The world\u2019s largest mountain bike race is back, and it\u2019s about big names, breath-taking views and the innovation that brings the event to the next level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The iconic Absa Cape Epic kicks off on Sunday 19 March when mountain biking\u2019s superstars will line up alongside aspirant amateurs to tackle the trek across 658 km of wondrous untamed terrain and almost 16 000 m of climbing, cementing the hors cat\u00e9gorie-classified race as one of the major highlights on the international calendar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 2023 route promises to be among the most breathtaking yet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For professionals, it provides opportunities to attack, test their rivals\u2019 mettle and fight back, while for the amateurs from countries far and wide, expanded categories provide even more reasons to race. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As ever, a galaxy of stars will also join the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Australia\u2019s former road cycling champions Mitchell Docker and Lachlan Morton, former Tour de France stage winner Dave Millar, his sister and Belstaff CEO Fran Millar, Grand Tour legend Vincenzo Nibali, former Dutch road giant Niki Terpstra and Spanish football icon Luis Enrique are just some of the big names lighting up the Epic, where fans can sit comfortably at the famous wineries overlooking the single-tracks to enjoy the action. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Riders will start with a short and sharp prologue (Sunday 19 March) on the trails of Meerendal Wine Estate, before heading south-east to Hermanus, where the town hosts the race for two stages (Monday 20 and Tuesday 21 March). From Hermanus, the first transition stage of 2023 (Wednesday 22 March) pits teams against a traverse inland to Oak Valley Estate, where a mid-week time trial awaits on the trails of Oak Valley and Paul Cluver (Thursday 23 March). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once completed, Stage 5, the Queen Stage (Friday 24 March), guards passage to Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset West, where Stage 6 (Saturday 25 March) awaits. From there, all that lies between teams and their spot in The Book of Legend is The Trail (Sunday 26 March) to Val de Vie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among the big names challenging for the title are last year\u2019s winners, Speed Company Racing\u2019s Georg Egger and Lukas Baum, the dark-horse debutants who stunned all and sundry to take the championship. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It will be a different story this year when everyone will be looking to topple the reigning Cape Epic kings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the head of the chasing pack will be Scott-Sram Racing, who would love nothing more than to remove the No 1 boards from Egger and Baum\u2019s bikes come 26 March. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scott-Sram\u2019s two-time Absa Cape Epic winner Nino Schurter will hope to make it a triumphant return to Hermanus, which has proven a happy hunting ground for the world\u2019s greatest mountain biker. On this occasion he has teamed up with Andri Frischknecht as he hunts glory once more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Absa Cape Epic has always been renowned for innovation, and this year sees one of its greatest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The addition of an Exxaro Women\u2019s Jersey from 2023 is a strong statement of the event\u2019s intentions to bring more black women into mountain biking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since its inception in 2012 the Exxaro Jersey has given more than 100 young, black and historically disadvantaged South African riders a goal to aim for. But competing in an expensive sport and entering the world\u2019s most high-profile stage race are a world away for most disadvantaged black South African females under the age of 26. The Exxaro Jersey for women at the Absa Cape Epic aims to change that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was a natural progression to introduce an Exxaro Jersey for women, thereby encouraging and motivating more historically disadvantaged South African women to get involved,\u201d says Marc Erasmus, Absa Cape Epic Partnership Manager. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is this level of commitment that has seen the race grow from its humble roots in the Cape Winelands in 2004 to a full international series of events in Croatia, Australia, Switzerland and the Pyrenees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But to every rider and fan, it is the Absa Cape Epic that remains the pinnacle, and so it will be again in 2023. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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