Absa Cape Epic

The toughest race in the world
8

days

625

km

15,550

up

5/5
The terrain is as varied as it is harsh – dusty and demanding gravel roads, strenuous rocky climbs, thrilling technical descents, refreshing river crossings and fast forest singletracks. Guaranteed each year are challenging traverses of the area’s iconic fynbos valleys, majestic mountains ranges, deep ravines, indigenous forests, spectacular coastlines and flourishing vineyards.ests, spectacular coastlines and flourishing vineyards.ests, spectacu
Absa Cape Epic (overlay) Placeholder
Absa Cape Epic (overlay)
Absa Cape Epic Placeholder
Absa Cape Epic

stage

km

ascent

trail

1
20 km
600 m
Prologue. Cape Town – Cape Town
2
98 km
1,800 m
Ceres – Ceres
3
94 km
2,050 m
Ceres – Saronsberg
4
88 km
2,100 m
Saronsberg – Saronsberg
5
101 km
1,950 m
Saronsberg – Wellington
6
85 km
2,900 m
Wellington – Wellington
7
95 km
2,300 m
Wellington – Wellington
8
66 km
1,850 m
Wellington – Val de Vie
The Absa Cape Epic is open to professional and amateur mountain bikers. To ensure that the race is accessible to riders from around the world no qualification is required. The Absa Cape Epic must be completed by both members of a two-person team with only 650 teams allowed to ride the race. The route changes every year, leading aspiring amateur and professional mountain bikers from around the world through roughly 700 untamed kilometres of unspoilt scenery and up 16 000m of vertical ascent. The Absa Cape Epic also attracts aspiring amateur riders wanting to test themselves against the best.
The Absa Cape Epic is the most televised mountain bike race in the world and the only eight-day mountain bike stage race classed as hors catégorie by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI); this official UCI status makes it a highlight on the professional racer’s calendar. It is a full-service race, meaning that everything is taken care of from the start – all riders need to think about is riding.
Endurance
5/5
Overall
5/5
Technic
5/5
Days
5/5
Distance
4/5
Up/down
5/5

Explanation

Overall ​Upwards rounded rating baesd on the avarage score of ​endurance, technic, ​days, distance and up/down. Unfortunately the judgment undoubtedly contains subjective elements, please make your own assessments and prepare well!

Endurance Requirements for endurance (unfortunately the judgment undoubtedly contains subjective elements, please make your own assessments and prepare well!).
1 star basic endurance required. 2 stars above average endurance required. 3 stars above average endurance required, partly due to extreme or changing weather conditions (hot, cold, rain, mud, etc.). 4 stars more than above average endurance required, including due to extreme or changing weather conditions. 5 stars way above average endurance / professional endurance, including due to extreme or changing weather conditions. 

Technic Indication of the technical difficulty of the average stages (unfortunately the judgment undoubtedly contains subjective elements, please make your own assessments and prepare well!).
1 star flat or slightly sloping roads with a level surface and/or asfaltos, no or hardly no singletracks. 2 stars mainly off road, but flat or slightly sloping roads with a level surface and some singletracks. 3 stars mainly off-road with single tracks, roots and / or rocks and / or sandy parts in hilly surroundings. 4 stars mainly off road with singletracks, roots and/or rocks and/or sandy pieces including steep climbs and/or downhills in mountainous surroundings. 5 stars mainly off-road, technical passages, steep climbs, fast descents including natural jumps and drops, changing surfaces both up and down.

Days Number of days of the event.
1 star 2 days or less. 2 stars 3 days. 3 stars 4 days. 4 stars 5 days. 5 stars 6 days or more

Distance Average kilometers per stage.
1 star 40 km or less. 2 stars 40- 59 km. 3 stars 60- 79 km. 4 stars 80 - 99 km. 5 stars 100 km or more. 

Up/down Average uphill meters per stage.
1 star 500 meters or less. 2 stars 501 - 1,000 meters. 3 stars 1,001 - 1,500 meters. 4 stars 1,501 - 2,000 meters. 5 stars 2,001 meters or more.

Absa Cape Epic

The toughest race in the world
8

days

625

km

15,550

up

5/5
The terrain is as varied as it is harsh – dusty and demanding gravel roads, strenuous rocky climbs, thrilling technical descents, refreshing river crossings and fast forest singletracks. Guaranteed each year are challenging traverses of the area’s iconic fynbos valleys, majestic mountains ranges, deep ravines, indigenous forests, spectacular coastlines and flourishing vineyards.ests, spectacular coastlines and flourishing vineyards.ests, spectacu
Absa Cape Epic (overlay) Placeholder
Absa Cape Epic (overlay)
Absa Cape Epic Placeholder
Absa Cape Epic

stage

km

ascent

1
20 km
600 m
2
98 km
1,800 m
3
94 km
2,050 m
4
88 km
2,100 m
5
101 km
1,950 m
6
85 km
2,900 m
7
95 km
2,300 m
8
66 km
1,850 m
The Absa Cape Epic is open to professional and amateur mountain bikers. To ensure that the race is accessible to riders from around the world no qualification is required. The Absa Cape Epic must be completed by both members of a two-person team with only 650 teams allowed to ride the race. The route changes every year, leading aspiring amateur and professional mountain bikers from around the world through roughly 700 untamed kilometres of unspoilt scenery and up 16 000m of vertical ascent. The Absa Cape Epic also attracts aspiring amateur riders wanting to test themselves against the best.
The Absa Cape Epic is the most televised mountain bike race in the world and the only eight-day mountain bike stage race classed as hors catégorie by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI); this official UCI status makes it a highlight on the professional racer’s calendar. It is a full-service race, meaning that everything is taken care of from the start – all riders need to think about is riding.

Absa Cape Epic

The toughest race in the world
8

days

625

km

15,550

up

5/5
The terrain is as varied as it is harsh – dusty and demanding gravel roads, strenuous rocky climbs, thrilling technical descents, refreshing river crossings and fast forest singletracks. Guaranteed each year are challenging traverses of the area’s iconic fynbos valleys, majestic mountains ranges, deep ravines, indigenous forests, spectacular coastlines and flourishing vineyards.ests, spectacular coastlines and flourishing vineyards.ests, spectacu
Absa Cape Epic (overlay) Placeholder
Absa Cape Epic (overlay)
Absa Cape Epic Placeholder
Absa Cape Epic
The Absa Cape Epic is open to professional and amateur mountain bikers. To ensure that the race is accessible to riders from around the world no qualification is required. The Absa Cape Epic must be completed by both members of a two-person team with only 650 teams allowed to ride the race. The route changes every year, leading aspiring amateur and professional mountain bikers from around the world through roughly 700 untamed kilometres of unspoilt scenery and up 16 000m of vertical ascent. The Absa Cape Epic also attracts aspiring amateur riders wanting to test themselves against the best.
The Absa Cape Epic is the most televised mountain bike race in the world and the only eight-day mountain bike stage race classed as hors catégorie by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI); this official UCI status makes it a highlight on the professional racer’s calendar. It is a full-service race, meaning that everything is taken care of from the start – all riders need to think about is riding.