An “old lioness”, Hannele Steyn, will be back for her 15th Cape Epic when the event kicks off in the Western Cape on Sunday.
The former World Triathlon Champion will see the introduction of the Hannele Steyn African women’s trophy when she lines up alongside Munga champ Jeannie Dreyer.
The trophy will be awarded to the first African women’s team to complete the eight-day event, and Steyn said she felt honoured to have the trophy named after her.
“This year is special because I have the honour of carrying the name of this trophy and I want to make my category proud. I’ll be riding as hard as I can at this stage of my life,” said the 52-year-old.
Cape Epic legend Hannele Steyn (seen here) will be back for her 15th event when she lines up alongside Munga champ Jeannie Dreyer on Sunday. Photo: Supplied
Steyn will ride alongside Dreyer as Team Nolands/SPAR/Merchants after her original partner, Anneke Whelan, suffered an injury.
“Jeannie is very young and strong compared to me. Fortunately she agreed to ride with this old lioness.
“I would like to make her proud and give her a good enough ride. I told her she must know I will give my best every day. It might not be her best, but she’s agreed to be a good teammate.”
Steyn said her preparations had changed over the years, but her strategy was always to give her best.
“I always say, if you enter a race you give it your best. If you can come first with your best – that’s fantastic. If you come first not giving your best, then it’s maybe better to come second by giving your best.”
The Epic rider added that when she started the race she was still new to multi-day racing. She was also more competitive as she was a semi-professional mountain biker, so training was her life back then.
“I won’t say I have the magic formula. I’ve just stuck to a base plan all these years. I still try and train as hard as I can, but obviously age plays a bit of a role as well as owning a company.”
Steyn stopped racing competitively in 2011 and started focusing on Passion4Wholeness, the main focus of which is health and nutrition.
The “lioness” said it all started when founder Kevin Vermaak extended an invitation to her to participate in the inaugural Epic.
“I met Kevin when he only had the idea of the event in his head. He was so good to give me that first invite. I’ve done so many races in my life, but it’s as if the Epic is something that needs to be challenged and be forged in the untamed.”
There is one thing that Steyn likes the most about the Cape Epic, and that is crossing the finish line.
“It might sound like a cliché, but there is no better feeling. Even if you have to run or crawl that last kilometre, nothing compares to the joy, happiness and elation you feel. It’s worth it, it’s really worth it.”
Steyn and her fellow lions – Craig Beech, John Gale and Mike Nixon – are the only cyclists to have completed all 14 Epics – a total of 10 854km and 219 000m of ascent.
“I’m the last lioness and I would love to be the last lion, but I also embrace the other three. They are wonderful people and we’re a family of four lions. That’s very special and we wish each other the very best every year.”
Steyn gave no indication of plans to bring an end to her Epic journey. She said she would carry on as long as she was blessed with good health and as long as the race existed.
“If I have the privilege to do as many Epics as I possibly physically can, if I’m so blessed to get or afford an entry and to have the wonderful sponsors I’ve had all my life, then I will carry on to the day that I can do so no more. I’ll be on that line doing it.
“It has become part of my life’s journey. It’s my drug – so you can call me an Epic addict.”
