Pinkbike Primer: Everything You Need to Know Ahead of the Cape Epic 2024

Photo by Gary Perkin/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS

The Cape Epic is back for 2024 as it kicks off the XC race season and marks its 20th event. Across eight days of racing, riders will go from the Prologue in Lourensford to the grand finale at the end of the week in Stellenbosch

Here's everything you need to know about the 2024 Cape Epic.

The Schedule

The 20th edition of the Cape Epic is the steepest route in the event's history with 27.48 metres of elevation gained per kilometre. The full course will cover 617km with 16,500 metres of climbing across eight days of racing. Check out the breakdown of each stage below.

March 17
Prologue:

March 18
Stage 1:

March 19
Stage 2:

March 20
Stage 3:

March 21
Stage 4:

March 22
Stage 5:

March 23
Stage 6:

March 24
Grand Finale:

What's the Weather Expected to be?

Ahead of a week of gruelling racing the weather is looking almost perfect for this year's event. The only thing riders may have to watch out for is a wetter end to the week that could shake things up slightly for the final two stages.

Sunday March 17

Sun through high clouds and warmer // 28°C // 0% probability of precipitation // wind 22km/h

Monday, March 18

Partly sunny // 28°C // 0% probability of precipitation // wind 17km/h

Tuesday, March 19

Bright periods // 29°C // 0% probability of precipitation // wind 22km/h

Wednesday, March 20

Partly sunny // 28°C // 0% probability of precipitation // wind 13km/h

Thursday, March 21

Partly sunny // 28°C // 0% probability of precipitation // wind 9km/h

Friday, March 22

Mostly cloudy // 26°C // 3% probability of precipitation // wind 11km/h

Saturday, March 23

Less humid with periods of clouds and sun // 21°C // 5% probability of precipitation // wind 9km/h

Sunday, March 24

Partly sunny // 23°C // 11% probability of precipitation // wind 20km/h

Weather forecast as of Saturday, March 16.

Toyota Tough Sections

To spice up each long day of racing the Cape Epic organisers feature more challenging technical sections of each day's course as the Toyota Tough Sections. The organisers describe these sections as "scintillating singletracks."

Prologue

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

Stage 5

Stage 6

Stage 7

2023 Recap

The 2023 Absa Cape Epic CM.com Women's category was a race for the ages as Sofia Gomez Villafane returned as defending champion alongside a new partner, Katerina Nash. Vera Looser and Kim le Court reunited after a successful 2022 SPAR Swiss Epic. Amy Wakefield and Candice Lill, who won the inaugural Absa African Women's jersey together, teamed up in a last minute decision.

These teams, along with a flying Monica Calderon and Greete Steinburg, put on a world class show in pursuit of the Orange CM.com leader jerseys that resulted in aggressive racing, physical and emotional limits pushed, mechanicals wreaking havoc, and teamwork rising to the top.— Cape Epic

1st. Kim Le Court & Vera Looser: 33:11:37.7
2nd. Amy Wakefield & Candice Lill: +32:24.6
3rd. Sofia Gomez Villafane & Katerina Nash: +43:17.7

After the drama and excitement of the 2022 Absa Cape Epic, no one thought the 19th edition, in 2023, would deliver even more #Untamed action.

The 8 days of the 2023 Absa Cape Epic was a full mix of everything The Untamed African MTB Race could offer. From flat out racing from a determined men's field, unprecedented weather conditions to some of the most challenging trails from years gone by.— Cape Epic

1st. Matthew Beers & Christopher Blevins: 26:17:04.0
2nd. Georg Egger & Lukas Baum: +3:49.5
3rd. Nino Schurter & Andri Frischknecht: +4:11.5

Prologue Course Preview

Ahead of the first day of racing take a quick look at what will await riders on the prologue stage.

How to Follow the Racing?

Tune in to Pinkbike to catch all the Cape Epic coverage throughout the week with live broadcasts, results, highlights, race analysis and more.

Posted In:
Racing and Events Pinkbike Primer XC Racing Cape Epic

Author Info:

edspratt
Member since Mar 16, 2017
3,063 articles

7 Comments

dorkbike (Mar 16, 2024 at 17:10)

I would throw up so hard. And then cramp. And then cry. Helmet off to these animals.

endurafrica (Mar 17, 2024 at 2:22)

add migraine & diarrhoea - that would be me.

steviestokes FL (Mar 16, 2024 at 16:52)

How can last year, they were only separated by minutes over so many KMs in that weather?! Absolute peak human performance, across women's and men's. Amazing!!!

bschleenbaker (Mar 16, 2024 at 17:37)

Will be rooting for team 2 chainz

Tiefkuehlpizza (Mar 20, 2024 at 12:16)

For me, Cape Epic is so much more engaging than the entire DH coverage. Can't really point out why, though.

lehott (Mar 16, 2024 at 21:22)

Yesss. Always stoked for Cape Epic.

Brianp621 (Mar 18, 2024 at 13:50)

What a photo! wow