They call it the untamed mountain bike stage race and, next year, the Cape Epic will route riders across 186 miles of new terrain. Lance Branquinho|Sep 30 2024|Feature Renowned for its brutal climbs, oppressive heat and tyre-shredding rocks, the Cape Epic is not easy. Each finisher’s medal is earned. For the race’s 2025 edition, the course and climbing stats are what most riders would expect – 376 miles/608km and 54,133ft/16,500m of climbing – but the route won’t venture out of view of Table Mountain. Cape Epic route 2024 – everything you need to know
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From 16-23 March, pro and amateur teams will journey into the Western Cape’s wine and cattle farming areas. Most of the Cape Epic 2025 will be hosted on trails and farmlands between Durbanville and the historic town of Paarl, both under an hour’s drive from Cape Town’s city centre.
Dusty, dry and windy conditions, with little shade and the promise of fatiguing heat, will challenge the large contingent of Northern Hemisphere riders who arrive for the Epic from a cold winter training season. Each year, wind and heat define the outcomes for most Cape Epic riders, with many riders underestimating the influence of daily overexposure to African heat. Cape Epic_OffRoadCC_Lukas Baum_033.jpeg Although March is technically the start of autumn in South Africa, the Western Cape, particularly its Paarl region, often experiences several days of extreme heat, […]
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