The Absa Cape Epic has built up a feared reputation since its inception due to the challenging and demanding route the organisers lay on for the competitors every year.
The route is changed and tweaked every year too to keep it fresh, but still, the stats make for eye-watering reading; 722 gruelling kilometres over eight days with a staggering 14,635m of climbing with 1200 riders racing each other in teams of two. That means stages on average of 80 to 140km on trails that include singletrack, jeep tracks and fast gravel roads, with very little paved roads.
To get a feel for the events scale, here’s a look at the individual stages which gives a good overview of just how much climbing we can expect.
Stage 1 – 21 March 2010
Start/Finish: Diemersfontein to Ceres
Distance: 117km
Climbing: 2190m
Stage 2 – 22 March 2010
Start/Finish: Ceres
Distance: 90km
Climbing: 1625m
Stage 3 – 23 March 2010
Start/Finish: Ceres
Distance: 115km
Climbing: 2280m
Stage 4 – 24 March 2010
Start/Finish: Ceres to Worcester
Distance: 86km
Climbing: 1640m
Stage 5 (Time Trial) – 25 March 2010
Start/Finish: Worcester
Distance: 27km
Climbing: 860m
Stage 6 – 26 March 2010
Start/Finish: Worcester to Oak Valley
Distance: 123km
Climbing: 2240m
Stage 7 – 27 March 2010
Start/Finish: Oak Valley to Oak Valley
Distance: 99km
Climbing: 2160m
Stage 8 – 28 March 2010
Start/Finish: Oak Valley to Lourensford
Distance: 65km
Climbing: 1640m
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