NOWHERE TO HIDE

Stage 1 is never easy at the Absa Cape Epic, although this first day will welcome riders with a hard smile that will become a grimace of effort and endurance. A roll around district and farm roads to start is followed by some sharp kickers and the rock ’n roll descent on the rocky, rutted descent of Con’s Singletrack. Takkap Climb comes into play just before halfway and will be the biggest challenge of the day, brutally steep and rocky. Hey, this is Robertson. Everything is rocky in Robertson. The “Hidden Cliff” of Skuilkraans is part of a 14km uphill slog before some small reprieve and a few testing climbs through the Elandskloof Reserve.

Land Rover Technical Terrain: Skid and Bones Descent: remote, neglected dual track where line choice has never been more important.