The 2015 Absa Cape Epic route has officially been revealed at the launch in Cape Town today.
Riders climb Stairway to Heaven during the Prologue of the 2014 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held at Meerendal Wine Estate in Durbanville outside Cape Town on March 23. Photo: Gary Perkin / Cape Epic / SPORTZPICS
The race, which takes place from March 15 to 22, will go back to the Table Mountain slopes where the prologue will be staged for the first time since 2009. This 20km stage will contain some of the toughest climbs on the mountain.
From there the course takes mountain bikers to the Elgin Valley, Worcester and Wellington before the new Grand Finale finish at Meerendal Wine Estate.
Defending champion Kristian Hynek stated that there seemed to be “a lot of climbing – and some long climbs, which I enjoy”.
Hynek will be pairing up with Austrian Alban Lakata.
This year’s ladies winner Ariane Kleinhans said it was “really cool coming back to Table Mountain”.
At 113km and with 2 800m of vertical gain, stage one threatens to be one of the toughest days featuring the legendary Groenlandberg climb.
This stage and stage two, a 92km loop, will start and finish at Oak Valley Wine Estate in the Elgin Valley.
The third stage is the longest one at 128km and will travel from Oak Valley to Worcester where the 111km stage four will start and end.
Stage five is 117km long, includes 2 500m of vertical gain, and is a transition stage to the last race village in Wellington.
The sixth stage will be an enjoyable one featuring a 71km loop through some of the best trails in the valleys.
The final stage will be a 87km route to the Grand Finale finish at Meerendal.
Summary
Prologue: 20km 600m climbing
Stage 1: 113km 2 800m climbing
Stage 2: 92km 2 300m climbing
Stage 3: 128km 2 200m climbing
Stage 4: 111km 2 000m climbing
Stage 5: 117km 2 500m climbing
Stage 6: 71km 2 000m climbing
Stage 7: 87km 1 500m climbing
