Catch all the best moments from every stage of the 2022 ABSA Cape Epic with highlights daily on SBS On Demand from March 21.
Known as "the race that measures all", the Cape Epic is one of the biggest events on the professional mountain biking calendar and the 2022 edition should once again live up to its reputation as one not to be missed.
The only eight-stage mountain bike race is classed as a Hors Categorie by the UCI, the Cape Epic will once again offer some of the most gruelling riding across singletrack, fire trails and challenging South African backcountry.
Star riders such as Nicholas Dlamini and Pauline Ferrand-Prevot will headline a strong field in both the men's and women's pro divisions.
SBS will show highlights from each of the Cape Epic's eight stages which you can catch the following morning on SBS On Demand starting March 21.
March 20 – Prologue – 24km – Lourensford Wine Estate to Lourensford Wine Estate
The Cape Epic returns to Lourensford Wine Estate for the first time since 2014 with a thrilling prologue stage which will set the tone for what is set to be an exciting eight days of mountain bike racing.
The first half drags steadily uphill, driving heart rates ever-upwards before the second phase of the day is packed with roller-coaster downhills on manicured singletrack.
Dual track links provide ample overtaking opportunities and allow the fastest teams to set the best possible times and secure start batches for the week of white-hot racing.
Source: Cape Epic
March 21 – Stage 1 – 92km – Lourensfourd Wine Estate to Lourensford Wine Estate
The first marathon stage of the 2022 Absa Cape Epic leaves nowhere to hide. Scaling King’s Climb is the first order of the day.
A brutally long and steep ascent from Lourensford Wine Estate to the heights of the Helderberg Mountains, it will stretch the field for the long Red Route descent of the Helderberg Trails.
Playful singletracks provide an adrenaline boost ahead of the day’s most challenging climb, Die Nek.
Crossing Die Nek takes the teams back into Lourensford Wine Estate, where a final brutal climb and scintillating singletrack challenge and reward await on the way to the stage’s finish line.
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March 22 – Stage 2 – 123km – Lourensfourd Wine Estate to Greyton
Stage 2 of the Cape Epic heads east crossing the Helderberg basin and ascends the Gantouw Link and Gantouw Passage.
Once on the Elgin plateau, the forge east continues but takes in the Waterfall, Witklippies and Pofadder trails.
Kat Pas and the new JK’s Switchbacks singletrack leads into the Overberg and onto Van der Stel Pass.
From here the route rolls onwards towards a brutal climb that will test the composure and resilience of all riders.
But from the summit, spectacular views await before undulating dual tracks sap the final reserves from the legs on the way to Elandskloof.
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March 23 – Stage 3 – 101km – Greyton to Greyton
Sapping climbs and rolling descents will soften the legs for the rocky mountain singletracks in the second half of the stage in what is set to be a tough day four on the Cape Epic.
Long kilometres of farm dual track will ensure a blistering pace early in the stage before the rocky Greyton singletracks enforce a change of tempo.
In the second half of the stage, the trails flow into each other as they rise and fall along the Riviersonderend Mountains.
A final twist sees the teams climbing from within sight of the finish line to reach the trailhead of the day’s final singletrack.
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March 24 – Stage 4 – 82km – Greyton to Greyton
A district road start on Stage 4 provides a quick warm-up before the dual tracks into the mountains above Genadendal spread the field for the trails to come.
The mission station’s singletracks are raw and rugged, requiring absolute focus at all times.
Luislang, before Greyton, and Mad Dog, after, are free-flowing. Bakenskop, meanwhile, is not.
Bakenskop is a 9-kilometre-long ascent, ridgeline traverse and descent; all on shale singletrack.
After the thrills of Bakenskop, the trail heads uphill once more, ascending the UFO climb before a last singletrack descent returns the teams to the Riviersonderend Valley floor and the grind back to the Elandskloof race village for the final time.
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March 25 – Stage 5 – 115km – Greyton to Stellenbosch
The infamous Rusty Gate climb is on the menu on Stage 5 and riders won’t have much time to prepare.
Leaving Elandskloof, it’s Rusty Gate from the starting blocks, followed by undulating kilometres along the banks of the Theewaterskloof Dam.
The eastern ascent of Franschhoek Pass provides the race’s longest section of asphalt before a trail new to mountain bikers leads the race into the picturesque Huguenot village.
More singletracks await on the banks of the Berg River Dam before the route crosses the river; from there it is uphill once more, first gradually and then steeply, over Botmaskop.
The day’s final descent to Stellenbosch hints at the rewarding riding still to come in the Cape Epic.
Source: Cape Epic
March 26 – Stage 6 – 76km – Stellenbosch to Stellenbosch
Stage 6 of the Cape Epic is one for the mountain biking purists, as it explores the famed Banhoek and Jonkershoek valleys.
The route departs Stellenbosch by climbing Botmaskop, mixing dual- and singletrack, before dropping into the Banhoek Valley along with a series of tightly twisting switchbacks.
In the valley itself, rocky trails await before the climb back out, via Tokara and the lower slopes of Botmaskop.
The route to Jonkershoek traverses high, above a castle in the sky, then snakes up and down, climbing Irish, descending Armageddon and Red Phoenix, then up Bosluis and Firehut before the last descent.
Racing home to Stellenbosch, the trail follows the Eerste River and includes a trying final ascent before the finish line on the Coetzenburg fields beckons.
Source: Cape Epic
March 27 – Stage 7 – 68km – Stellenbosch to Val de Vie Estate
The Grand Finale of the Cape Epic takes teams to Val de Vie, the Valley of Life, and does so in style.
Many of Stellenbosch’s most famous farms, including Rustenberg, Morgenhof, Mauratie and Babylonstoren are traversed on the way to the final finish line.
It is not all downhill, however, as altitude has to be gained first before the fun can start.
This is achieved by climbing through Rustenberg and onto the Simonsberg Trails.
Muratie’s Never Say Neverending thrills, before the route heads north.
Crossing fabled farms on a mix of dual and singletrack the race steadily winds down.
A last chance to empty the tank is provided by Val de Vie’s estate singletracks, then it’s onto the polo fields and the finish line.
Source: Cape Epic
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