In 2012, the Absa Cape Epic started with a cracker of a prologue on a sampling of the tracks just beyond the northern suburbs of Cape Town under the stewardship of the Tygerberg mountain bike club. They managed to cram 900 meters of climbing into just 27 kilometres of riding with a spectacular mountaintop finish.

Stage 1 took the riders to Robertson and the Klein Karoo for a route over 115 kilometres that promised 2 350 metres of climbing. The day started in overcast conditions on very smooth district roads – a stark contrast with the sharp shale rocks and 40-degree heat that would follow. Those who were not used to pushing their bikes had plenty of time to fine-tune their technique even before the Hangman’s Tree climb, and later many riders were quite pleased when they managed to ride up Tortoise Peak while impersonating the normal residents.

Leading Ladies Sally Bigham and Esther Suss during Stage 1 

With 119 kilometres to cover on Stage 2 and just one really major rise for the day, the riders were quite content to fine-tune their bunch riding on the way to McGregor and Ashton because the next stop would be Caledon, 147 kilometres and 2 900 metres of climbing away. Stage 3 started on some very fine district roads, and the climbs to the Villiersdorp mast and the toll house and were not as bad as they sounded during the race briefing, but the route designer’s ears were burning by the time the riders hit a stretch of newly ploughed field with a very rough track running over it. Some thought that was their low point for the 2012 race, but may have had cause to revise that opinion. No one complained when their clocks stopped a little short of the bragging rights for the longest stage in the history of the race by the end of the day. The route profile for

Stage 4 traced a jagged path over 105 kilometres
 with 2600 metres of altitude gain over bumps that proved to be tricky both going up and down, even when the riders were protected from the wind. There were some spectacular views but the riding was demanding and although the distance was shorter, many teams posted a similar ride time to the previous day and not many were in a mood to enjoy the singletrack through Caledon’s botanical gardens before the finish line. By late afternoon the wind picked up some more and it started to rain. It was still raining when the riders lined up the following morning to start Stage 5.

 
The muddy lead pack during Stage 5

The route planned for this day covered 119 kilometres in the direction of the Elgin Valley was meant to offer a bit of respite from the hardship but with the rain pelting down and temperatures plummeting into single digits it would be one of the toughest days ever endured at the Cape Epic. The going was slow, and all three water stops offered scenes of frantic chaos as riders tried to keep themselves and their bikes going as gradients, flat stretches the normally spectacular Kogelberg nature reserve and the singletrack trails through Lebanon, Thandi and Oak Valley all blurred into one long miserable mud streak. By late afternoon the sun came out and the cyclists cheered up, although the mechanics were in for a long night.

Stage 6 was always meant to be just 80 kilometres long, but the battle-scarred riders were delighted when the first lot of singletrack was judged to be too soggy to ride and they could roll to the bottom of the first climb up Nuweberg some 200 metres in credit. Nearly everybody could enjoy the two-part ascent of Groenlandberg and particularly the contour climb through some freshly scrubbed Cape Nautre reserve scenery was a highlight for many of the riders. Miraculously, even the Oak Valley singletrack just before the race village had shaken off most of the mud to make a fitting end to a great day in the saddle.

 
2012 Absa Cape Epic Champs Burry Stander and Christoph Sauser

Their last day of riding would take the cyclists to the Lourensford wine estate over a distance of 64 kilometres with an ominous 1 350 metres of climbing to be done. By now no one expects the tracks preceding the compulsory portage of Gantouw Pass to be easy, but the granny gear climbs with views over False Bay and Table Mountain approaching the finish line reminded them that the Absa Cape Epic finisher shirt does not come cheap.