Description
March 21, 2026
22nd MTB Cape Epic 2026 🇿🇦 – Stage 6 – Stellenbosch – Stellenbosch : Distance 76km | Climbing 2450m
The Absa Cape Epic, founded by Kevin Vermaak and also known as the Cape Epic,
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March 21, 2026
22nd MTB Cape Epic 2026 🇿🇦 – Stage 6 – Stellenbosch – Stellenbosch : Distance 76km | Climbing 2450m
The Absa Cape Epic, founded by Kevin Vermaak and also known as the Cape Epic, is an annual mountain bike stage race held in the Western Cape, South Africa. First staged in 2004, it has been accredited as hors catégorie (beyond categorization) by the Union Cycliste Internationale. The eight day race consists of a prologue and seven stages, and typically covers more than 680 km (420 mi) with some 16,900 m (55,400 ft) of climbing. Professional mountain bikers from around the world encompassing up to 650 teams compete teams of two. To qualify for a finish, teams have to stay together for the duration of the race. The race is also open to amateurs, who enter a lottery in order to gain a slot. The times taken to finish each stage are aggregated to determine the overall winning team in each category at the end of the race. The course changes every year, but the race has always taken place in the Western Cape.
The penultimate stage of the Absa Cape Epic will be day where the start line feels like a lifetime ago and the finish line feels within reach – this is, arguably, the biggest mental hurdle of the week.
Stellenbosch, the home of mountain biking in South Africa, presents a route that is tailored to the strengths of the cross-country specialists; offering them the opportunity to claw back time on marathon specialists, or drive home their lead.
Strong legs will be vital from the gun as the climbing begins almost immediately up Botmaskop. Banhoek Berms, Nick Naks, Klipwerf and Old Rocky follow. The sawtooth profile relents lightly for a few kilometres near halfway before relaunching itself up and down through famed trails like Porcupine, Inferno and through Idas Valley before a check-in with The Doctor and a descent back to Coetzenburg. This is the stage for the racers and the trail lovers.
Results :
 by the Union Cycliste Internationale. The eight day race consists of a prologue and seven stages, and typically covers more than 680 km (420 mi) with some 16,900 m (55,400 ft) of climbing. Professional mountain bikers from around the world encompassing up to 650 teams compete teams of two. To qualify for a finish, teams have to stay together for the duration of the race. The race is also open to amateurs, who enter a lottery in order to gain a slot. The times taken to finish each stage are aggregated to determine the overall winning team in each category at the end of the race. The course changes every year, but the race has always taken place in the Western Cape.
The penultimate stage of the Absa Cape Epic will be day where the start line feels like a lifetime ago and the finish line feels within reach – this is, arguably, the biggest mental hurdle of the week.
Stellenbosch, the home of mountain biking in South Africa, presents a route that is tailored to the strengths of the cross-country specialists; offering them the opportunity to claw back time on marathon specialists, or drive home their lead.
Strong legs will be vital from the gun as the climbing begins almost immediately up Botmaskop. Banhoek Berms, Nick Naks, Klipwerf and Old Rocky follow. The sawtooth profile relents lightly for a few kilometres near halfway before relaunching itself up and down through famed trails like Porcupine, Inferno and through Idas Valley before a check-in with The Doctor and a descent back to Coetzenburg. This is the stage for the racers and the trail lovers.
<strong>Results : </strong>
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