The prologue and final stage of the Absa Cape Epic will this year be broadcast live in seven countries.
Christoph Sauser and Jaroslav Kulhavy of Burry Stander-Songo during the final stage (stage 7) of the 2013 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race. Photo: Gary Perkin / Cape Epic / SPORTZPICS
Television stations in the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary and Switzerland will take live feeds for two hours on the March 30 seventh and final stage.
In South Africa the Prologue (March 23) and Stage 7 will be shown live for more than four hours each day.
“This is the first time it has been shown live beyond South Africa and we are obviously very pleased that our race and country are being shown off to so many international viewers,” said Epic founder Kevin Vermaak.
“When we introduced the daily highlights show back in 2007, it was a quite a challenge for our production teams. We were the first mountain bike race in South Africa to try this back then, but now it is a common feature for many races,” he added.
This daily highlights show was shown in several countries across the world in the first year and has grown in popularity every year since.
The media exposure has become a major drawcard for professional riders – this year, for example, Cross Country World Champion Nino Schurter and Marathon World Champion Christoph Sauser are among scores of top ranked riders in the line-up – and their sponsors.
Arguably the most decorated mountain biker of all time and a four times Epic winner, Sauser said “the Absa Cape Epic is now the most important mountain bike race to win, more than the World Champs or a World Cup”.
To view more information on the Absa Cape Epic event, click here.
