Cape Epic 2024: All the info on the world's toughest MTB race - with daily updates!

Seven daily stages, 613 kilometres and an impressive 17,000 metres in altitude: The 20th ABSA Cape Epic will once again more than live up to the legendary status of the South African stage race. The race is run in teams of two, but the athletes - 2 men, 2 women or mixed teams - must always stay close together over the distance. The winners are not necessarily the fastest, but above all the teams that harmonise perfectly together.

The Cape Epic winners list is an impressive catalogue of the elite in mountain bike marathon racing, but Karl Platt (45) stands out with his five victories (record) in the men's category. Karl is the only participant to have taken part in all editions of the race and has enjoyed success over the years: he triumphed at the very first Cape Epic as well as in 2016. In 2022 and 2023, Karl Platt also secured two Masters titles. Together with his Spanish partner Tomás Misser (49), he also wants to repeat last year's success in the anniversary year of 2024.

And also the world's best mountain biker of all time, Nino Schurter (SUI) (multiple Olympic champion, world champion, overall World Cup winner in the Cross Country discipline and two-time Cape Epic winner) is back. He rides in the team with Sebastian Fini (DEN) (two-time European runner-up). The German Andreas Seewald (German Marathon Champion 2023, Marathon World Champion 2021) will be at the start with his team-mate Martin Stosek (CZE) (marathon vice world champion) and the two German Lukas Baum (Cape Epic winner 2022, bronze at the 2023 Marathon World Championships) and Georg Egger (Cape Epic winner 2022). Last year's winner, Matthew Beers (RSA) (Cape Epic winner 2021, 2023) and Howard Grotts (USA) (4-time national champion & Cape Epic winner 2018) will compete against the world's best riders in the UCI Men category.

The women are the main favourites to win: Monika Mitterwallner (AUT), the current world champion in the mountain bike marathon, and her team-mate Candice Lill (RSA), who won the silver medal at the 2023 World Marathon Championships, and last year's winners Vera Looser (NAM) together with her new partner Alexis Skarda (USA).

Nino Schurter: N1NO's SCOTT Spark RC Cape Epic Special Edition in pictures

With an early start to the MTB World Cup season, Nino Schurter will compete at the Cape Epic together with his friend Sebastian Fini (Lapierre-Mavic Unity) and form a team under the colours of the World Bicycle Relief.

The toughest MTB stage race in the world requires a special bike. N1NO will be racing with a special edition of the Scott Spark RC. The race bike features a unique design inspired by the South African national colours and has an optimised configuration for the rough South African terrain, equipped with the brand new Rockshox Flight Attendant XC suspension systemand other special highlights. But that's not all. Scott Sports has also teamed up with World Bicycle Relief for a raffle where you can win a replica of N1NO's Cape Epic bike to support WBR's mission. All information can be found here: viprize.org/nino

The N1No SCOTT Spark RC: Details of Nino Schurter's Cape Epic bike

• Frame: SCOTT Spark RC Carbon HMX Custom
• Fork: ROCKSHOX SID Ultimate Flight Attendant
• Damper: ROCKSHOX SIDLuxe Ultimate Flight Attendant Custom
• Remote control: SRAM AXS Pod Ultimate Controller
• Handlebars: SYNCROS FRASER IC SL WC / -40° / 80mm / 700mm
• Computer holder: SYNCROS XC Top Cap Computer Mount
• Seat post: ROCKSHOX Reverb AXS 100mm, titanium bolts
• Saddle: SYNCROS Tofino Regular SL Channel
• Handle: SYNCROS silicone
• Pedals: HT COMPONENTS M2 Titanium
• Rear derailleurSRAM XX SL EAGLE Transmission AXS 12Speed
• Gear lever: SRAM AXS Pod Ultimate Controller
• Crankset: SRAM XX SL Eagle Transmission Power Meter, 170mm / 38T chainring
• Chain: SRAM XX SL Eagle Transmission Chain
• Cassette: SRAM XX SL CS-1299 Eagle Transmission / 10 -52T
• Brakes: SRAM LEVEL Ultimate Stealth 4 pistons
• Wheels: SYNCROS SILVERTON 1.0s
• Tyres: MAXXIS Aspen2.4 CapeEpic Version
• Bottle holder: TOPEAK ShuttleCage Z Recycled Carbon
• Computer: GARMIN Edge130 Plus
• Tyre sealantOKO Magic Milk High Fibre
• PumpTOPEAK RaceRocket MT
• CO2 inflatorTOPEAK Airbooster
• SaddlebagTOPEAK Burrito Pack

Bulls with a strong duo at Cape Epic and a new race bike: Wild Edge Team 2025

Team Bulls will once again line up with an impressive duo: 26-year-old Simon Schneller from the Black Forest and 38-year-old Swiss rider Urs Huber, who already stood at the top of the podium in 2016 together with Karl Platt. Their big advantage is a "motivational secret weapon": They are riding the new Bulls Wild Edge Team, which features a completely newly developed frame made from "Superlite Carbon Fibre".

"The new Wild Edge is a racing machine that is clearly trimmed for performance and speed", says Bulls brand manager Friedemann Schmude about the new racing bike, which was also developed with feedback from racers. More information about the new Wild Edge Team is not yet available. The race fully will first be shown to the public at Eurobike in Frankfurt in July and will be available at dealers from the end of 2024.

Georg Egger and Lukas Baum: How they experienced the 2023 race

Georg Egger and Lukas Baum (bronze at the 2023 Marathon World Championships) from Team Speed Company Racing sensationally won the Cape Epic in 2022 and came second in 2023. This video gives an unvarnished, mud-smeared, humorous insight into what happened behind the scenes of the race in 2023.

BIKE at the Cape Epic 2024: 16 March - Registration & orientation

"Cape Epic" - a legend. Over 700 teams have registered, a colourful mix of top riders such as Nino Schurter, Karl Platt, Lukas Baum, Georg Egger, Andreas Seewald, Simon Schneller, Simon Stiebjahn and Jakob Hartmann or, for the women, Mona Mitterwallner, Nicole Koller or Laura Stark, together with hundreds of amateurs and masters. BIKE will be joined on the bike by Dresden journalist and filmmaker Markus Weinberg. He will be reporting here daily after the stages.

The Saturday before the start day is all about registration. For the newbies among the participants, i.e. those taking part for the first time, it's a little marathon of orientation. What is available where? Check in, race number, starter bag, transport box or other additional services such as laundry bags, bottle service, etc. You have to queue everywhere - check in. It's easy to lose track of things. And yet the place exudes enthusiasm. People greet each other, high-five each other, stand together. A big hello from the bike community.

In 2024, the prologue starts in the middle of a wine estate in Lourendsford, 40 kilometres south-east of Cape Town. The start and finish for the following day have already been set up on the meadow, the helicopters are ready and one rider after another is returning to the village from a test ride on the prologue route. Almost 26 kilometres with 700 metres of elevation gain are on the agenda for the start.

What is missing: the tent city for the riders, who are traditionally to be found in the Race Village. Immediately after the prologue on Sunday morning, there is a 100-kilometre transfer for the entire entourage to the north, to Tulbag, where the first real stage will start on Monday.

Here is the first video from our Cape Epic reporter Markus Weinberg with a short interview with Karl Platt, Simon Schneller and the two other German teams Paul Häuser/Niclas Ranker and Aaron Wilhelmi/Noah Jung.

17 March - Prologue: Nino Schurter unpacked it straight away

The first day of the race as a "Cape Epic newbie" - exciting. Unlike the next few days, today the pros start at the end of the prologue, so that we, as normal starters, were able to enjoy the finish after the finish. Because the question was: who would win the first yellow jersey of the 20th anniversary edition? But right from the start.

The prologue was run in time trial mode. Everyone had the privilege of standing on the start ramp once. The start and finish lanes in front of them and the mountains on the horizon. 700 metres in altitude and 26 kilometres at full throttle through the Lourensford Wine Estate. The vineyard is a considerable size and is dotted with trails, more than half of which were uphill and downhill. With a starting interval of 25 seconds, there was bound to be some congestion on the narrow sections. Even former champion and five-time winner Karl Platt would have liked a little more freedom on the descents - no wonder, his Spanish team partner is also a living downhill legend - Tomás Vilaseca.

Those who were lucky or unlucky enough to be first on the ramp at 6.45am didn't have to deal with the 35 degree midday heat - Lukas Baum, overall winner with Georg Egger from 2022, summarised that the heat was getting to them and they had to take it easy. Baum: "Maybe not such a bad thing if we don't blow it all out on the first day" (the full interview in the video below). Nevertheless, the bottom line was a 6th place with 1:05:25 h. The Swiss winner Nino Schurter with team partner Sebastian Fini were the measure of all things with a time of 1:02:38 h and relegated last year's winner Matthew Beers with his new team partner Howard Grotts to second place (1:03:29 h).

In the women's race, the favourite team of Anne Terpstra and Nicole Koller (1:14:45 h) left nothing to chance and relegated Mona Mitterwallner and Candice Lill (1:15:50 h) to second place.

Cape Epic - but where is the start here?

For me as a newbie in the race, however, I first had to take care of mundane things before the start. Where should I put my bag? What about the 100 kilometre transfer after the prologue to the start of the first real stage tomorrow? Milk for the tyres was also forgotten, so where is the workshop tent?

All questions that the professionals don't have to worry about. Many other teams also bring their own support staff, sleep in campers or stay in local hotels. However, I, the BIKE Cape Epic reporter and participant, have booked the tent package with my team partner Udo Müller. No advantages, but the full South African experience package, of which a small impression finds its way from South Africa to this page every day.

At some point, however, everyone's orientation problems are solved and the really exemplary clean sanitary facilities are visited several times. Until it's finally: 10, 9, 8, ... 3, 2, 1 - Goooo! Head off - legs on and the dusty trails up the mountain and back down again. That's what we all do together for the next seven days.

Reaching the first destination is also something special. The tension falls away and what seemed confusing before becomes a little clearer. Water, food, bike wash - everything was available after the finish line and the finish of the pros was not long in coming, thanks to the late start time. The first slight sunburn was free of charge. A problem that will be solved for tomorrow!

18 March - Stage 1: Single trails and hunger pangs

It is still dark outside as music plays over the drivers' tent camp. Five o'clock general wake-up call and breakfast in the nearby marquee. The start is generally early in the day and, unlike yesterday's prologue, the professional men and women have to start first - at 7am. Before the starting blocks follow from 7.15 a.m. at 5-minute intervals.

One thing you have to give the Cape Epic organisers credit for - there are no traffic jams anywhere in the course, except on the narrow trails, but at breakfast, showers, toilets... no matter where, everything runs like clockwork. And what better way to start a race day than with a good breakfast and, above all, without getting stressed because you're still stuck in some queue.

The bikes spent the night in the well-guarded car park, where the really numerous helpers from the prologue brought them there themselves, freshly cleaned. The only thing you have to think about yourself is the batteries for the gears or the sat nav - but this is usually also pointed out. Ultimately, we racers only need to look after ourselves.

Stage 1 - Cape Epic: start with 2450 metres in altitude

The first stage today is a tough one: 88 kilometres and 2450 metres in altitude are in the race log. A perfect start, as there are four mountains in the way to the finish line. We are warned that after the first 20 flat kilometres of the race on slightly wider paths, you don't really leave the trails. A South African privilege, it seems. But this also means that it is technically challenging and you always have to be very careful. The surface is often a mixture of clay, sand and stones. As a result, there were a few crashes along the way.

Together with my team-mate Udo Müller (Team Collos), I have start number 186, so we'll be rolling off in starting block C at 7.25am. But the devil is in the detail. We newbies didn't realise that you have to pick up a transponder every day before the start... So we are the last to roll through the impressive start-finish area with the big group.

The first hill after around 20 kilometres was an uphill trail. In the serpentines, a short acceleration and just don't keep pedalling - I realise early on that I need to save energy. At this point, I didn't realise that the day would become very unpleasant for me from kilometre 55 onwards. I fall into a kind of hunger pangs, get cramps while my team-mate rides cheerfully next to me, chatting away in the lower heart rate range. Only on the descents are we hardly ever overtaken. This is because the descents are almost exclusively - as you would expect - on technically challenging trails. We had to let team and team go on the last two hills and we certainly lost almost an hour. That's the way it is sometimes - a non-form and a really bad day come together. Normally I know my body well enough after 20 years of racing on the road, MTB and gravel bike to avoid such moments.

At some point, the finish line is reached and once again full service is provided. The bikes are taken directly to the bike wash and a kind of finisher's lunge is set up in the tent next door, where there is a meal, drinks and, above all, shade for everyone. After an hour's regeneration sleep in the too-hot tent, the media lunge is a more pleasant place.

Pro winners of the day: Terpstra / Koller (women) and Alleman / Becking (men)

The pros also rode a tough race. The 2023 European champion Wout Alleman and Hans Becking (Team Buff Megamo / start number 7) win in 3:38:48 h, two seconds ahead of the prologue winners Nino Schurter and team partner Sebastian Fini, who are wearing the World Bicycle Relief jersey at the 20th anniversary edition of the Cape Epic. Last year's winners Matthew Beers / Howard Grotts (Toyota-Specialised-NinetyOne / start number 1) completed the podium 21 seconds later.

The 2022 Cape Epic winners Lukas Baum and Georg Egger (Orbea Leatt Speed Company / start number 10) crossed the finish line 4:02 minutes behind. While they were still in the lead at the second split time of the day, at kilometre 44, they finished in fifth place in the final standings. Simon Stiebjahn and Jakob Hartmann (Singer Racing / start number 5) were still in 15th place at the kilometre mark, but worked their way up to 7th place by the finish, together with Andreas Seewald and Marc Stutzmann (start number 4) from Team Canyon SIDI, who crossed the finish line half a minute behind in 8th place.

Anne Terpstra and Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing / start number 63) take their second win in a row after 4:25:42 hours. Just one second behind them, the Cannondale Factory Racing Team sprinted to second place with Austrian Mona Mitterwallner and Candice Lill (start number 62). The podium was completed by the Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne Team Sofia Gomez Villafane and Samara Sheppard after 4:30:43 h - they were still in the lead at the intermediate time at kilometre 57. The German-South African team Laura Stark and Ila Stow (Fortress Women / star number 7) finished in 9th place with a time of 5:02:46.

Former champion and six-time Epic winner Karl Platt and team-mate Tomás Vilaseca (Bulls Masters / start number 92) won the Masters category after 4:02:06 h, which corresponds to 28th place in the overall standings.

19 March - Stage 2: Nicole Koller in an interview & lots of crashes at Ouplaas and Wakkerstroon

Day 3 on the Epic - Stage 2. Can we already talk about routine? For me as a travelling reporter, it almost felt that way. The rider camp is becoming more manageable and the fellow riders are also more relaxed than on the first day. How do you notice that? Almost everyone sleeps at least half an hour longer, so the alarm clock didn't ring until 5.30am. Two hours until the start is plenty of time, especially with the short distances and non-existent queues.

Enough time to have a splinter pulled out of my finger, which I couldn't get out myself. The doctor in the medical tent said almost apologetically - because paperwork is a must: "We make a big case out of this." This was more or less what I had thought - a small thing - big effort. And yet there was still time for me to watch the start of the pro race at 7am today.

At 7.30 a.m., it was time for starting block D, which I had slipped into with my team partner Udo. Today could only get better - hopefully. I was a little afraid of falling into another hole like yesterday. After all, there's hardly any recovery on these tough trails, and that would mean suffering all the time again.

Unfunny in the Witzenberg valley

The motto that the Cape Epic has given itself fits in with this - Untamed. At least that applies to today's route: the course director has promised the peloton 97 kilometres and 2200 metres of altitude. 10 kilometres after the start, the riders were supposed to climb an 800-metre mountain and then onto a small plateau. Almost like a large volcanic crater, which we circumnavigated on the inside of its valley edge - the Witzenberg Valley. Even on the way up, all the riders realised that this was not going to be an easy day. The wagon trail was rocky, slightly bumpy and narrow. Overtaking was usually out of the question and 800 metres in altitude were once again on the agenda as the final ascent at the end of the day. In the Witzenberg valley itself, a colourful alternation of single trails with exciting names such as: Ouplaas, Wakkerstroon, Slagboom and Welgemeen, occasionally interspersed with farm roads or directly between the rows of vineyards or apple orchards.

While it was still pleasantly shady on the morning climb, there was no sign of it in the valley. The heat was relentless. At the third refreshment point at kilometre 70, it was simply a case of taking a cold shower and cooling down. I didn't want to eat or drink any more. My circulation only normalised on the climb out of the valley.

A 17-kilometre-long undulating and extremely rocky single trail awaited us before the refreshment point. It went up and down rocky ramps, through stone passages and scree fields. If you let it roll too much in the bends, you risked falling on your nose. Often, a sandy section awaits right then. In addition to the legs, the forearms, hands and fingers were just as much in demand. Many participants fell. No matter where you looked at the finish line: bandages, wounds, bruises. One moment of inattention and it's over!

My summary of the day: I was spared a disaster, regularity, the odd push from my team partner Udo and plenty to eat and drink right from the start. Our riding time at the end: 5:58 h.

Cape Epic of the pros: Terpstra/Koller and Alleman/Becking take the next stage

The pros, on the other hand, were much faster: Anne Terpstra and Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing) are the measure of all things in the women's race. After 5:11:00 h they won their next stage, again closely followed by Mona Mitterwallner and Candice Lill (Cannondale Factory Racing) 7 seconds later. Another 18 seconds later, Sofia Gomez Villafane and Samara Sheppard (Toyota-Specialised-NinetyOne Team) completed the podium - just like yesterday.

The winning time for the men was 4:05:22 h! Wout Alleman and Hans Becking (Team Buff Megamo) secured the second stage in a row ahead of Nino Schurter and Sebastian Fini (World Bicycle Relief). Only the gap was much clearer at 2:02 minutes. The German duo Lukas Baum and Georg Egger (Orbea Leatt Speed Company) fought their way into third place, just another 5 seconds behind.

20th March - Stage 3: Markus' spoke breaks - new and old athletes triumph in the pro ranks

Day 4 on the Epic and mountain festival. However, we can only celebrate this after stage 3 - if we still have any strength left. For the organisers, today is a transition stage, but my legs tell a different story. 2100 metres of elevation gain spread over 94 kilometres is a real challenge, with steadily rising temperatures of currently over 30 degrees. It's also a transition stage because the whole group leaves the Saronsberg vineyard and finishes in Wellington. New destination, new tent city, new orientation.

Udo and I were fast enough yesterday and were allowed to start 5 minutes earlier from starting block C today. This is a small advantage, because the riding here is constant on the flat and there is less descending on the uphill trails, so you usually have a clear ride. This was also the case today: the first 15 kilometres were almost flat before the very rocky and blocked Waterval climb. It was easy to hide in the large group as the headwind blew fiercely even on the climb. If you can still slipstream at 6 km/h uphill, that must mean something.

A bang on the rear wheel and metallic grinding noises

Surprisingly, I was doing very well, so we were able to keep up with the faster people in the group. After a rough piste descent, we first went through a long stony valley, always slightly uphill to the Kluitjeiskraal. On the descent, there was a heavy bang on my rear wheel, followed by metallic grinding noises. What a shock! A stone had jumped into my rear wheel and knocked out a spoke. A defect like that can mean the end. Udo remained calm. A quick stop, spoke out and a clear message to me: "You're not riding over any more big stones today." - That's right! A stroke of luck. The whole thing happened so quickly that at the end of the fast stone descent - I felt like I rolled over a million more stones - we were even back in our group.

The refreshment zones are always a matter of their own. Some people speed through them, others just throw their bikes in the way or even better, knock over the drinks stand, while others take it easy. We are somewhere in between, although we tend to be calmer and also stop. What can you do when the bottles are empty?
The first real tarmac climb of the race up to Bainskloof took us over a long sandy stretch like a beach. A group of Colombians pedalled up at a very brisk pace, chatting casually, so much so that I felt like I was standing up just before the top of the pass. The famous 1% too fast, which is hard to recover from. From now on, all I had to do was make it to the finish and not collapse completely - which I managed to do, even if one or two other teams were able to pass me.

The Wild Boar Trails awaited us in the finale. Flowing bends through dense forest, real downhill high-speed fun. However - when it's at its best, it really hurts again - the counter-climb. As on the previous days, the last few kilometres were reserved for coasting and the route once again wound its way through vineyards to the finish.
With a riding time of 5:09:27 hours, it wasn't a very short day for us either.

Cape Epic of the pros: Andi Seewald and team partner Marc Stutzmann and the Terpstra/Koller team win stage 3

The pros had it: almost an hour and a half faster at 3:40:24 h, marathon world and European champion from 2021, Andreas Seewald, took the stage win today with Swiss team partner Marc Stutzmann (Canyon SIDI). 49 seconds behind them, Matthew Beers and Howard Grotts (Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne) sprinted to second place, immediately followed by the German duo Lukas Baum and Georg Egger (ORBEA Leatt Speed Company). Wout Alleman and Hans Becking (Team Buff Megamo) will keep the yellow jersey they won yesterday in 4th place for tomorrow's 4th stage.

In the women's race, the result was similar to the previous days. Anne Terpstra and Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing) won after 4:31:27 hours, 1:16 minutes ahead of Mona Mitterwallner and Candice Lill (Cannondale Factory Racing). Once again, Sofia Gomez Villafane and Samara Sheppard (Toyota-Specialised-NinetyOne Team) finished a close third. As it could not be otherwise - after four wins in a row, the women's orange leader's jersey remains on the shoulders of Anne Terpstra and Nicole Koller.

Even as I'm typing these lines at the finish, the news for the riders arrives: due to the extreme heat of up to 40 degrees in the shade, tomorrow's stage will be shortened from 88 kilometres to 77, reducing the 3300 metres of climbing to 2550.

21 March - Stage 4: Barbecuing at 45 degrees in the shade

South Africa loves barbecues. We participants in the Cape Epic seem to have misunderstood this, because today we were on the barbecue ourselves. The queen's stage was shortened so that we could reach the finish line at what felt like 45 degrees. Nevertheless, there were 2500 metres of climbing and 73 kilometres on the clock. But it was really worth it - from my point of view, of course. We were served three climbs as a warm-up before the actual climbing highlight: the never-ending serpentines of Aap d'Huez and Cliff Hanger - 800 metres in altitude in one go, mostly through shady forest.

What followed was probably the most exciting descent I have ever ridden: from Cliff Hanger down to Route 66. Narrow switchbacks from the cliff ridge lead to a path below the rock face into a forest, where over 15 kilometres of flow trails alternated with rough sections. Alone, I had to slow down every now and then, this time not because of my legs, my hands didn't want to. In the end, an amazing stage - there's no other way to put it!

Cape Epic of the pros

The fastest of the fourth stage: Nino Schurter and Sebastian Fini (World Bicycle Relief) win 3:22:39 h in a sprint against the wearers of the yellow leader jersey Matthew Beers and Howard Grotts (Toyota-Specialised-NinetyOne). 1:10 minutes behind the previous day's winners Andreas Seewald with his Swiss team partner Marc Stutzmann (Canyon SIDI).

In the women's race, the picture was similar to the last few days - the three leading teams arrived almost together, only one detail was different: second and third place swapped places: Anne Terpstra and Nicole Koller (GHOST Factory Racing) win after 4:08:50 h with 2 seconds ahead of Sofia Gomez Villafane and Samara Sheppard (Toyota-Specialised-NinetyOne Team) and Mona Mitterwallner and Candice Lill (Cannondale Factory Racing) who follow at the same time.

22 March - Stage 5: A trail firework called Roller Coaster, Happy Hog, Dirty Dancing, True Grit

Open fire. Probably the fastest stage of the Cape Epic 2024 was on the programme. Lots of waves to push over and three shorter mountains, two of which - how could it be otherwise - were trail climbs over what felt like a hundred hairpin bends. All in all: 1750 metres in altitude spread over 70 kilometres. One last time around the village of Wellington today. It's unbelievable how many single tracks there are here with exciting names like Roller Coaster, Happy Hog, Dirty Dancing, True Grit.

The race has become noticeably more routine. Less hectic before and during the stages. The starting blocks are distributed to the racers according to the overall classification, so that there are fairly evenly strong groups on the road. Udo and I rode into starting block B and decided to do a bit of bike racing today: Not to take it easy today, but to see what we could do. That went well until 15 kilometres before the finish, then I burst. Well, half burst - which means that I had to let our group of the day go on the last climb and we crossed the finish line in 3:44:31. Still our best performance so far!

At the end of the stage, large buses were waiting to transfer the entire field to Stellenbosch, 40 kilometres away. Another tent city was already waiting at the cricket station - and the participants' bags. What a logistical effort! The last two days lead around the well-known university town of Stellenbosch. Its reputation as an MTB hotspot precedes it. We'll know more tomorrow.

Cape Epic of the pros: Anne/Koller continue to lead & overall leading men take their first stage win

In the women's race, the usual order was restored today. Anne Terpstra and Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Racing) win after 3:21:52 h, 20 seconds ahead of Mona Mitterwallner and Candice Lill (Cannondale Factory Racing), followed by Sofia Gomez Villafane and Samara Sheppard (Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne Team) with 3:25:35 h.

The overall leaders in the men's classification, Matthew Beers and Howard Grotts (Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne), also took their first stage win today after 2:46:09 hours. Andreas Seewald and Marc Stutzmann (Canyon SIDI) underlined their strong form with a second place, 12 seconds behind. Nino Schurter and Sebastian Fini (World Bicycle Relief) raced to third place today with 2:47:06 h.

23 March - Stage 6: Surprising rain and a new team on the day's podium

Surprise on the morning of the sixth Cape Epic stage. It's raining and well below 20 degrees. The participants are freezing in the starting blocks - despite their jackets. We joke: German weather at last. However, the stage commands our respect. It is supposed to cover 88 kilometres and 2400 metres in altitude around Stellenbosch. Almost exclusively on trails, of course. That's not much fun any more. It's the penultimate day and our strength and concentration are slowly dwindling. The field of riders has thinned out considerably and many have wounds from the crashes of the last few days. We've made good progress so far and are trying to save our reserves for the long and difficult descents. Something I'm not used to at home. The downhills are simply too short or not hard enough.

In the meantime, the field has grown together noticeably and you always meet other German starters. Whether a group from 'Grenzbereich' from Würzburg, 'Bike und Surf' from Munich or former professionals such as Regina Marunde (German champion and Bundesliga winner 1996/97 in cross country) or Tour de France participant Eva Lutz. If you're not travelling in an oxygen-deprived area, it's enough for a short race chat. The atmosphere at the finish is correspondingly relaxed. "How did it go today?", "Did you get through okay?", or "That hurt?".

It definitely hurt today. A wavy profile, always up and down. Short, steep ramps followed by long descents. Track parties in several places and lots of spectators who have travelled here for the weekend. Tomorrow there will be a worthy finale around Stellenbosch - but until then it's all about resting and regaining strength. The pros have more time for this, as they usually finish after 3 - 4 hours.

Cape Epic of the pros: Rabensteiner/Porro in 2nd place for the first time - Terpstra/Koller continue to dominate the women's race

The men's overall leaders Matthew Beers and Howard Grotts (Toyota-Specialized-NinetyOne) won today for the second time in a row in 3:46:48 hours. The Italian duo Fabian Rabensteiner and Samuele Porro finished on the day's podium for the first time 41 seconds later. Hans Becking and Wout Alleman (Buff Megamo) crossed the finish line at Stellenbosch Cricket Station 1:51 minutes behind.

In the women's race - how could it be otherwise - everything is the same. Anne Terpstra and Nicole Koller (GHOST Factory Racing) win again and confidently after 4:30:39h with a 1 minute lead over Mona Mitterwallner and Candice Lill (Cannondale Factory Racing) followed by Sofia Gomez Villafane and Samara Sheppard (Toyota-Specialised-NinetyOne Team) with a clear 10:16 min gap today.

24 March - Final/Stage 7

Untamed - untamed - that's the motto of the Cape Epic: the 20th anniversary edition of this MTB race was definitely that. My first participation and the expectations were exceeded. The routes, the almost seamless organisation and my own body. Everything played along. The new Cape Epic organiser, Jonathan Meintjes, also told me yesterday that their concept was a complete success. For the first time ever, the field of riders had a Transfer - after stage 5 from Wellington to Stellenbosch and never before has the final stage had the same start and finish in the history of the Tour - in Stellenbosch. One goal for the coming years: to develop the tour even more into a spectator event. You could already feel it on the final stage. There were always spectators along the route and motivating cheers. When your legs are aching and your head is already half on the handlebars, it's a very welcome boost.

65 kilometres and another 2,000 metres in altitude awaited us on the final lap around Stellenbosch. We were at the start at 7 a.m. on the dot with a few other participants - we hadn't realised that the last day would start an hour later. I went straight back into the tent in full kit and took a power nap for another half hour - it seems to have worked. It worked today. For the first time, my team partner Udo and I fired from the front of starting block B into the mountains and over the trails. A 78th place overall today! And at least 50 pros in front of us. That's something to be proud of. But it shouldn't go unmentioned that they still raced to the finish an hour faster. Over kilometres of trails built in bike park style, full of berms, tables, gaps, jumps, waves... a feast if you still have something left in your body and your arms and back are holding up - a torture if you're struggling to the finish line on your gums.

Once there, a wave of enthusiasm awaits all participants. Rolling through the spectator lane, across the finish line and knowing you've made it is a thrilling experience. As a team - because that's what the event is, a team event. A small course then awaits everyone, first receiving medals and surprisingly the German marathon champion Andreas Seewald and his Swiss team-mate Marc Stutzmann hang the medals around our necks - that would be such a tradition. That was cool too.

On to the finisher photo, then to the finisher T-shirt and on to the finish tent, where everyone received a small cool rucksack with food. This was the end of the race. Those who leave the finish tent are already halfway home. Many lingered for a while, waiting for their old and new friends and celebrating the shared success of having reached the finish line.

Pro riders' Cape Epic: Terpstra/Koller take the overall title in the women's race and Beers/Grotts in the men's race

There was a small surprise in the women's race today on the 7th and final stage: although Anne Terpstra and Nicole Koller (GHOST Factory Racing) won their eighth of eight stage wins in 3:32:07 h and Mona Mitterwallner and Candice Lill (Cannondale Factory Racing) followed 4:45 minutes later in second place, a new team made it onto the day's podium in third place for the first time. The Namibian Vera Looser and her American team partner Alexis Skarda (Efficient Infiniti SCB SRAM) can celebrate this success after 3:40:09 hours.

However, this no longer had any influence on the overall standings, which - like most of the day's podiums - look as follows: Anne Terpstra and Nicole Koller (GHOST Factory Racing) won in 30:56:22 h, 8:36 minutes ahead of Mona Mitterwallner and Candice Lill (Cannondale Factory Racing) and 35:48 minutes ahead of Sofia Gomez Villafane and Samara Sheppard (Toyota-Specialised-NinetyOne Team).

The last stage was also successful for the men, at least from a German perspective: Simon Schneller and his Swiss team partner Urs Huber (Bulls Mavericks) won their first stage of the tour in 2:52:08. 2:16 minutes later, Fabian Rabensteiner and Samuele Porro (Wilier Vittoria Factory) secured second place, just like the day before, followed by Matthew Beers and Howard Grotts (Toyota-Specialised-NinetyOne) with 2:55:16 h.

Third place on the day was enough for the South African-American duo to repeat their previous year's victory in the overall standings with a time of 25:22:17. The podium of the 20th Cape Epic was completed by Olympic champion Nino Schurter with Sebastian Fini (World Bicycle Relief) 11:07 minutes behind and Hans Becking and Wout Alleman (Buff Megamo) a further 29 seconds behind.

Watch the Cape Epic 2024 live - watch all stages now & here in the livestream

17 March - Prologue - 17 March - Lourensford Wine livestream

18 March - Stage 1 - 08:30 - 12:00 - Saronsberg, Tulbagh in livestream

19 March - Stage 2 - 08:30 - 12:30 - Saronsberg, Tulbagh in livestream

20 March - Stage 3 - 08:30 - 12:30 - CPUT Wellington livestream

21 March - Stage 4 - 08:30 - 12:30 - CPUT Wellington livestream

22 March - Stage 5 - 08:30 - 11:30 - CPUT Wellington livestream

23 March - Stage 6 - 08:30 - 12:30 - Stellenbosch livestream

24 March - Grand Final - 08:30 - 12:30 - Stellenbosch livestream