MES SAGE FROM THE R AC E FOUNDER
READY FOR IT!
are proud to have such valuable
contributors remaining on board.
As I said, it has been a
great year for securing new
sponsorships. We welcomed Zwift
(the online cycling video game
and training programme), Devil’s
Peak Brewery, EDGE, Nederburg
Wines, Plascon and Squirt Cycling
Products into the team – all of
which I know will leave a mark on
the event with their initiatives.
While I’m thanking people,
I cannot express enough gratitude
to the landowners along the route
– without whose generosity there
would be no Absa Cape Epic –
and the venue partners. This year
we’re finishing at Val de Vie for
the third time and are particularly
grateful for the efforts the estate
has made to turn its special
venue into the Champs-Élysées of
mountain biking.
One of the many changes to
the Absa Cape Epic – which is
not directly related to the event
itself, but will certainly have an
impact on it – is the Epic Series
of qualifying events around the
world. The Series is still being
developed but is headlined
by three, week-long Legend
Races – the Absa Cape Epic,
the Swiss Epic and The Pioneer
in New Zealand. There are now
seven Epic Legends riders who
have completed all three events
(including South Africans Tim
Hammond and Alan Gordon).
Well done to them all!
I rode the Swiss Epic with my
old Cape Epic partner Jakes
Jakobsen last year and we loved
it. If you enjoy technical riding
then this is the race for you.
The Absa Cape Epic field this
year will, for the second time,
include one Kevin Vermaak – but
he’ll not be eyeing any podium!
I’ll be riding with my old friend
Andrew Hunt. The last event we
did together was the La Ruta in
Costa Rica in 2002, during which
I first conceived the Cape Epic.
We spent many hours in the
saddle discussing what a stage
race in South Africa could look
like. He rode the first event in
2004, so I’m looking forward
to having him at my side on the
bike when he returns to the race
for the first time since then. Our
differing circumstances mean
we’ve only ridden together once
since La Ruta, which is another
reason I’m glad to have Zwift on
board – Andy and I teamed up on
Zwift to train “together” and it’s
been very helpful.
I can’t wait for the starting gun
and to see you all on 17 March.
Kevin Vermaak
here are many, many things
that have changed for the
better since that day when
we gathered in Knysna in
2004 for the first running of the
Absa Cape Epic, but the one that
probably attracts most attention
from the public is the standard of
rider we now attract. The field will
again be exceptionally strong this
year with a whole host of teams
eyeing the top step of the podium.
They range from defending
champs Jaroslav Kulhavy and
Howard Grotts (Investec-Songo-
Specialized) to the world’s most
decorated mountain biker and
former winner Nino Schurter,
riding this year with Andri
Frischknecht (SCOTT-SRAM).
And a whole lot more, making it
probably the most competitive
Absa Cape Epic yet.
It’s encouraging to see many
of the world’s great young talents
coming to race, some of them
being mentored by veterans of
the event. These include Simon
Andreassen (riding with five-time
winner Christoph Sauser), Petter
Fagerhaug (with former winner
Kristian Hynek), and local U23
XCO world champ Alan Hatherly,
riding with powerhouse youngster
Sam Gaze – himself a former U23
world champ. We’re also thrilled
to have four-time women’s winner
and reigning marathon world
champ, Annika Langvad, back
and racing with cycling legend
Anna van der Breggen – one of
the world’s foremost road riders
who is now proving to be highly
competitive on a mountain bike.
Also very heartening for us has
been the extension of several
important sponsor contracts and
the signing up of a handful of new
partners. We were delighted to
have our amazing title sponsor
Absa extend its relationship with
the event for three years – it’s
been an awesome partnership
and I am very grateful to Absa
for the huge role it has played in
developing the race.
We’ve been so lucky to have
a long association with official
cycling apparel sponsor, ASSOS,
now extended for five years,
which is excellent news. Other
key partners who signed on for
three more years are official
vehicle partner Land Rover and
official tyre partner Mitas – we
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