tracks that criss-cross vineyards. They may
sound idyllic but rest assured they're not!
Generally the surface consists of loose pea
gravel and I can't recall a single corner that
wasn't off camber.
This may not sound particularly appealing
but when you pull the whole package together
it is extremely addictive. At the end of every
stage you have a juxtaposition of physical and
emotional feelings. On one hand your body is
physically broken from riding flat out and your
mental state is drained from the sheer level
of concentration and toughness required to
navigate the route.
On the other hand you have this truly unique
sense of accomplishment and euphoria from
overcoming everything the Cape Epic throws
at you. This is always enough to drown out the
physical and emotional toll, enabling you to
pick yourself up to the next stage and the one
after that. Before you know it, you are hooked.
Bucket list ticked
- why do it again?
I had already done the Cape Epic in 2015
so why do it again? Well, there were three
chief reasons. Firstly, the mind grows dim and
memories fade over time but the feeling of
the emotional high you get remains clear in
the brain.
Secondly, back in 2015 I had raced alongside
my good friend Todd Sinclair and in all honesty
we had struggled initially and ended up
finishing 11th in the Masters category. A top 10
finish would certainly be something to tell the
grandchildren, 11th wasn't going to cut it!
Finally, the Cape Epic has a group called the
Amabubesi Club. Only once you've completed
three races are you inaugurated and granted
'special' treatment. For some irrational reason I
really wanted to be a part of that club.
All I needed was a partner and after my
initial choice, Theo Grobler, had to pull out due
to illness the search began!
The Cape Epic has really popularised
the duo race format. It brings a whole new
dimension to mountain biking with your
success and failure really determined by what
kind of partner you choose. Given you are
spending 16 hours a day it pays to take a bit of
time before settling on one!
By the end of January I was almost ready to
give in having not found anyone. Not liking to
CAPE EPIC MASTERSRight: Amongst the harsh conditions
are beautiful landscapes.
Below Right: Environments can
change in a heartbeat.
Opposite Page:
Don't forget. You're here to race!