The Absa Cape Epic attracts an eclectic mix of riders. From the professionals, who spend their time travelling the world racing the cross country or marathon circuits, to the business executives looking for a physical challenge. Then there are fitness enthusiasts, life-long cyclists looking to push their limits in a race against the world's best. Rui Porto Nunes is one such rider. Though that is by no means all he is.
The Portuguese rider is an actor, producer and commentator, who has been nominated for a Portuguese Golden Globe and a CinEuphoria award. Perhaps best known for his role as Afonso Azevedo in the teen vampire series, Lua Vermelha. Since the show's final episode in 2012, he has taken on roles in feature films and combined his broadcasting skills with his love of cycling to commentate on the Volta A Portugal.
Nunes is a more than handy mountain biker in his own right too. "I raced XCO mountain biking between the ages of 11 and 19" he explained. "I even won a race in the XCO Portugal Cup, as a junior in 2004, and came fifth in the National Championships. The following year, after I had signed for MSC Bikes, a bout of mononucleosis dashed all my hopes of going international. I was unable to recover, physically and psychologically, and decided to pursue another one of my passions: cinema."
He spent the next decade pursuing his acting career and other sporting passions. "I spent my free time between kart racing, motocross, football and athletics" Nunes elaborated. "Then in 2015, after having put on 12 kilograms to play a character (taking my weight up to 80 kilograms), I decided to go back to biking to lose weight. It wasn't long before I was entering races. And I haven't stopped since. Little by little, I've been aiming for higher goals. This year, I finished the XCO Portugal Cup in ninth place, the National Championship in tenth, and I was a finisher in Brazil Ride too."
Post-Brazil Ride, Nunes' Absa Cape Epic has begun in training. "After returning from Brazil Ride, I went three weeks without riding a bike, but on 18 November 2019 I started to prepare for the Absa Cape Epic" he revealed. Despite his mountain biking experience, Brazil Ride was a major mountain bike stage race.
The Untamed African MTB Race has been on his radar for over fifteen years, though. "I became aware of Cape Epic in 2004, right after the first edition. Mario Roma (the founder of Brazil Ride) used to write for a Portuguese publication called Bike Magazine. I read an article about it and said to myself: 'I'm going to enter this race someday'. And that day is almost here. I still keep and treasure that magazine" Nunes said.
"My goal at the Absa Cape Epic is to enjoy it as much as I can" Nunes declared. "To be with the elite of worldwide mountain biking, to meet new people, discover a new country and different ways of approaching this sport. I'm very excited for the starting gun on 15 March 2020. My dream is about to come true and I still can't believe it's actually going to happen."
From an Absa Cape Epic point of view, Portugal is a nation with untapped potential. Neighbouring nation, Spain provided the largest international contingent of riders, 10% of the field, in 2019. While the smaller Iberian nation was represented by just 7 individuals. "Between my leaving in 2005 and returning in 2015, the mountain biking scene in Portugal has changed a lot" Nunes pointed out. "New talents have emerged, such as Tiago Ferreira (former XCM World Champion, XCM European runner-up, and winner of the 2019 Brazil Ride), Luís Leão Pinto (fourth place in the 2018 Absa Cape Epic), and my long-time rival and friend, David Rosa (multiple National XCO Champion). XCO has dropped in popularity, while several marathons have cropped up. There's a great variety every weekend, with more and better athletes showing up all the time. It is only recently that stage races have begun to appear on the calendar though and they're still not very popular yet. We have Portugal Tour MTB, Race Nature and the Algarve Bike Challenge already so I'm sure the popularity of stage racing will increase."
The Untamed African MTB Race kicks off on 15 March 2020 and pits riders against 647 kilometres through South Africa's Western Cape and 15 550 metres of climbing during its Prologue and seven stages. Tune in to the daily Live Broadcast and experience the action of The Race That Measures All as it unfolds.
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