Cape Epic
The Absa Cape Epic, founded by Kevin Vermaak and also known as the Cape Epic, is an annual mountain bike stage race held in the Western Cape, South Africa. First staged in 2004, it has been accredited as hors catégorie (beyond categorization) by the Union Cycliste Internationale.
| Race details | |
|---|---|
| Date | March–April |
| Region | Western Cape, South Africa |
| Discipline | Mountain bike racing |
| Type | Stage race |
| Organiser | Cape Epic Pty Ltd |
| Race director |
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| Web site | www |
| History | |
| First edition | 2004 |
| Editions | 16 |
| First winner |
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| Most wins |
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| Most recent |
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The eight day race consists of a prologue and seven stages, and typically covers more than 680 km (420 mi) with some 16,900 m (55,400 ft) of climbing. Professional mountain bikers from around the world encompassing up to 650 teams compete in teams of two. To qualify for a finish, teams have to stay together for the duration of the race. The race is also open to amateurs, who enter a lottery in order to gain a slot. The times taken to finish each stage are aggregated to determine the overall winning team in each category at the end of the race. The course changes every year, but the race has always taken place in the Western Cape.
The race was acquired by The Ironman Group in August 2016. Advance Publications bought The Ironman Group in March 2020.