Ever since SANParks reviewed their strategy around mountain biking on Table Mountain National Park, the Absa Cape Epic has made it their mission to assist with the building and renovating of the park’s trails.
Two Absa Cape Epic Prologues have been hosted on the slopes of Table Mountain since 2015 and the race naturally holds these trails very dear to its heart. With headquarters located in the Mother City, the Absa Cape Epic feels it’s their duty to contribute and invest in the trails of the Table Mountain National Park, the most notable addition of which is the Epic Pump Track that was constructed in Deer Park, Vredehoek.
This year however, the team ventured into the technical and canopied descent of The Glen – a popular singletrack that has only recently become part of the Table Mountain National Park network. After working closely with SANParks and Trail Troop’s master builder, Shaun Havenga, the necessary upgrades and maintenance were rolled out without negatively impacting the environment.
“The Park has forged a relationship with the Absa Cape Epic in recent years having hosted the Prologue on more than one occasion, said Saskia Marlowe, Hospitality Services Manager at SANParks. “Table Mountain National Park welcomes and appreciates the Absa Cape Epic’s investment in the Park, particularly the refurbishment of The Glen, and looks forward to collaborating on future projects of this nature.”
The Glen mountain bike trail is one of the city’s best-kept secrets. It’s a sensational section of singletrack that scythes down a gorge on the slopes of Lion’s Head with technical drops, roots and off-camber switchbacks before finishing in the parking area just below the Round House Restaurant. At 1.4km, it may not be the longest trail around but it sure is one of the most exhilarating – in fact, plans are already in place to work on the next section down to Camps Bay.
This is the second project that the Absa Cape Epic has worked on together with SANParks,” said Glyn Broomberg, Head of Race Operations for the Absa Cape Epic. “Our involvement in giving back to the sport is part of our obligation to the mountain biking community of Cape Town as the trails feature extensively in our route every year.”
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