From the slopes of Table Mountain National Park to the rugged south coast, on through the famous wine-growing regions and into the mountains of the Western Cape: the 2019 Cape Epic route is set to be one of the toughest in the history of the South African mountain bike stage race, covering 624 kilometers and 16,650 meters of altitude. The adventure starts on March 17, 2019 at the University of Cape Town and ends on March 24 at the Val de Vie vineyard.

Eight days, 624 kilometers and 16,650 vertical meters! However, the bare statistics tell less than half the story. Rough mountain paths, bumpy tracks, gravel roads exposed to the wind and the well-known sand holes lie between the prologue at the University of Cape Town and the grand finale at the Val de Vie vineyard. This is a reflection of modern Africa, where urbanization is spreading to the edge of the wilderness, where mountain bikers roll out of familiar cities into the hinterland.
In 2019, there are three stages that could bear the title of "royal stage". But the remaining days are anything but easy. Even the shorter stages are tough - the time trial on stage four, for example. This contains Elgin's most popular singletracks, but each trail is connected to the next by a steep climb.

It will be a Cape Epic edition in which good form, mental, material and technical preparation will be rewarded even more than before. An Epic that leaves no room for weaknesses but also one that everyone will remember fondly.

An insidious prologue and seven tough stages

Full attention must be paid to the prologue on March 17, otherwise the epic race adventure could end right there. The ambitious participants in particular will have to weigh up carefully between not wasting too much energy, keeping the time gaps to a minimum and still making it safely through the technical descents.

The race doesn't really get going until the first stage on Monday. Over the 112 kilometers, you can be happy if you haven't shot your lights out in the prologue. Because with 2,700 meters of altitude distributed over the Katkloof Climb, numerous medium and small climbs and the technical sections 15 kilometers before the finish, the stage already requires a lot of substance and concentration until the end.

Tuesday will see another start in Hermanus. After that, the 86 kilometers to Oak Valley will be taken under the studded tires. Although not quite as grueling as the first stage, the second section should not be underestimated. It is important to manage your strength well, because the Wildekrans Tokoloshe - the main obstacle of the day with six kilometers and 500 meters of altitude - only follows in the last third of the route.

Oak Valley is the start and finish of the third stage. Right from the start, this lap is uphill - and not too steep. The participants have to master around 1,000 meters of altitude with only small interruptions. After the highest point, the Groenlandberg, comes the descent and soon the most technically demanding section of the day - uphill. Even though the route then goes downhill, there are a few more crisp climbs. As we all know, the best comes at the end, and after 2,800 vertical meters, the Thandi Switchbacks are a worthy dessert before a well-deserved rest.

After three tough stages, a shorter race day comes in handy. The 43-kilometer time trial is on the agenda. The focus here is on singletrail fun, as there are few stages with as many trails as this one. However, there are still 1,000 meters of altitude to cover, and these are spread over a "corrugated plate" - a painful affair.

There are neither very long climbs nor long flat sections on the 100-kilometer-long fifth stage. But at 2,850 meters, there is the most climbing on this section to Stellenbosch. After two thirds of the stage, the main ascent, the Kings Climb, and the technical Helderberg Trails are once again very tough. However, the riders are offered a few more trail classics until the finish.

The penultimate stage doesn't allow you to catch your breath, because after the start in Stellenbosch, the route climbs around 500 meters uphill to Botmankop. After that, the stage is a single up and down over medium-length climbs and descents where the rest of the 2,650 meters in altitude are climbed. The highlight is the rocky, flowing descent through Klapmuts Kop.

Stage seven - the final stage. The 70 kilometers from Stellenbosch to Val de Vie ride through the region's wine-growing area and the famous Jonkershoek trails up to the highest point. After these 500 meters in altitude, there is a long technical descent until you have to tackle the steep "Fionas Beast" climb. After the Sugar Bowl trails, a final short climb and a brand new singletrail section lead to the "Champs-Elysées" of the Cape Epic over the last flat kilometers to the long-awaited finish - a cold finisher's beer is now more than welcome.

Technical training is key

So the 2019 Absa Cape Epic will be a tough but rewarding piece of work. However, the work should not be the race alone. The pros agree when it comes to training: it's not just physical fitness that needs to be worked on. They recommend that all participants work on their riding technique in particular. This will make the decisive difference on the 2019 route, not only in terms of winning or losing, but also how much energy you leave behind and how confidently you master the descents.

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