Description
March 16, 2025
MTB Cape Epic 2025 🇿🇦 – Prologue 1 – Meerendal Wine Estate – Meerendal Wine Estate : Distance 26km | Climbing 750m
The Absa Cape Epic,
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March 16, 2025
MTB Cape Epic 2025 🇿🇦 – Prologue 1 – Meerendal Wine Estate – Meerendal Wine Estate : Distance 26km | Climbing 750m
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 Pinnacle event of the Epic Series is also the first race of the calendar year. It is the event which pioneered mountain bike stage racing as a team sport and helped create an ethos of ultra-endurance riding in South Africa. Famed for its tough routes, which change for every edition, it is a bucket list challenge which transcends off-road racing and reaches into the consciousness of cyclists around the world. In 2025 the 608 kilometre long route features 16 500 metres of climbing.
And so it begins. The 21st Absa Cape Epic, out of the hinterland and into the Cape Winelands. On the urban edge, but yet still wild and untamed. The iconic trails of Meerendal, Fair Cape Dairies and Hoogekraal host the opening Prologue time trial, providing a taste and a test of what is to come. Sharp climbs, sweeping singletrack descents and spectacular spectator points combine to produce a first day which will indicate to teams how well they have prepared for the 2025 race.
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 Pinnacle event of the Epic Series is also the first race of the calendar year. It is the event which pioneered mountain bike stage racing as a team sport and helped create an ethos of ultra-endurance riding in South Africa. Famed for its tough routes, which change for every edition, it is a bucket list challenge which transcends off-road racing and reaches into the consciousness of cyclists around the world. In 2025 the 608 kilometre long route features 16 500 metres of climbing.
And so it begins. The 21st Absa Cape Epic, out of the hinterland and into the Cape Winelands. On the urban edge, but yet still wild and untamed. The iconic trails of Meerendal, Fair Cape Dairies and Hoogekraal host the opening Prologue time trial, providing a taste and a test of what is to come. Sharp climbs, sweeping singletrack descents and spectacular spectator points combine to produce a first day which will indicate to teams how well they have prepared for the 2025 race.
<strong>Results : </strong>)
