 565m of elevation gain promised. We started at 8 o’clock expecting a quick, easy stage but Dr. Evil (the name we gave to Leon Evans, the course designer) didn’t make our lives easy. Between two big climbs there was an even more exhausting compulsory portage section on the historic Gamtoe wagon trail, but eventually we popped out on a track in a pine forest and then we were on the field where there were thousands of people waiting for us to cross the finish line for the last time. I took the Brazilian flag – which had been my companion on several challenges – out of my back pocket, raised it up and let the emotion take me to the line, having completed my two ascents of Everest, which is what the accumulated climbing at the Absa Cape Epic amounts to. My Absa Cape Epic for 2007 was over, but every time I think about the places we visited and the people I met, I still have that feeling of “mission accomplished” and the reminder that astonishing things can be accomplished with some dedication and willpower. My account of the wonders of the Absa Cape Epic would not be complete without a mention of Kevin Vermaak, the Race Founder, who had a dream about a race across South Africa, and made it a reality. In my opinion, it is disappointing that more was not made of this in the book about the event, launched in 2008. The book is after all called “Guts and Glory”! I have always been impressed by how calm Kevin Vermaak is, and the way in which he is always available to speak to anyone during
the event, in the middle of that tsunami of adrenaline. Kevin is someone who not only changed mountain biking in South Africa but also took our favourite sport to a whole other level internationally – it is now seen on television all over the world and has attracted powerful new sponsors like Absa and adidas. Kevin is supported by a strong team, that works long hours, days and months to ensure that our race is presented with absolute professionalism. The Absa Cape Epic is a place of legends, fascinating places, and incredible situations. If you will listen, there are endless stories that the riders could tell you, but ultimately you have to try the Absa Cape Epic to believe it. Imagine soon I will be lining up for my third Absa Cape Epic!!
Sanbona, a big five Nature Reserve
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www.cape-epic.com
Who to watch... Look at the podium photographs at any world-class mountain bike race, and you’re sure to see at least one of the faces below. Only three mountain bikers have ever been awarded a gold medal at the Olympic Games, and two of those riders will be on the start line in Cape Town in 2009. With half a dozen Olympic medallists, even more former world champions, numerous World Cup winners and an impressive haul of national titleholders present, you only have to watch one mountain bike race this year to see 12 of the world’s most decorated teams in action. Here’s who we think is worth watching, and why.
BULLS KARL PLATT GERMANY
STEFAN SAHM GERMANY There is no team in the world more compatible and race-proven than the Platt - Sahm ensemble. With multiple victories in the Trans Alps and Trans Germany this pair personifies athletic esprit de corps. They’re the 2007 Absa Cape Epic winners, placed second in 2008 and are always hungry for more.
MTN ENERGADE KEVIN EVANS SOUTH AFRICA
DAVID GEORGE SOUTH AFRICA Many were amazed at their exceptional overall 3rd spot in 2008 - the best placed South African riders in a formidable field. A bad day on Stage 1 left them wondering what could’ve been, but every day thereafter, they were at the head of the peloton, no matter how sharp the racing became. This team provides South African fans with real hope for a local overall victory.
Start of Stage 4, 2008 - Langenhoven High School
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2009 RIDE GUIDE
MULTIVAN MERIDA JOCHEN Käß GERMANY
HANNES GENZE GERMANY Riding new bikes and wearing different shirts this year, they’ll be hoping to put behind them the disappointment of missing the podium by one spot and a handful of minutes in 2008. This year, revenge is on their minds. Expect a stage win or two from the German duo.
songo.Info CHRISTOPH SAUSER SWITZERLAND
BURRY STANDER SOUTH AFRICA Sauser is the current World Cross-Country champion, a former World Marathon champion, an Olympic medallist, winner of the 2006 Absa Cape Epic and an Amabubesi member. Stander is the Under 23 UCI World Cup winner. In 2008 they went from victory in Stage 1 to abandonment on Stage 3. A blend of racing pedigree and concentrated raw talent.
TREK-BRENTJENS
DCM CHROME
BART BRENTJENS
BRANDON STEWART
THE NETHERLANDS
SOUTH AFRICA
CHRIS JONGEWAARD
MAX KNOX
AUSTRALIA
SOUTH AFRICA
Double Olympic medalist, gold (1996) and bronze (2004), Bart Brentjens has won it all, earning his place in the MTB Hall of Fame. This year he’s 40 but no less likely to snatch a stage win from riders half his age. He’s been known to ride the legs off his partners, of which he’s had three. Perhaps in the tough Australian national champ, Chris Jongewaard, he’s met his match.
MOT-Show Curage! by Hoydahl
Stewart tasted victory in 2006 when he won a stage. Last year together with young Max Knox, they came close again after a long breakaway with the more seasoned Kessiakoff and De Bertolis. With their neversay-die bravery and strong team rapport, the locals would be delighted to see this pair cross the line with their arms aloft.
Stoeckli-Craft
Kristian Torgersen
Thomas Zahnd
NORWAY
SWITZERLAND
Martin Bratland
Urs Huber
NORWAY
SWITZERLAND
During the carnage of Stage 1 in 2008, with attacks coming from all directions, these Norwegians kept calm, picked up the pieces and took 3rd place. They never repeated the feat, but with better preparation for this year, these world-class marathoners will be on every contender’s radar.
Thomas Zahnd and Sandro Spaeth won the final stage of the 2007 race in a furious sprint finish against the world’s best. This year Thomas rides with Urs Huber, who last year stood on the 3rd step of the podium at the World Marathon Championships. They’re an unknown quantity as a team but with plenty of potential firepower. Don’t be surprised to see a stage win from these two.
www.cape-epic.com
MULTIVAN MERIDA
FELT INTERNATIONAL
José Hermida
Miguel Martinez
SPAIN
FRANCE
Moritz Milatz
Kashi Leuchs
GERMANY
NEW ZEALAND
Milatz could not ask for a better teammate than José Hermida! The 2004 Olympic silver medallist wins friends with his happy go lucky manner, scares rivals with his fierce competitiveness, and impresses fans with his technical virtuosity. Milatz is a former German cross-country champion. They’ll be putting serious pressure on the others on their way to early season fitness.
TREK WORLD CUP TEAM
BULLS
Lukas Flückiger
Tim Boehme
SWITZERLAND
GERMANY
Mathias Flückiger
Thomas Dietsch
SWITZERLAND
FRANCE
These brothers represent a bright Swiss future for offroad racing. Lukas recently stood on the podium at the national cyclocross championships and Mathias placed 3rd in the World Under 23 Cross-Country Championships. Blood being thicker than water, there’s no question about their bond as a team. Time will tell if it’s strong enough for the rigours of an eight-day stage race.
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Martinez is one of two Olympic gold medallists racing here, so just to see him in action will be a treat for the crowds. He’s on a comeback trail, using this event to relaunch a stalling career to its former glory. Leuchs is no stranger to the Absa Cape Epic, having reached the podium in 2007’s stage into Montagu. If we had to pick a dark horse, this would be it.
Boehme has ridden this race before, so he is fully aware of the demands. Dietsch was ranked 1st in the UCI World Cup marathon points standings in 2008 and was a bronze medallist in the 2007 World Marathon Championships, as well as being the French national marathon champion. Both are top bikers in their own right, so let’s see if they can be good together.
enjoy the Epic .... in comfort
www.cape-epic.com
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2009 RIDE GUIDE
The Heroes What kind of expressions would you have expected to see on the faces of Kevin Evans and David George as they crossed the line in Hermanus, winning the 6th stage of the Absa Cape Epic in 2008… Joy? Yes there was a little of that. The strain of seven days of flatout racing? Maybe that too. But that was just on the surface. Underneath, deep below the sweat, blood and grime; there was relief! heir plans began 5 months earlier. The preparation was meticulous and left nothing to chance. They planned everything! “Firstly, I knew that to compete at a world-class level like at the Epic, I had to lose weight, a lot of it,” Evans explains. “I weighed my food, and restricted my daily intake so that there would be a small deficit every day. Just enough to lose the weight slowly, in time for the race. A crash diet would have affected my training.” George’s already-regimented training philosophies were stepped up further. “We were measuring our power to weight ratios regularly, so by race week we knew exactly what we were capable of,” says George. During the final two months of fine-tuning, they lived in each other’s pockets. Obviously they trained together, but even when they were apart, they’d be on the phone up to four times a day, debating even the tiniest decisions about wheels, tyres, bike setup, interval training and almost always, nutrition. As they crossed the line ahead of the world’s best, it was a moment in time when every plan converged. A moment that silenced those who doubted that a South African team could win against a field of world and Olympic champions. Relief! “I don’t have the words to crystallise the feelings that you have when you go over that line in front,” says Shan Wilson, a multiple stage winner. “On stage 5 in 2006, after we’d been out there alone for 110km, it finally happened; a win.” Karl Platt has claimed more stages of the race than any other rider, and you’d think he might be blasé about winning, but he’s not. “Its a great feeling, because you know that after all the work and pain in the cold, hard winter in Germany, you get the payslip! The reward is knowing that you are one of the best mountain bikers in the world.” Reigning world cross-country champion Christoph Sauser, like any great winner, knows a lot about losing too. “It is devastating when it is not going well, and I see the others celebrating.” With bad luck in 2007 and 2008, Sauser will pair up with songo.info teammate Burry Stander again. Before Stander had to retire with knee trouble, they won Stage 1 in 2008. It was a victory Sauser describes as his most treasured ever. Even the supremely dominant duo of Alison Sydor and Pia Sundstedt in 2008 left nothing to chance. Nothing was allowed to stand in the way of another stage victory. “When we were in the leader’s jerseys we were a bit nervous and taped a few spare bike parts to our frames, just in case,” Sydor intimates.
T
A win in Hermanus for George and Evans
As the race has matured and continued to attract more and more international stars, the chances of a stage win for any young hopeful has faded. Even for mountain biking legend Bart Brentjens, who has won all there is to win in the sport, the level of competition is daunting. “A few years ago in 2005 we won 7 stages, but in 2008 it was a great victory for me to win just one stage. Because of the level of the riders it’s not that easy any more to win a stage.” Those are weighty words from the great man. Sauser and Stander showed early promise
www.cape-epic.com
David George. Team MTN Energade. SA Olympic Team.
Kevin Evans. Team MTN Energade. SA National MTB Champion.
Now we’re kicking into gear. Being the communications partner of the ABSA Cape Epic, we know one thing about finishing lines. They are never on the same side of the mountain as you. Good luck!
TJDR/METROREP/34266
What separates the adidas Amabubesi from the boys? Eric* watches his ailing partner as he climbs the 7km hill out of the valley. After an earlier crash on the rutted switchback Peter’s* morale is low and his confidence even lower. His ribs hurt, his wrist doesn’t feel right, he’s tweaked his knee again and with a bent derailleur, his lowest climbing gears are inaccessible. Blood seeps through his team shirt, mixing with the red Karoo dust. And it’s only day three of the Absa Cape Epic.
The “epic” part is in your “head...80% of this race is in your grey matter ” Koos Basson - Amabubesi five-time finisher
eter’s had a bad stomach today, which has caused the team to slip out of the top 250 – a dream they’d been chasing since those big mile sessions in October. Halfway up the climb Peter’s concentration wanders. There’s a scrape of metal, a touch of wheels and suddenly they’re both rolling on the ground. A few seconds later they’re back on, but Eric’s heart sinks. Peter’s snapped derailleur now dangles from the shifter wire. Eric does a quick calculation in his head, working backwards from the 5.00p.m. cut-off. They have 45km to ride in just over 4 hours. The neutral tech zone is 15km from the bottom of the descent. He glances back, knowing the sweep vehicle is only about half an hour behind. Decision time. The critical moment. The instant that separates the survivors from the casualties, the success stories from the statistics, the Amabubesi from the boys. The Absa Cape Epic doesn’t offer challenges; it hurls them like a medieval catapult. The routes are physically demanding, with over 600km of riding and more than 14 000m of climbing. There’s inevitable bad luck – injuries, crashes and mechanicals. Then there’s the mental part – the way in which the riders deal with all of this, or rather, don’t deal with it. In hours like these, sometimes even days, it would be so easy to throw in the towel, with all the best reasons in the world (like self-preservation). In Zulu, Amabubesi means “pack of lions”. Appropriate, considering the difficulty of finishing just one Absa Cape Epic – Amabubesi is the elite club of riders who have completed three or more Absa Cape Epics. Some have finished all five and are aiming for a sixth. Amabubesi members are presented with a special certificate to honour their achievement and they all receive a special participant’s shirt. Only Amabubesi members may wear custom design Amabubesi clothing. They get treated like kings too – there is an exclusive dinner in Cape Town for all the members of this select club before the race commences. Eric and Peter’s grit meant they did live to fight another day. However Peter also vowed, “Never again.” We’re sure we’ll see them again soon.
P
*Names have been changed to protect the innocent, and exact factual details may have hazed over with time and adrenaline, but the principle remains, this is one tough bunch.
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2009 RIDE GUIDE
adidas AMABUBESI MEMBERS IN 2009 EVENT
Name: Bonnie Swanepoel Age: 43 Height: 153cm Weight: 53kg
photo: Terry Spinman
Meet two adidas Amabubesi members. Each with very different ambitions but both kindred affiliates of this elite bunch.
NAME
COUNTRY #
Koos Basson
South Africa 5
Brett Olsen
South Africa 4
Craig Beech
South Africa 5
Wayne Rebello
South Africa 4
Aidan de Lange
Namibia
Albert Retief
South Africa 4
Kevin Evans
South Africa 5
Peter Roux
South Africa 4
5
M.C. Franken
South Africa 5
William Simpson
South Africa 4
Occupation: Personal trainer
John Gale
South Africa 5
Anton Smal
South Africa 4
Lives in: Northcliff, Johannesburg
Mark Kapnoudhis
South Africa 5
Francois Strauss
South Africa 4
Weather there is: Warm and at
Mike Nixon
South Africa 5
Sakkie van Wyk
South Africa 4
4pm it pours
Russell Nugent
South Africa 5
Ennis Venter
South Africa 4
Training: 14 hours a week with Pilates, training camps in Sabie and Dullstroom
Karl Platt
Germany
Jeffrey Whiteley
South Africa 4
Preferred partner: Martin Buck
Henco Rademeyer
South Africa 5
Jeff Wilcocks
South Africa 4
Strengths: Climbing
Bruce Reyneke
South Africa 5
Greg Anderson
South Africa 3
Weaknesses: Descending
Dirk Rossignol
Belgium
5
Fienie Barnard
South Africa 3
Bike: Specialized Epic
Geddan Ruddock
South Africa 5
Kobus Barnard
South Africa 3
Tyres: Specialized
Karl Schubert
South Africa 5
Marc Bassingthwaighte Namibia
Sleeping: I love the tent experience
Mike Sherman
South Africa 5
Johan Bezuidenhout
Ambitions this year: Always to enjoy it
Brandon Stewart
South Africa 5
Pea Blaauw
South Africa 3
Race nutrition good: Real food, peanut butter sandwiches and baby potatoes
Gerrie Steyn
South Africa 5
Bart Brentjens
Netherlands 3
Race nutrition bad: Too much energy drink or gel
Hannele Steyn-Kotze
South Africa 5
Doug Brown
South Africa 3
Useful items in my saddlebag: I never skimp, the whole toolbox
Bonnie Swanepoel
South Africa 5
Wayne Collin
South Africa 3
Picture in my wallet: 15-year-old daughter
Melt Swanepoel
South Africa 5
Francois Ebersohn
South Africa 3
iPod playlist: My daughter always chooses
Hendrik van Huyssteen South Africa 5
Frits Eloff
South Africa 3
Best tip for rookies: Recovery is as important as training, do Pilates or yoga,
Ben van Niekerk
Roan Exelby
South Africa 3
and get a massage every 2 weeks
5
South Africa 5
3
South Africa 3
Tjaart v Nieuwenhuizen South Africa 5
Gustavo Garcia
South Africa 3
Shan Wilson
South Africa 5
Roberto Gnudi
South Africa 3
Name: Kevin Evans
James Arthur
South Africa 4
Greg Goodwin
South Africa 3
Age: 30
Cecil Baker
South Africa 4
Chris Grinton
South Africa 3
Height: 171cm
Joyce Benade
South Africa 4
Mark Haarhoff
South Africa 3
Weight: 62kg
Mike Biesheuvel
South Africa 4
Temlett Hockey
South Africa 3
Occupation: Pro cyclist and
Henning Blaauw
South Africa 4
Reginald Jager
South Africa 3
Riaan Boshoff
South Africa 4
Jaco Kamfer
South Africa 3
Lives in: Knysna
Martin Buck
South Africa 4
Simon Lamond
South Africa 3
Weather there is: Raining right now
Andrew Johan Cillie
South Africa 4
Lieb Loots
South Africa 3
Training: 800km a week
Tony Conlon
South Africa 4
Clinton Mackintosh
South Africa 3
Partner: David George
Alan Cotton
South Africa 4
Riaan Meintjes
South Africa 3
Ridden together: 1 x Absa Cape Epic races
Yolandè De Villiers
South Africa 4
Greeff Moolman
South Africa 3
Strengths: Pressure, climbs
Marcel Deacon
South Africa 4
Nicholas Mulder
South Africa 3
Weaknesses: Scary descents
Stephen Drew
South Africa 4
Neels Nel
South Africa 3
Bike: Either Raleigh Team Hardtail or Raleigh dual suspension prototype
Louis du Toit
South Africa 4
Cedric Peens
South Africa 3
Tyres: Maxxis
Neil Frazer
South Africa 4
David Pienaar
South Africa 3
Drives: Toyota Fortuner
Cedric Jakobsen
South Africa 4
Koos Pieterse
South Africa 3
Ambitions this year: Overall win
Mark Jason
South Africa 4
Petr Samanek
South Africa 3
Race nutrition good: Energade and wholesome food like potatoes
Paul Keet
South Africa 4
Christoph Sauser
Switzerland 3
bike shop owner
and sandwiches
Fourie Kotze
South Africa 4
Sander Silvis
South Africa 3
Race nutrition bad: Not eating enough
David Labuschagne
South Africa 4
Daniel Smit
South Africa 3
Useful items in my saddlebag: Elastic band
Johan Labuschagne
South Africa 4
Linus van Onselen
South Africa 3
Picture in my wallet: Wife
Pieter Lategan
South Africa 4
Malan van Rensburg
South Africa 3
iPod playlist: The hard drive died the other day, so nothing
Patrick Leary
South Africa 4
Marc Wiederkehr
South Africa 3
Best tip for rookies: Eat lots, but little bits all the time. Lots of chamois
Hendrik Lemmer
South Africa 4
Glenn Williams
South Africa 3
Corrie Muller
South Africa 4
cream (for your butt, not stomach)
www.cape-epic.com
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26
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2009 RIDE GUIDE
Three arms, big hearts car accident 28 years ago left Graham Diesel an above elbow amputee, but he does not exactly think of himself as disabled. The officials at Cycling South Africa learned this when they received lawyer’s letters on behalf of the feisty southern Jo’burg resident after they refused him entry to the South African National Road Championships. There was some concern that a one-armed man could pose a danger in the peloton. Diesel’s campaign to prove his mettle against the able bodied athletes in the road race for the 55-59 age category culminated in a South African National Champion’s jersey for him in 2006, and actually the issue of his performance in the bunch never came up, because he rode away from the contenders at the start of the race, and they never managed to catch him. “Diesel is armless…” was the caption he proposed to one editor reporting on his victory! Other challenges notched on Diesel’s handlebars include participation at the World Track Championships, where he represented South Africa, also in the 55-59 year age category, against able-bodied athletes.
A
What’s next? Dave Mitchell is best known as a member of the formidable Di-Data Veterans squad. He has completed an Absa Cape Epic, but he has unfinished business with this race, because it was without his team mate. When he discovered that Diesel had borrowed a mountain bike, and was keen to ride it, he was quite intrigued. They had spent many hours together on the road, so Dave knew Graham’s abilities as a cyclist, even if his potential as a mountain biker was in serious doubt at this stage. Could this be a Cape Epic partner? Riders of the Walkerville Classic were not surprised to see Diesel walking on the first rocky downhill of his first major race, but by the time the pair appeared at a two-day adventure in the Kalahari, it was clear that he was finding his sand legs, and could negotiate rocks better than most. A brand new Merida hardtail with some modifications (no front brake, gear shifts on top of the bar on the left, and chainring shifts below) appeared for Diesel’s ride at the 2008 Tour de Kruger, and when that was over, bike and owner had been well and truly christened. Apparently the souplesse and bike control developed in track cycling is very useful when you are trying to steer through rough terrain, using only one hand, even if there are misgivings about remounting on rough descents! Graham Diesel and Dave Mitchell are committed to the 2009 edition of the Absa Cape Epic as Team Three Armed. Their progress to date has already been inspirational, and the Biogen brand of nutritional supplements is proud to be associated with this pair.
www.cape-epic.com
Camp Life at the Absa Cape Epic - Adèle Tait o, I’m off again this year to sleep with a thousand men on a rugby field in the Western Cape! If I mention the calendar slot (late March), you will know why I have no trouble mentioning this in public… I am referring of-course to the Absa Cape Epic, and the campsites erected for the participants as the race winds its way around the Cape countryside. Over the years I have collected a couple of medals and shirts only available to race finishers, declined a blue number board, wept behind the race office and worked in the tech zone, but you’ll have to ask someone else if you want to know about the cushy options, because I have always stayed in the camp, and slept in a tent. As far as I’m concerned there may as well be a sleeve missing from your finisher’s shirt if you don’t stay in the camp. You don’t have the full experience. Assuming you make it through Day 1 (don’t mock, even just making it to the start line of this event is worth a year of race medals), you will have no trouble appreciating the camp. Suddenly there is no sweeter sight than the Absa, adidas, Toyota, MTN and Energade branding of the start/finish, and no sweeter sound than the voice of Mike Mike, or whoever drew the short straw and has to spend all the hours after the race winners came in treating every other finisher as if they have just won the race, until eventually it is time to console those who did not make the cut-off.
S
Bredasdorp, pre-dawn 2006
you need to get out more
No rest yet
In some of the host towns, there is lovely local food on sale around the finish line. Very few of these items will be diet-approved but when you lose your appetite after a couple of days (yes, it even happens to champion eaters like me) you’ll be glad to have the option. I also enjoy some contact with the local people, and any opportunity to hear how they see the race and the participants. Unless you make an effort to mingle with the locals, you could spend your entire journey in the cocoon created by the Absa Cape Epic. That’s a tremendous compliment to the organisation, and the volunteers and service providers at the event who work to a 24 hour clock to achieve this level of service, but even then I think it is a bit of a sad life… Make an effort to get out a bit, you can only really appreciate the scope of the event and what it actually means to be part of the biggest full-service MTB stage race in the world if you see it from outside.
The first time I saw the Absa Cape Epic tent village, I thought I was hallucinating. It was huge! You don’t have all afternoon to stumble about, so you need to look out for the signboards. Don’t bother with them all. Right now, all you need to know is where the baggage truck is. Actually, scrap that. If you plan to ride again the following day, first order of business should be to dive through the window of glycogen-replenishment, before it closes… I tend to head straight for the chill-zone; a big tent with a bar, sport on the telly, and other normal things, like seats that don’t belong on bicycles. Some riders can’t resist a nice cold, bitter beer after all the sweet energy products, but I carry a zip-loc packet of protein powder, which I get the barman to add to a smoothie. One year the man who made the smoothies had the most fantastic arms, and I must confess, the promise of that smoothie got me to the finish line a couple of times… If you are camping, you can’t afford to hang out in the chill zone. By now you are not just several hours behind the leaders on the race clock, you are also behind on getting your bike sorted out, choosing a tent in a favourable spot, and having a shower. Actually the fast boys have already had a sleep and a massage too, and soon you will come to understand that the racing is far from done when you get off the bike. If you are to enjoy your riding, you need to be pretty organised about the post-ride routine too. As soon as you have had something to eat, you need to get to the baggage truck to collect your race bag, and then you need to get to the tent village as fast as your legs will carry you. Take money for a tip – the local school children provide a porter service and their fresh legs can carry that bag much faster than you can. By Day 6 you will not
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2009 RIDE GUIDE
Our fastest mountain bike ever. 21lbs. 100mm. Coming to a World Cup near you.
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2009 RIDE GUIDE
to shrink down to a few essential pellets of horror, beauty, nearly-lost-it and exhilaration. Do yourself a favour, and visit the online store on the Absa Cape Epic website, where you can buy DVDs and photographs of your Absa Cape Epic as well as the book, “Guts and Glory”. Right after the event you might not see the value of this, but even a few weeks later, you will get hours of pleasure from them.
Camping 101 With any luck, you now have a couple of hours to kill before dinner, which is at six. Scan the horizon for the biggest marquee, so you know where to go, and don’t leave your tent without your race pass – which allows you passage in and out of the race village and the dining hall. You may have noticed that I have hardly uttered the b-word up to now. On a bad day, getting your bicycle clean and working well enough to tackle another be able to keep up with them, even if they are not struggling to breathe, stage can consume every ounce of your energy and every cent in your due to odours from the cycling kit of the previous days, maturing in the wallet. I am all for experiencing every moment of your Absa Cape Epic, murky recesses of your bag! but I draw the line at sorting out my own bicycle, since my wrenching skills invariably leave me with skinned knuckles and a half-done job. Bless this house Although there are bike shops and mechanics in the camp, they someThe tents are identical, but as with all real estate, position is critical. You times have their hands full with the technical problems encountered by unsupported riders along the way, and they want to be close to the dining marquee, but far work on a first-come, first-served basis. I will away from the toilets, which see all-night doornever forget the rows upon rows of bicycles banging use. You also want to be far away from lined up outside their gazebo when it rained anything to do with the mechanics and the tech most of the first day in 2006. At that stage zone, since they are up all night trying to get all the bikes ready for the following day, and that can’t there was no technical support available at the happen without thumping generators, suspect second water point, and the finish line was a music, and quite a lot of animated, coffee induced scene of total carnage. communication between them and their anxious My bike shop offers a contract that includes transport to and from the race, and daily cleanclients. There is even a race to sleep enough at ing and service if anything in particular needs this event, and if you need to toss and turn for a few hours in your sleeping bag before you nod off, attention. All the tools and spares are their you will have lost still more time to the leaders. worry, and I have never had to query a postevent bill. These are the same people who If you are anything like me, you will also have to make a conscious effort to note the exact position maintain my bike all year, so by the time we of your tent, as the towel over your neighbour’s Bruce Cockburn get to the race, the mechanics know all about porch may not be there when you stumble back - Amabubesi her quirks and mine, and I generally need to do little more than hand it over at the finish in the dark. In Barrydale I once had to sleep on the floor of the baggage tent without my sleeping bag after losing my and then saunter into Tweedekamp (the camp for the race supporters) later to collect my bike. sense of direction on the way back from the toilets!
So there you are “standing in the bum
queue at the medics, thinking you are really sore… and then you see the state of the guy next to you!
”
How was your day?
How the other half lives
Eventually you will learn to pack your race bag in such a manner that you can toss the (minimum 20kg) bag into the tent with one hand, while spreading your shoes, helmet, gloves and hydration pack to dry in the sun, and retrieving your quick-drying towel, toiletries and change of clothing with the other. From a hygiene point of view, the showers are obviously a necessity, but a whole lot more goes on there. You will soon learn that part of the reason why you need to train really hard for the Absa Cape Epic is to have the stamina to make witty conversation about the events of the day and your misgivings over those to come, while navigating your way around the camp. The social misfits wait their turn at the shower, basins, water, food, massage, bike park etc. in grumpy silence, while those laughing and talking their way through these situations have a chance to commit all those little arbitrary incidents they might otherwise forget to memory. Once your race is over, it is often these moments of camaraderie with the other riders that you will remember... the riding seems
The saunter to Tweedekamp takes a while, because you often need to pass the portion of the camp site set aside for the camper vans. If you can afford to hire a camper for the race, you eliminate the need to carry your entire life in your race bag, and the need to organise that bag by the light of a head lamp. All your possessions stay in the camper, and you have electric light! Unless you are comfortable enough in your own skin to anoint yourself in full public view in the aisles between the tents, a camper will also afford you the opportunity to stand up while you apply shammy cream to your backside... This option has clear advantages, but I must admit I eventually suffer from social fatigue, and I come to really enjoy those few hours I can spend completely alone in my little tent, race bag wedged between door and mattress, shoes, helmet, gloves and camelbak inside the bell (they will be ice cold and sopping wet if you leave them outside next to your bottles or the bladder for your hydration pack overnight!) Riders who go for the Premium package stay in hotels
www.cape-epic.com
and B&Bs and don’t even have to lift a finger to mix a drink, as there are dedicated masseurs and hosts cum soigneurs to do everything for them and drive them about in their Toyota vehicles. I guess these chaps are so well rested we don’t even see them in the start chutes, as they are up ahead, just behind the boys in the UCI race. Tweedekamp itself is an experience. No tents are supplied here, and the result is a colourful melange, mainly consisting of mechanics and product supporters plying their trade from makeshift shelters. Their day only begins when ours is effectively over, and just as our riding experience is extreme and intense, some of the things they are required to fix are beyond belief. I find it very difficult to understand how students can choose to spend their entire college holiday here, covered in grease, but some of them can’t understand how we still want to ride a bike when it is all over! Here too there is an element of camaraderie, as guys who will happily cut another’s throats for the rest of the year pore over mystery creaks and rummage around in the back of their vans looking for that obscure part of a part of a part that could solve someone’s problem.
Enhancing the rider experience Thank the volunteers Like the people, the bikes have a secure, purpose-built place to sleep overnight. Anyone can put a bike in the bike park, but only the person matching the number plate can take it out. The poor volunteers who have to assemble and disassemble the structures and police the gate have a hell of a job explaining that to race partners. You can sort-of see both sides of the story... How would a man who has asked you to have a look at his bum (so he can decide whether he has an actual saddle sore) not trust you with his bike? But then again, hell hath no fury like a cyclist who
34
can’t find his bike when it is time to go, even if his partner is holding it in the start chute at the other end of the compound, as agreed. A day in the life of a volunteer is no picnic... These people are rewarded with a guaranteed entry for the following year’s race, and they earn every kilometre of it! They have to be up and ready with a smile for the riders who insist on dropping their bags or fetching their bikes just minutes after the camp siren has sounded and when the last rider has gone, those who are not out in the heat and the cold on the course serving us drinks and fruit at the refreshment points need to disassemble the whole camp for the move to the next stage location. When you actually count the man-hours and kilojoules expended in the daily trek, it is obvious that
2009 RIDE GUIDE
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only blind dedication to the idea of a never-to-be repeated experience for the cyclists dictated the old format. If the new plan for race routes to clover-leaf around fewer destinations works out, the camp builders will be some of the happiest people on earth.
body and soul repair shop The massage facilities offered through the race organisation give riders an option of six half-hour sessions, or individual sessions arranged whenever there is a gap in the diary. This service is offered by the senior physiotherapy students from Stellenbosch University, and it can be an absolute life saver. Please remember to tip them, we don’t want them to choose waitressing for their next vac job, because it pays better! The massage service is generally located right next to the race hospital, and it is my fervent wish that you never need their services. Obviously the medics are trained and prepared to deal with every kind of medical problem, but this race has a pre-event medical screening system that is a world benchmark, and eventually half of everything they treat is saddle sores! After many years of riding, without so much as a pimple, I required their help during one of my Epics, and although I will spare you the details of the treatment protocol, I can deďŹ nitely vouch for its effectiveness. My hiny was healed before I got home, and I did not stop riding, or stand all the way! Some people enjoy reading or communicating with their family and friends back home, but I tend to succeed in little more than scaring them and myself, so I try to avoid contact until I have the perspective of hindsight. For relaxation, I think a snooze on a patch of sunny lawn is better than a bed in a ďŹ ve star hotel, but I never seem to get around to it, before it is time to pass via the chill zone on the way to dinner. After the ďŹ rst few anxious sleepless nights at the ďŹ rst Cape Epic, I still religiously follow the instructions of my partner on that occasion, who believed sleep was more important than cutting edge race nutrition at this event. Half a beer does it for me, and I never struggle to ďŹ nd someone who will drink the other half! On my way to the dining tent, I
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usually pass by the Polar gazebo to download the efforts of my day, which are then forwarded to my email address. After a particularly muddy day, they encourage us to use the toothbrush and basin provided to clean the worst mud out of the recesses of our instruments, and if you offer to help and do it yourself, you can get your fingernails clean too. Every dinner at the Absa Cape Epic is a big social occasion for the local communities, who provide home-grown entertainment and a speech by the mayor. Some days the riders really struggle through these formalities, as they are interested in eating and nothing else. Other days there is a shake-up among the race leaders, and then we are more interested in the photographs of the day and the ceremony at which stage and category winners are rewarded. To avoid a mad rush before the 7 a.m. start the following morning, there are still more chores to be taken care of before bed time, which seems to be around 9 p.m. for most people in the camp. After that you don’t hear much talking in the dormitory tent village, although life goes on for the night owls in the chill zone and particularly in the tech zone. Many of the tents are still lit up by head lamps, and you can see silhouetted inhabitants sitting on their beds, sorting out their kit for the following day, and trying to create some order in their race bags.
that it was a surgical glove, filled with some ice water. The stronger of the two was suffering from tendonitis. You can only imagine the looks the two of them got in town, but whatever they ate, it must have worked, because they finished the race. At 5 a.m. a hooter sounds, and the riders have to get up to face a new day. Some prefer to get their tents packed up and their race bags checked in before they go to breakfast, while others are somehow convinced that they won’t get any eggs if they don’t get to the food first. Although I am generally too nervous to appreciate the food on offer, and my breakfast consists of a meal replacement drink swallowed with some coffee, I am always amused to see what the European riders eat, and what they choose to stuff into their pockets. Sooner or later in the day, I end up having a conversation with one of them about the behaviour of the various pastries at different temperatures... It might turn the stomachs of some of the riders around us, but it usually gets us up the hill without too much pain. Somewhere in the middle of the early morning frenzy the bikes need to be collected from the bike park, and then the music starts up around the Absa arch, and it is time to head to the start chutes, so we can do it all again. I don’t think I will miss wondering where I will sleep in a whole new campsite every day, will you?
Water works The human body was perhaps not designed to deal with huge quantities of high-energy foods in combination with spells of dehydration, and upset stomachs are pretty common at multi-day events, even if the victims have not consumed anything out of the ordinary. The race organisation takes no chances with the quality of the water, even if South Africa still has some of the safest tap water in the world. In the camp site there is a water truck, filled with the same water you will find at the refreshment points, and before you can go to sleep, you need to get your bottles and hydration packs clean and filled, to the point where you only have to add the powder in the morning. One sure way to get this done, is to sign up for the race nutrition service. They prepare a separate table at the water points and also at the finish, where your chilled, prepared bottles are then waiting for you. After the water truck, you still need to visit the basins to brush your teeth (using a little water from your bottle if you are delicate of stomach!) We take basins for granted in our daily lives, but I never fail to be impressed by these, erected in the middle of nowhere. Obviously waiting your turn for the evening ablutions provides yet more opportunities for talking to other participants. I had a particularly memorable exchange one night. It was after dinner and getting late. I was on my way back to the tent when I recognised some of my old friends from a training camp. “How’s it going?” I asked them. The reply stunned me. “Oh, we are on our way to Nando’s. We are starving. Paul was on a drip this afternoon but he is feeling fine now.” Unusual as this announcement was, I was distracted by something even more bizarre. “What’s with your foot?” I had to ask. On closer inspection I could see
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Steve Thomas - Daytrippers
www.daytrippers.co.za
One group of Absa Cape Epic participants whom you will not be seeing in the camp are the Epic Trippers. This is a companion service run by the Daytrippers organisation, and their byline is “Ride without the pain!” The general idea is that they are allowed to ride as much of the route as they please, but then have the option to get on the bus and rest whenever they chose. Although the Epic Trippers do not get Finisher medals or shirts, they do get scrumptious picnic lunches, and Steve Thomas is the only source of a decent Espresso that you are likely to see during your Absa Cape Epic. Now isn’t that a good idea?
2009 RIDE GUIDE
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Behind the scenes Staging the world’s largest full-service, team, mountain bike stage race is a formidable undertaking. The task of providing over a thousand riders and all the support staff they require with tented accommodation, race nutrition, clean drinking water, two meals a day, ablution facilities and all sorts of other trimmings is hard to imagine unless you are faced with the numbers. No wonder this event has won awards in the logistics industry!
EVENT VEHICLES Event-registered vehicles Superlink taut-liners (22m/34T) Superlink hardbody (22m) Superlink flat-beds (22m) 34 000l foodgrade tankers (for single source water transport) Transport vehicles (8T) Refrigerated vehicles (8T) Panel Vans Superlink flatbed 18m (for transport of showers) People carriers/Kombis ATVs Bikes (one-up) Bikes (two-up)
2005
2006
2007
2008
80 + 2
2
110 + 2 3 2 2
110 + 2 3 3 2
140 + 2 3 4 2
5 7 3 1
4 5 4 1
4 6 4 2
6 7 5 2
12 11 10
17 11 4 8
10 11 4 8
20 10 4 20
DAILY LOGISTICS approx. tons to transport Rider bags Chairs Tables Tents (per stage) Mattresses Marquees Fencing Individual luxury showers Portable flush toilets water transported in total of which purified drinking water
150 900
175 1050
175 1200
225 1200
1 300 130 2 000 1 000 1 000 1 800m² 600m 33 100 500 000l 100 000l
1 500 150 2 400 1 200 1 200 21 130m² 700m 33 100 500 000l 100 000l
1 500 150 2 400 1 200 1 200 21 130m² 700m 33 120 500 000l 100 000l
1 700 170 2 400 1 400 1 400 22 000m² 700m 33 125 500 000l 100 000l
FOOD/CATERING FOOD SUPPLIES Muffins Pastries Loaves of bread Fresh fruit Pasta and/or other starches Cereals Portions of butter Juice packs Milk Cutlery sets
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2004 7 000 12 000 700 410 kg 2 500 kg 3 000 kg
2005 25 000 5 000 62 000 pcs. 2 500 kg 500 kg 36 000 24 000 2 000l 36 000
2006 7 350 7 350 2 100 41 300 pcs. 2800 kg 1305 kg 30 000 11 000 2 000l 20 300
2007 12 000 23 800 (incl. dessert) 3 000 75 500 pcs. 1 785 kg/3 500 kg 1 000 kg 21 000 15 000 10 000l 24 000
2008 13 500 27 000 3 500 79 800 pcs. 2 100 kg/3 800 kg 1 400 kg 21 200 18 000 11 000l 27 500
2009 RIDE GUIDE
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2009 RIDE GUIDE
8 Days I 685km I 14 663m climbing
THE ROUTE
“Are there any big climbs in this next section?” a rider once asked course designer Leon Evans while on a reconnaissance of the Absa Cape Epic route. “No, not really,” came the reply. The questioner looked relieved, happy in the knowledge that he was now tackling the last few kilometres of the day. Almost two hours later, that naïve rider was still on his bike, struggling up a 15% slope. “You said no big climbs!” he gasped. “To you they might be mountains, but to me they’re just small bumps,” smiled Evans, gliding by in his Toyota Landcruiser. Many joke that Dr Evil is a sadist. Others say he’s the perfect man for the challenging task of selecting every one of the 700-odd kilometres that have found their way into this edition of the Absa Cape Epic. “Each year the team and I try to create a balanced route with a bit of everything. It has to be a worthwhile achievement. In fact, we could make it harder, but that would put too much pressure on the medics and back up guys…” This radical concept is delivered in such a casual manner
Stage Prologue Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 5 Stage 6 Stage 7 Total
Distance
Climbing
Cut-off time
19km 112km 110km 73km 114km 111km 86km 60km
650m 2 769m 1 527m 1 976m 2 202m 2 233m 1 546m 1 760m
2.5 hrs 17:00 17:00 15:00 17:00 17:00 16:00 15:30
685km
14 663m
that you might think that, kidding aside, he really is getting a little too much job satisfaction. “The idea behind the completely new 2009 route,” explains race founder Kevin Vermaak, “is that we wanted to focus on the Overberg region, which deserves to be world-renowned as a top mountain biking destination. Leon and his team have hand-picked the very best of the terrain, considering all aspects of mountain bike stage racing and done all they could to enhance the race experience.” For the first time in the race’s history, the Absa Cape Epic does not start in Knysna. The story of this year’s race begins at the foot of one of the most famous natural landmarks in Africa – Table Mountain. A fitting beginning to what is sure to unfold as an epic tale. The race then heads into the Overberg, in search of the most exciting, beautiful and challenging routes. After arriving at the traditional finish in Lourensford, riders will have seen it all – long climbs, fast descents, flowing forest trails and some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.
Route is subject to change, please pay attention at the race briefings You can only ride the route of the Absa Cape Epic as a participant in the race or as a member of our Epic Trippers programme. A significant part of the route is on private land that belongs to landowners that support the Absa Cape Epic and open up their land for the race once a year. Their land is NOT open to general mountain biking, and riders that trespass at any time of the year will receive a lifetime ban from riding the Absa Cape Epic. Trespassers can expect the justified wrath of landowners, the law, and their names will be forwarded to the race office for us to implement this lifetime ban.
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PROLOGUE
DATE: 21 MARCH 2009 START/FINISH: CAPETOWN DISTANCE: 19 km CLIMBING: 650 m
Table Mountain hosts the 2009 Absa Cape Epic Prologue. In a race against the clock, riders traverse its steep and rocky slopes, hoping for a good seeding position at the start in Gordon’s Bay. From the edge of the leafy city bowl suburbs, riders enter the National Reserve and immediately begin climbing past the water reservoir. Once the vistas over the City and Table Bay unfold, riders face a steep and in places loose descent towards Deer Park – to then turn up again heading to Dead Man’s Tree on Tafelberg Road. It’s a steep switchback climb averaging 15% – and it is as fierce as the wildlife you might encounter on the way up. Don’t be surprised to spot a lazy Puff Adder or an angry Cape Cobra as the day warms. The section on Tafelberg Road towards the Blockhouse allows riders to spin their legs before plunging down a fast and tricky dirt road (beware of the speed bumps!) towards the infamous triple towers. Just as riders start enjoying the thrill of downhill, two more steep climbs bring them to a near stand-still, before coming out again at Deer Park for a short singletrack section and the final push to the finish. The distance of the prologue might sound short – but rest assured – there is nothing flat on this mountain!
‘Be sure to make use of the official practice sessions, and watch out for the fast, gravelly bends on the descents.’ Dr Evil
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Prologue Distance Climbing Cut-off time No water points
19km 650m 2.5 hours
2009 RIDE GUIDE
DATE: 22 MARCH 2009 START/FINISH: GORDON’S BAY TO VILLIERSDORP DISTANCE: 112 km CLIMBING: 2769 m
STAGE 1
Gordon’s Bay, the start venue for the 2009 race-proper, is a small, idyllic seaside town on the eastern edge of False Bay. History shows that Stage 1 has never been easy at the Absa Cape Epic and the 2009 edition is no exception. Almost immediately after the gun goes, riders begin climbing, and the steep ascent to Steenbras Dam will stretch out the field. The cyclists then cross under the N2 and into the Grabouw plantations towards Nuweberg. Careful riding will be needed on the 200m downhill singletrack section, as well as the 500m technical piece that follows – a taste of what lies ahead in the week. Still to come is a familiar highlight of the Absa Cape Epic – Groenlandberg! The 5km climb starts off at about 8%. The surface is loose and the edges rutted, which makes it difficult to maintain momentum, but the gradient eases up near the top. Take care on the occasionally treacherous downhill. Halfway along the flat 10km gravel section that follows, there’s a MTN sprint hot spot, but it will be prudent to save something for the last 15km – with several sharp rises on farm roads and dual track, it could take a while to get to Villiersdorp, where riders will settle in for two nights.
Stage 1 Distance
112km
Climbing Cut-off time Water point 1 Water point 2 Water point 3
2 769m 17:00 30km 57km 85km
‘This will be the longest day in the saddle for the riders – a hard first day, as always. Conservative riding is best. Don’t beat yourself up here.’ Dr Evil
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STAGE 2
DATE: 23 MARCH 2009 START/FINISH: VILLIERSDORP DISTANCE: 110 km CLIMBING: 1527 m
Graceful oak trees and tranquil fruit orchards suggest something more relaxed than the start towards Elandskloof, which is likely to be furiously fast. Heading up to Worcester, the road hugs the foothills of the mountains for 12km, darting in and out of the vineyards. Sixteen degree slopes might be perfect for crafting fine wine, but this kind of climbing requires expert balance and poise to avoid having to climb off and walk, and makes for tired legs this early in the stage. With a clear view of Villiersdorp, the “Pearl of the Overberg”, riders make their way towards Worcester past the Brandvlei Cellar before heading back towards Robertson. There are several more steep climbs in the loop that circumnavigates the valley, and one after the other, riders will be searching for their granny gears as they winch their way up. A trip through a private game farm will offer some distraction from the fatigue as kudu, eland, gemsbok, springbok and ostrich spectate the cycling spectators! One of the main obstacles of the day is a 3km, technical 8% climb, where riders unfortunately can’t just put head down and grind. They have to pick the best lines through the sharp rocks. Ruts and loose shale are to be found on every Karoo ride, and these challenges could end a distracted rider’s whole race in an instant.
‘Save something for the 2km climb near the end. It goes up to a telecommunications mast before the very tricky descent towards home.’ Dr Evil
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Stage 2 Distance
110km
Climbing Cut-off time Water point 1 Water point 2 Water point 3
1 527m 17:00 30km 52km 85km
2009 RIDE GUIDE
DATE: 24 MARCH 2009 START/FINISH: VILLIERSDORP TO GREYTON DISTANCE: 73 km CLIMBING: 1976 m
STAGE 3
After two nights in Villiersdorp, riders head out to Greyton. The first obstacle on their way is the track towards Kaaimansgat, where they climb 750m in the first 13km. Here, a concrete section approaches an 18% gradient. The water canal lies at the 20km mark and from here the riders need to steel their resolve for a long ascent up a rugged 4x4 trail. The altitude reading will go from 400m to 1000m in 5km, and the riders will feel as if they are expected to ride straight up a wall. A single 3km stretch of portage here will take the best part of 45 minutes to complete, but those taking the time to look around will be rewarded with a 180-degree mountain vista to help lighten the load. This takes riders to the top of Boskloof, where it might be prudent to rest a while, as erosion has not been kind to the roads on the way down. Greyton, another sleepy town in the Overberg, nestles in the beautiful Riviersonderend mountains, but first the riders have to experience the three fun but tough pieces of singletrack – 6km in all – along the last section of the route. Stage 3 Distance Climbing Cut-off time Water point 1 Water point 2 Water point 3
73km 1 976m 15:00 13km 37km 64km
‘Wear your softest mountain bike shoes for walking the hike-a-bike section – you have to carry your bike, as pushing is not possible.’ Dr Evil
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STAGE 4
DATE: 25 MARCH 2009 START/FINISH: GREYTON DISTANCE: 114 km CLIMBING: 2202 m
Stage 4 begins on the open roads with a steady climb, followed by a tricky section on fast, rocky tracks, testing the reactions early in the morning. After crossing the causeway, a winding trip up and over the hills along farm roads and 4x4 tracks takes the field back towards Greyton. But they’re not home yet; the last 15km sees a few more sections that test the technical skills of the riders on the climbs as well as the descents. Most of the terrain is rideable but with some 20% slopes, the heart may be willing while the legs scream blue murder. This devastating series of hills will deliver a knockout combination to those lacking in base conditioning. A small reward comes at the end though, as there is some lovely singletrack and a walk across the riverbed just outside town. Today, riders will have earned their rest in Greyton.
‘This is the easiest day except for stage 7. Save something for the end though. It all looks deceptively easy and fairly flat. So push, but don’t overextend.’ Dr Evil
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Stage 4 Distance
114km
Climbing Cut-off time Water point 1 Water point 2 Water point 3
2 202m 17:00 44km 64km 99km
2009 RIDE GUIDE
DATE: 26 MARCH 2009 START/FINISH: GREYTON TO OAK VALLEY DISTANCE: 111 km CLIMBING: 2233 m
STAGE 5
The towering ancient trees wave goodbye to the riders as they head out of Greyton. After a relatively easy day in the saddle, some jagged climbs might strike a cruel blow to the morale early in this stage. The first big push of the day is a 4km rocky affair. Far in the distance, on the next peak, riders will see an enigmatic UFO-like structure – rest assured, it is not fatigue playing tricks on your mind, but unfortunately neither have the extra-terrestrials come to the rescue! A fast downhill brings the field to the ‘Noordekloof’ climb – another 2km of demanding climbing on rough surfaces. Respite comes soon after with the beautiful flowing dual tracks alongside the railway line all the way to Botriver. As Elgin/Grabouw appears on the horizon, riders see the beautiful orchards ahead. But after another visit to a Cape Nature Conservation area, there are more steep climbs along the way. Riders’ efforts on the steep rises will not be in vain however, as several kilometres of swooping forest singletrack lie in wait. Even the most tired competitor will be smiling. And just as they pop out of the forest, they’re home in Oak Valley, Elgin/Grabouw.
Stage 5 Distance
111km
Climbing Cut-off time Water point 1 Water point 2 Water point 3
2 233m 17:00 18km 58km 81km
‘The UFO climb is hard and long so make it count. Riders can make up a lot of time if they’re strong.’ Dr Evil
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STAGE 6
DATE: 27 MARCH 2009 START/FINISH: OAK VALLEY DISTANCE: 86 km CLIMBING: 1546 m
The first 6 days have seen some risky sections, but this stage is the most technical so far. A neutral convoy takes the field to the N2, after which they’re set free on the 6km track towards the water tower. Here the field will spread out on the roads through the quarry and back towards the Steenbras Dam. At the 15km mark they pass the tower and soon follow the steep and technical descent of Wolfkloof – a rare privilege bestowed upon the 1000 riders passing through with the Absa Cape Epic. Thanks to Cape Nature Conservation, riders then visit Kogelberg, where the radical descents and narrow tracks will have to be negotiated with some of the unique Fynbos which have made this area world-famous grabbing at the handlebars! Over a river crossing, through a farm and up to Houwteq, riders then find themselves back in the singletrack haven of Lebanon. Then it’s back to Oak Valley to cap off a very demanding day in the saddle.
‘Be very wary on the descent of Wolfkloof – it’s steep and very rocky – perhaps the most dangerous section of the race. Keep your momentum and stay alert.’ Dr Evil
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Stage 6 Distance Climbing Cut-off time Water point 1 Water point 2 Water point 3
86km 1 546m 16:00 28km 44km 75km
2009 RIDE GUIDE
DATE: 28 MARCH 2009 START/FINISH: OAK VALLEY TO LOURENSFORD DISTANCE: 60 km CLIMBING: 1760 m
STAGE 7
Tradition dictates that the last stage is the shortest, but never easy. Again, when we see vineyards we see short, sharp climbs and then some longer and even steeper ones through the Nuweberg. Soon the riders will begin to smell home as they near the bottom of Gamtoe Pass. As any Absa Cape Epic veteran will tell you, this is a compulsory portage section through this National Heritage site. A close look at the path will reveal Voortrekker wagons tracks, heading down to the railway line. Through wine country, riders then have Lourensford in their sights, their eyes trained on the finish. Waiting for them are their loved ones, their finisher’s medal, and a heroes’ welcome.
Stage 7 Distance Climbing Cut-off time Water point 1 Water point 2
60km 1 760m 15:30 28km 42km
‘Gamtoe pass is too near the finish to make a silly mistake. Rather walk down than run. It’s too risky.’ Dr Evil
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Absa Cape Epic Race rules
Preamble The Absa Cape Epic is a 2 person team mountain bike stage race. Teams have to race together for the entire distance of the race, looking after each other and their equipment.
1. Riders 1.1. The minimum age of participation is 18 years on the day the race starts. 1.2. There are 4 riding categories for teams, namely men, ladies, mixed and masters. 1.3. To start in the masters category both riders must be 40 years or older on the day the race starts.
2. UCI Points Ranking The mens’s category is a UCI licensed race. Teams in the men’s category that wish to compete for prize money and that would like their race results to contribute to their riders’ accumulated UCI point ranking must register as UCI licensed riders during online registration, at which time they must provide their UCI license numbers. These select teams in the men’s category are then also subject to the following additional rules: 2.1. Both team members must show a valid UCI license with UCI number at registration in Cape Town, national license numbers like Cycling South Africa (CSA) are not acceptable. 2.2. Both team members must ride in identical cycling jerseys and cycling pants. 2.3. Teams where one or both riders do not complete a stage within the cut-off are out of the race and both riders may not continue riding the next day. Blue number boards and the formation of new teams (see rule 13) do not apply and both riders are out of the race. 2.4. Teams where one or both riders have not registered as UCI licensed riders do not qualify for prize money or UCI points.
3. Medical 3.1. Riders will only have their entries confirmed after the race organisation receive a signed Absa Cape Epic medical certificate from a medical doctor verifying the rider’s health status to compete in an endurance race of this nature. 3.2. Riders must be in good health and well trained. 3.3. The organisers reserve the right to prevent a rider from continuing the race on advice of the official race doctor.
4. Bicycles 4.1. Only mountain bikes in good working order will be allowed to start the race. 4.2. Bikes must be race-ready at the start of each stage, and during the race. Race ready means the following: 4.2.1. The front number board is securely fitted and visible from the front. 4.2.2. The frame marking is displayed as per instructions received at registration. 4.2.3. The bike is in safe working order. 4.3. Handlebar ends and handlebar extensions shall be plugged and must not have sharp
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or jagged edges. The use of tri-bars and tri-bladed wheels is not allowed. 4.4. Maintenance of bikes during the race is the responsibility of each rider. 4.5. Basic bike repair services are provided by the Absa Cape Epic technical service partners at stage finishes and at designated tech zones. 4.6. In all cases of maintenance and repair, riders are required to complete the full distance of the stage with their bikes and must complete the stage before the designated cut-off time.
5. Helmets and Clothing 5.1. A rider not wearing a helmet at any stage of the race will be disqualified. 5.2. All helmets must comply with international ‘ANSI’ standards. 5.3. Appropriate riding attire, including a shirt, must be worn at all times. 5.4. Both team members must ride in identical cycling jerseys and same cycling pants for the prologue as well as the final stage at Lourensford.
6. Separation Time Penalties (STP’s) 6.1. Riders must ride with their team partner at all times. 6.2. Riders who are separated by more than 2 minutes from their team partner at any point in the race will receive a Separation Time Penalty (STP) of 1 hour. 6.3. Team rider separation may be measured at the start, at the finish, and at various check points, but can also be enforced at any point during the race. 6.4. More than 1 STP per stage can be encountered and will be enforced. 6.5. 3 STP’s will result in the disqualification of the team, even if obtained during a single stage. 6.6. STP’s will be applied to both stage results and overall results.
7. Rider Identification 7.1. Both riders in a team must display their race numbers at all times. 7.2. Bike numbers must be firmly fixed on the front of the bike, and may not be obscured by cables or any other item. 7.3. Race numbers may not be modified or mutilated in any way, including cutting, adding stickers, removing existing stickers or trimming. 7.4. Removing or obscuring any official Absa Cape Epic sponsor logos or advertising may result in disqualification from the race. 7.5. Race and category leaders are obliged to wear the leader jerseys supplied by the Absa Cape Epic.
8. Recommended Equipment These items must be considered the minimum, and it is strongly recommended that riders ensure that they are fully prepared to deal with emergencies they may encounter. 8.1. First Aid Kit – consisting of a minimum of:
2009 RIDE GUIDE
8.1.1. Foil survival blanket 8.1.2. First aid dressings x3 (sizes 2,3, and 4 recommended) 8.1.3. Adhesive first aid plasters x5 8.1.4. Sun block with a minimum SPF factor of 15 8.1.5. Whistle 8.2. Any riders on specific personal medications are responsible for supplying and carrying such medication. 8.3. At least 3 litres liquid capacity per rider 8.4. Multi-tool or bike repair tools 8.5. Mobile telephone (South Africa uses Dual Band GSM 900/1800 – this is the same as in Europe. We do not specifically provide an area in the race village for you to charge your phone. Please keep your phone off to conserve battery life.)
9. Prologue Time Trial 9.1. The race starts with a team time trial prologue on the Saturday before the first stage on Sunday. 9.2. Participation in the prologue is compulsory for all teams. 9.3. A team’s time in the prologue counts towards the team’s overall time and overall ranking. 9.4. A team’s time in the prologue determines the seeding of the team for stage 1. 9.5. Each team will receive a pre-allocated start time for the prologue. 9.6. Teams must report at the entrance to the start chute at least 15min before their allocated start time. 9.7. Timing will start at the allocated start time. 9.8. If a team misses their start time, they will be allowed to start at the back of the field but their time will be taken from their allocated start time. 9.9. No water points or tech zones are provided. 9.10. The cut-off time is 2 hours taken from the time the team started. 9.11. Teams or riders who do not finish the prologue will receive blue numbers and will not be considered finishers (as per rules – see 13.6.). 9.12. All other race rules apply, including STP’s (see 6.).
10. Stage Starts 10.1. The start chute opens 45 minutes before the start of each stage. 10.2. Differential start zones will be allocated according to overall ranking in the race. 10.3. The leading 5 teams in the men category as well as the overall leaders in each of the other categories (category leader jerseys) will be called up. Teams are obliged to assemble in the start paddock immediately next to the start line no later than 10 minutes before the start. 10.4. The seeded starting zones will close strictly 10 minutes before the stage start. 10.5. Riders must enter the start zone as a team with their bikes, and once entered must remain with their bikes. 10.6. Teams who are not in their start zones 10 minutes before the start will be required to start in the open zone at the back.
cut-off time on one stage. 13.7. Any rider not able to complete a stage will be transported to the stage finish. If a rider cannot continue the race for whatever reason, all effort will be made to transport such riders and their bikes to the race finish at their own cost. 13.8. Podium finishers and overall category leaders must be present at the daily awards ceremony at 18h45 in the rider dining marquee, including the final ceremony. Absence will result in time penalties.
14. Abandoning of a stage If the organisers for any reason abandon a stage due to safety concerns the following applies: 14.1. A stage can only count towards the overall results if all categories have finishers in all podium places. If this is not the case the abandoning of the stage will have no impact on the overall results and the stage will be declared a non event. 14.2. If all categories have finishers in all podium places when a stage needs to be abandoned, the riders still on the course will be allocated a percentage of the category winners’ time at the time when the stage is cancelled. 14.3. Riders who did not start the stage or did not reach the point where the stage was abandoned, will be considered a DNF and will not qualify as race finishers.
15. Traffic Regulations 15.1. The Absa Cape Epic does not always have exclusive use of any public roads during the race. 15.2. All regular traffic regulations must be observed at all times during the race. (In South Africa we drive/ride on the LEFT HAND SIDE of the road!) 15.3. Instructions of marshals must be strictly adhered to.
16. Checkpoints 16.1. On each stage, there will be checkpoints, where STP’s will be enforced. 16.2. Teams that are not detected when passing the checkpoints may be disqualified. 16.3. The exact location of the checkpoints will not be published, and hidden checkpoints are not excluded. 16.4. The exact locations of water points will be published.
17. Registration and Briefing 17.1. Race registration takes place in Cape Town on the Thursday and Friday before the race starts. 17.2. Riders must report to registration as a team and bring a form of ID with a photograph on it. 17.3. All riders must have registered by 20h00 on Friday. No late registrations will be accepted. Teams that have not registered by this time will lose their entry and they will not be allowed to start the race. No refund will be given. 17.4. A race briefing will take place in Cape Town on Friday 20 March at 17h30
18. Nutrition and Hydration 11. Route and Stages 11.1. Riders must complete the full designated route and distance of all stages, including the prologue. 11.2. Only riders who complete the prologue and all 7 stages within the cut-off times will be considered Absa Cape Epic finishers. 11.3. The actual race distance may vary from the published or briefed distance. 11.4. GPS tracking of the Absa Cape Epic route is prohibited. The use of GPS units to monitor heart rate, cadence, speed etc is only allowed if the track log has been disabled. The responsibility of switching off the tracking functionality is with the rider. Any rider found tracking the route will be disqualified.
12. Race Timing 12.1. Only team times will be advertised, but individual rider times will be recorded for the allocation of STP’s. 12.2. The team time is determined by the time at which the second team member passes the stage finish line. 12.3. Teams where one rider carries 2 or more transponders will be disqualified. A rider who passes his/her transponder on to anyone else to ride the race will be disqualified. 12.4. Timing will start with the start gun each morning. 12.5. The start line will remain open for 15 minutes after the start gun. 12.6. Any rider who cannot make the stage start time must report to the Chief Commissaire within 15 minutes of the start gun to request approval for a late start. 12.7. No rider is allowed to start late without approval. If no approval for a late start has been given, the rider will be considered a DNS (did not start), hence receive no stage result and not qualify as a race finisher. 12.8. The finish cut-off time will not be adjusted for riders who are permitted a late start. 12.9. Time bonuses may be awarded on selected stages. Details will be made available in the final race instructions. Time bonuses are applied to overall results.
13. Finish and Cut-off Times 13.1. The finish line closes strictly at 17h00 daily, shorter stages may have an earlier cutoff, this will be advertised before the start of the race as well as during the race briefing the previous night. 13.2. Riders may cross the finish line on foot provided that they have their bicycle with them. 13.3. Teams that do not reach designated cut-off points in time will be prevented from continuing to ride and will be swept from the course and classified as DNF (did not finish) for that stage. 13.4. Cut-off points can be enforced at any time if the organisers deem the situation as unsafe. 13.5. The first time that a rider does not finish within the cut-off time and receives a DNF, he/she can continue to ride the race the next day, but will not be classified as a finisher. A rider that does not finish within the cut-off for a second time during the course of the race will be prevented from starting the next day and may not continue the race. 13.6. Number boards of riders that DNF will be removed and if allowed to continue, the rider will be issued a blue number board with which to start the following day. On the last stage, all riders with blue number boards will cross a different finish line to the official Absa Cape Epic finish line and will not be recognised as official finishers. This rule is applied even if the rider/team has ridden the entire race but did not finish within the stipulated
The Absa Cape Epic passes through very dry and very hot areas of South Africa. 18.1. Riders retain the ultimate responsibility to carry enough water and nutrition with them.
18.2. The Absa Cape Epic race organisation will provide water at official water points on the route. This water is for drinking only, no bike washing will be permitted.
the highest seeding for a newly formed team is start zone C. 20.8. All race rules apply to newly formed teams, including STP’s (see point 6)
19. Seconding and Support
21. Environmental and Ethical
19.1. Medical assistance will be supplied by the race organisation at all the official water points. The neutral tech zone will be at the second water point on each stage. 19.2. No outside seconding or assistance is permitted under any circumstances. Outside assistance includes assisting with bike maintenance, water and nutrition support and physically assisting riders. 19.3. Competitors may receive internal assistance from their team partner or from a fellow competitor. 19.4. No towing between riders is allowed. 19.5. Riders are not allowed to draft behind other riders who are not participating in the Absa Cape Epic, but may draft behind their own team partner or other riders taking part in the Absa Cape Epic. 19.6. No other form of drafting is permitted whatsoever including, but not limited to, private vehicles, motor cycles, trucks and official Absa Cape Epic vehicles. 19.7. Specific escort or seconding vehicles not provided by the Absa Cape Epic race organisers are not permitted to follow the race route. However, supporters may drive their own vehicles along public roads to reach vantage points to vocally support riders. Some sections of the course will be closed to all non-event traffic – including some public roads. Their closure must be respected by all. 19.8. A team whose supporters follow the route will receive a time penalty, and on a second offence will be disqualified. 19.9. Transgressions of access rights in the race village by supporters or riders will lead to time penalties imposed on affected teams and possible disqualification depending on the severity of the offence.
No littering or damage to the environment will be tolerated. Any offence will lead to time penalties or disqualification. This includes but is not limited to: 21.1. Throwing away of water bottles, packaging, bike spares. 21.2. Deviating from the path. 21.3. Smoking on route is not permitted.
20. Withdrawals and the Formation of New Teams
24. Disqualification and Penalties
20.1. Teams or riders that cannot continue the race, for whatever reason, must immediately inform the race office. This can be done at the race start, the finish, or water points or by calling the Absa Cape Epic hotline (0861 MTB 780). 20.2. In the event of a search and rescue operation being initiated for a rider or team that has withdrawn, but has not informed the race office, the cost of the search and rescue will be transferred to the rider or team. 20.3. In the event of one team member being incapable of completing the race, the race office will assist to form a new team in which the single rider can participate. The formation of a new team, however, remains the rider’s responsibility. 20.4. The formation of new teams can only be done at the end of a stage, and by the latest at 06h30 in the morning before the start of the following stage. 20.5. Single riders will not be allowed to begin any stage on their own. 20.6. Newly formed teams will not qualify for team ranking, but individual riders will qualify as finishers, on condition that they ride within the newly formed team. 20.7. Seeding of newly formed teams will be based on the seeding of the slower rider, but
Teams may be disqualified at the discretion of chief commissaire / race office for any one or more of the following reasons including, but not limited to: 24.1. Littering 24.2. Disrespect or damage on the environment 24.3. Riding at any point on any stage without a helmet 24.4. Bad sportsmanship 24.5. Abuse of race officials 24.6. Traffic rule violations 24.7. Tracking the route with a GPS device 24.8. Breaking of Absa Cape Epic race rules as discribed above 24.9. Rule of infringements and penalties are provided in the table below, but are not limited to that table (see 26 below). 24.10. Time penalties will be applied to stage results, as well as to overall results or general classification.
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22. Protests 22.1. Any protests must be submitted in writing, on the official protest sheets provided in the race office, to the chief commissaire after the rider has crossed the finish line, within the allocated time period (see 22.4 & 22.5 below). 22.2. A deposit of R250 must accompany any protest, before the protest will be considered. 22.3. If the protest is upheld, the deposit will be refunded. If the protest is not upheld, the deposit will be forfeited and donated to charity. 22.4. Race protests must be submitted within 15 minutes of the rider crossing the finish line. 22.5. Result protests must be submitted by 18h00 on the day of the stage concerned.
23. Doping 23.1. The Absa Cape Epic reserves the right to test all riders for doping. 23.2. Positive results will lead to disqualification from the Absa Cape Epic and a lifetime ban from future events organised by the race organisation. Test results will be forwarded to the national cycling federations.
2009 RIDE GUIDE
25. Basic Mountain Bike Racing Rules and Etiquette 25.1. Riders must complete the entire distance of the race, and the responsibility for following the official route lies with the rider. 25.2. A rider is not permitted to take any shortcuts or take other advantage of a similar nature against competitors. 25.3. Riders, who exit the route of the course for any reason, must return to the course at the exact same point from which they exited. 25.4. Any walking, running or riding by a rider, which is carried out without the intention of directly re-joining the course, or other activity in breach of the regulations, which takes place outside of the marked course area, can result in disqualification. 25.5. A rider cannot receive any technical assistance along the course from anybody, other than from their own Absa Cape Epic team partner or another official Absa Cape Epic rider or from the official Absa Cape Epic tech support. 25.6. Riders must act in a polite manner at all times, and permit any faster rider to overtake without obstructing. 25.7. Riders must respect the countryside and ride only on the official route. Riders must avoid polluting the area, and not leave any waste or litter. 25.8. No glass containers of any kind are permitted on or near the course. 25.9. Riders must not use offensive or abusive language during the race, act in an unsporting manner, be disrespectful to the officials, or ignore the race regulations. 25.10. Any rider reported for trespassing on private land relating to the route of the Absa Cape Epic at any time of the year will receive a lifetime ban from riding the race.
26. Discretion of the Chief Commissaire Where any additional rule interpretation is required, or where specific provision for any incident has not been made in these rules, the decision of the chief commissaire will be final.
Rule and/or Offence Bicycles Not wearing a helmet Separation Time Penalties (STPs) Rider Identification Route and Stages Traffic Regulations Seconding and Support Environmental and Ethical Doping Disqualification Categories
First Offence Disqualification Disqualification 1 hour TP Verbal warning Disqualification Verbal warning 1 hour TP and warning 1 Hour TP Disqualification Minimum verbal warning
Second Offence N/A N/A Additional 1 hour TP 10 minute TP N/A 30 minute TP Disqualification Disqualification N/A Minimum 1 hour TP
Two bikes, three tyres - winning team! Third Offence N/A N/A Disqualification 30 minute TP N/A 1 hour TP N/A N/A N/A Minimum additional 1 hour TP
Remarks
Repeat offenders can receive harsher sanction or DQ Repeat offenders can receive harsher sanction or DQ A serious first offence can also result in disqualification A serious first offence can also result in disqualification
Vigne à Vigne 28 March 2009 presented by the
Ride your own race on the day ... The Cape Times Vigne à Vigne is an annual one day mountain bike race that coincides with
LONG 55KM ROUTE Start : 07h30
SHORT 22KM ROUTE Start : 08h00
the final day of the Absa Cape Epic. The race starts and finishes at Lourensford Wine Estate, known to mountain bikers for its varied terrain and spectacular scenery. The route is different to the final stage of the Absa Cape Epic and there is sufficient time for Vigne à Vigne riders to complete their race and to witness the Absa Cape Epic winners sprinting to the finish line.
ONLINE REGISTRATION: www.vigne-a-vigne.com No registration on the day. Online registration closes 13 March.
www.cape-epic.com
www.cape-epic.com
Follow the riders... Spectator information Find out when and where you can watch each day’s racing along the course.
Time splits Get regular updates throughout the day as riders cross the line.
Weather Check up on the weather conditions that the riders and crew have to endure.
Now riding Get current, detailed stage information on the route, the host towns and the surrounding area. Click for a stage-by-stage ythough of the terrain.
Leader boards Get up to date with who is leading the race in each category.
Live info Keep a close eye on the race as it unfolds, with live reports from the roving eyes along the route.
Polar live rider tracking Certain athletes have been issued with Polar GPS devices. Follow them every pedal stroke of the way.
Latest news Read detailed up-to-the-minute news articles.
Omnibridge Live Vehicle Tracking Spot the logistics and route crew out on the course, in support of the riders.
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Media The latest photographs and videos capturing all the drama are posted every day.
2009 RIDE GUIDE