High-Octane 2025 Absa Cape Epic mountain bike race remains unbridled and challenging
Cycling through the Toughest: Absa 2025 Cape Epic
Get ready for a thrilling 8-day mountain biking odyssey starting March 16th! The 1300 participants will take on one of the world's most grueling races in the picturesque Cape Winelands - the Absa 2025 Cape Epic.
This massive challenge has a grand total of 603km, with 16,500 meters of elevation gain. Don't think this race is for the faint-hearted. It forms part of the Epic Series, a global tour that pushes mountain bike riders to the limit. Four destinations across the world, including Andorra, Switzerland, Croatia, witness the epic showdown annually.
Five Divisions to Conquer
Compete with fellow riders over fifty (Grand Masters), forty (Masters), mixed teams (Mixed Division), or if you’re female or male (Women and Men's divisions)!
Prepare to sweat it out on the 16th at the Meerendal Wine Estate, where the prologue commences, boasting a looped route of 26km filled with tough climbs and a 700m elevation gain.
Stage 1 from the 17th introduces you to the Tygerberg trails and Durbanville vineyards. This stage takes riders on a grueling journey of 96km, with an elevation gain of 2,450m.
Head back to the Meerendal Wine Estate on the 18th for Stage 2, which spans 58km. After conquering this amazing stretch, riders will reach Fairview in Paarl, completing the race with an elevation of 800m.
Stage 3 on the 19th takes place around the Paarl Mountains, offering challenging ascents and single tracks. Riders have to cover 90km with 2,600m elevation gain.
The fourth stage, also hosted by Fairview, sees riders navigating the challenging granite domes of Paarl for 74km. This technical terrain promises an elevation gain of 1,750m.
Into Day 6, Stage 5, riders tower over their opponents by emerging victorious from Lourensford Wine Estate, completing a noteworthy 103km, including a whopping 3,050m elevation gain - earning it the title of 'Queens Stage.'
Next up is Stage 6 on the 22nd, which showcases the natural beauty of Lourensford and its iconic sections. With a challenging elevation gain of 2,850m over 92km, this stage is sure to test the limits of every participant.
Finally, Stage 7 on March 23rd takes riders on a loop around the Helderberg Dome, ending at the Lourensford Wine Estate. This relatively milder stage promises 68km of racing with an elevation gain of 2,250m.
The spectacle of who can outlast the competition is on the horizon, and here are some riders worth watching in both categories:
Cape Epic Women's Division:
- Candice Lill and Mariske Strauss (Faces CST) have multiple podium finishes and aim to claim the first South African woman's team victory since 2007.
- The European team of Janina Wüst and Rosa van Doorn will make their Cape Epic debut with their combined experience in their favor.
- Annika Langvad, a five-time winner, and her Argentinian partner Sofiia from Toyota Specialized are two names to keep an eye on.
- Vera Looser, the 2023 winner, teams up with Alexis Skarda to seek another podium finish for Efficient Infiniti SCB SRAM.
- European riders Claudia Peretti and Katazina Sosna will ride for Torpado Kenda FSA and hope to engrave their names in the history books.
Cape Epic Men's Division:
- Matt Beers, a three-time champion, and Keegan Swenson are strong contenders for the Absa Cape Epic 2025 with their combination of skills and experience.
- Ten-time world champion Nino Schurter and Filipo Colombo look set to bring the heat and vie for victory.
- The underdog duo of Lucas Baum and Georg Egger on Orbea might surprise during the race.
- Spectators at the Absa 2025 Cape Epic, set in Durbanville in 2025, will witness not just a race, but an epic sports-betting event, given its prestigious status within the global Epic Series.
- Cyclists participating in the Women's division of the Absa 2025 Cape Epic, such as Candice Lill and Mariske Strauss, are gearing up for a grueling competition with elevations reaching up to 3,050 meters in Stage 5.
- In the Men's division, sports betting enthusiasts may want to bet on the duo of Matt Beers and Keegan Swenson, who are known for their consistent victories and are aiming to conquer the Absa Cape Epic 2025 in Durbanville.
- The Absa 2025 Cape Epic, scheduled for March 16th, offers sports fans a chance to cheer for 1,300 cyclists as they tackle challenging terrains, elevations of up to 2,850 meters, and a total of 603 kilometers, making it one of the world's most daunting sports-betting events in cycling.
