Cycling / MTB: Only a few days left until the Cape Epic 17 starts next Sunday, March 2019th in South Africa. We looked at the route and all the stages in advance - where are the dangers lurking and where could the decision for overall victory be made?
Cape Epic 2019: The route at a glance
This year's Cape Epic route is without exaggeration one of the toughest and most difficult in the history of the race. At 624km, the total route is a bit shorter than in the previous editions, but with over 16.500m of altitude difference, the route planners have accommodated a whopping 3.100m more than in the previous year, for example. Seven stages and a very demanding prologue are on the menu for the riders before the winning teams are crowned in Val de Vie on March 24th.
The most important information about the Cape Epic 2019 at a glance
Mountain Bike News: Cape Epic 2019: The most important information before the start on March 17th
Cycling/ MTB: From March 17th to 24th, the Cape Epic will once again be one of the MTB highlights of the year early in the season. In the course of this week we will provide you with all the information about the race, the route, the teams and some background reports. At the start there is the most important information about the Cape […]
It's a tight race for the Queen's Stage title at Cape Epic 2019 - three stages would be competing for it this year, but by a narrow margin, the fifth leg of the day should claim that unofficial title. On the 100 km long section from Oak Valley to Stellenbosch, 2.850 meters in altitude have to be mastered and numerous tricky trails have to be tackled.
Date | Home | Objective | Length | Ascent | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Prolog | Sunday March 17th | Cape Town | Cape Town | 21km | 600hm |
1st stage | Monday, March 18th | Hermanus | Hermanus | 112km | 2700hm |
2st stage | Tuesday, March 19th | Hermanus | Oak Valley | 86km | 2250hm |
3st stage | Wednesday March 20th | Oak Valley | Oak Valley | 103km | 2800hm |
4st stage | Thursday, March 21th | Oak Valley | Oak Valley | 43km | 1000hm |
5st stage | Friday March 22th | Oak Valley | Stellenbosch | 100km | 2850hm |
6st stage | Saturday March 23th | Stellenbosch | Stellenbosch | 89km | 2650hm |
7st stage | Sunday March 24th | Stellenbosch | Val de Vie | 70km | 1800hm |
The route step by step
Cape Epic 2019: Prologue - Cape Town-Cape Town
Date: Sunday March 17th
Start: Cape Town
Goal: Cape Town
Length: 21km
Altitude: 600hm
Rating: 2.5/5
The start of the Cape Epic 2019 could hardly be more appropriate than with the short and crisp prologue up to the famous Table Mountain above Cape Town. A few quite demanding climbs on the way will cause the first beads of sweat and will hopefully give the drivers an opportunity to shake off the initial nervousness. The corresponding calm is then required on the trail section back to Cape Town, where the main thing is to avoid unnecessary falls.
Cape Epic 2019: Stage #1 – Hermanus-Hermanus
Date: Monday, March 18th
Start: Hermanus
Goal: Hermanus
Length: 112km
Altitude: 2.700hm
Rating: 4/5
The full potential of the drivers is demanded from the first stage of the race. The longest stage of this year's Cape Epic awaits and with a total of 2.700 meters in altitude and countless steep climbs, it is also one of the most demanding. It's especially difficult for those in the field who haven't had the opportunity to build up their form so early in the season - if you don't get on well here you can lose a lot of time on the competition. So there should be excitement right from the start.
Cape Epic 2019: Stage #2 - Hermanus-Oak Valley
Date: Tuesday, March 19th
Start: Hermanus
Goal: Oak Valley
Length: 86km
Altitude: 2.250hm
Rating: 3.5/5
One is tempted to narrow stage two down to the tricky Wildekrans Tokoloshe climb, which should see riders rack up 6+ climbs in less than 500km and pump lactate into their thighs. But even before this climb in the last third of the day, some difficulties have to be overcome. The riders should have gotten used to the sweltering heat and dusty conditions by now, but the constant ups and downs should start to take a toll on some riders.
Cape Epic 2019: Stage #3 - Oak Valley-Oak Valley
Date: Wednesday March 20th
Start: Oak Valley
Goal: Oak Valley
Length: 103km
Altitude: 2.800hm
Rating: 4.5/5
As in almost every one of the 16 editions of the Cape Epic so far, the infamous Groenlandberg is of course on the program again in 2019. The way up to the highest point of this year's race starts a little more than 25km after the start and should cause some time gaps - even for the big racing favorites. However, those who have already missed their powder here should have a hard time on the remaining 65km. Above all, the immediately following technical ascent to Die Nek requires full concentration again.
Cape Epic 2019: Stage #4 - Oak Valley-Oak Valley
Date: Thursday, March 21th
Start: Oak Valley
Goal: Oak Valley
Length: 43km
Altitude: 1.000hm
Rating: 3/5
The slightly more than 40 km long time trial at the halfway point of this year's Cape Epics will cause burning thighs, because even without significant climbs, the starters collect a whopping 1.000 vertical meters on the undulating terrain criss-crossed by single trails. The fact that after crossing the finish line there are still a few hours left for regeneration, a massage, etc., should be just right after the strenuous last few days and the upcoming king's stage. For those competing for the overall standings, however, the time trial is, as every year, both an opportunity and a risk – no mistakes!
Cape Epic 2019: Stage #5 - Oak Valley-Stellenbosch
Date: Friday March 22th
Start: Oak Valley
Goal: Stellenbosch
Length: 100km
Altitude: 2.850hm
Rating: 5/5
Time for the Cape Epic Queen Stage 2019! With almost 3.000 meters in altitude over just 100km, it is not too unlikely that the overall victory will be (preliminarily) decided today at the latest. The high proportion of trails demands full concentration, even when your pulse is at your limit and your thighs are burning. Speaking of thighs: The Kings Climb is another brutal test in the last third of the day, which is followed directly by the tricky Helderberg Trails.
Cape Epic 2019: Stage #6 - Stellenbosch-Stellenbosch
Date: Saturday March 23th
Start: Stellenbosch
Goal: Stellenbosch
Length: 89km
Altitude: 2.650hm
Rating: 4/5
Trail fireworks await the riders on the penultimate day of this year's Epic. The route planners have chosen the most beautiful sections around the MTB Eldorado of Stellenbosch. Anyone who doesn't ski for every second can have a lot of fun here today - for everyone else it's once again about full concentration and not risking any unnecessary falls. A classic "here the race can not be won but lost" stage.
Cape Epic 2019: Stage #7 - Stellenbosch-Val de Vie
Date: Saturday March 23th
Start: Stellenbosch
Goal: Val de Vie
Length: 70km
Altitude: 1.800hm
Rating: 3.5/5
On the final 70km to Val de Vie, there could still be decisive shifts in the overall ranking. While the stage doesn't have any monstrous climbs or breakneck trails, there are still plenty of opportunities for attacks before it flattens out with 15km to go and every single starter can be proud of having brought the 2019 Epic to the finish.
Leave a Comment