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Here we are again, Cape Epic Prologue day.... full on stage race.
Anyone else watching throughout the week or racing? Good field of top line racers so should offer an exciting weeks racing....
Sabine Spitz and Bart Bretjens on commentary instead of Anika Langvad who is expecting a baby later this year...
Waves
Yeah, iPad will be on my desk playing in the background all week 👍
Yep, will be watching. Prologue coverage seemed a little patchy at time today on the Cape Epic website, but hopefully will be better through the rest of the week. It's one of those events like the Grand Tours where the racing is great, but there's some genuinely stunning scenery too.
Chap from our club is doing it: Jason Bouttell.
Surprised this hasnt had more traction. Incredible 25min DH at the tail end of todays stage, looks absolutely amazing. Top teams are absolutely hauling on these bits (Said it loads of times, but I'd love to see Nino enter an EWS, he is stunning to watch on the tech stuff).
Doing 3 hours of full tilt proper trail riding, and still finishing like a TdF Champs Elysee leadout freight train is incredible, they are absolutely flying at the end, I'd love to see power meter stats.
I had to step into a meeting just as they started this section.. its going to be my evenings catch-up viewing...
Good going for WBR after two mechanicals and losing 2 mins each time. Top three teams all very close...... Great racing.
I'm fortunate in working on the Swiss Epic and 4Islands each year... they are fantastic events.
I remember you mentioning that @rickmeister , I would love to do one of those events (the croatia boat trip sounds incredible) , if I could just find someone else to do it with!
Chap from our club is doing it: Jason Bouttell.
Yeah, he's doing rather well too given who he is up against.
A guy from our riding group did it last year - one of the big challenges as a privateer is getting quality food and water to avoid getting food poisoning - he succumbed to this and it wiped him out.
Another mate was the mechanic on a team there another year and he said the same thing, it was like watching the D&V lurgee doing the rounds.
May depend on what package you buy into price wise.
Getting your rest was another challenge at the end of each stage.
I'm sure N1no doesn't have these issues within his team.
@snotrag
There is usually an opportunity to pair up with riders who are looking for partners.... I thought that this was mentioned on the app or the website. If you are in a position to go for it, I can ask for you if you like.... Not long to 4islands now...
I’m sure N1no doesn’t have these issues within his team.
Has his own house plus staff plus a helicopter to whisk him back as soon as he finishes.
Plus whole support team on the course.
Yes - been great so far - Nino never seems to have any luck at this race, does he ?
Guy from our club was doing it but freak accident at the finish line on the 1st stage left him with a punctured lung & 2 broken ribs - really feel for him & his partner as they'd both put in a huge amount of training...gutting !
And Howard Grotts is brill 🙂
they’d both put in a huge amount of training…gutting !
And money, guy from our club has paid £4k for entry, flights, accom etc.
He's a sponsored Elite, but that basically covers free bike and tyres (Schwalbe is the sponser), but no race costs.
They've had to hire someone to do bottle hand outs at feed stations as well.
4k entry doesn't get you a feed station for everyone?
That's crazy.
Proper Highlights! Seems like a rare thing
4k does get a feed station open for all but top riders have their own prepped bottles and someone to hand them out so they can keep rolling and not stop.
I've done it twice (a few years ago now) but it is incredibly well organised. You get looked after like a professional athlete from the moment you sign on, there is plenty of good and varied food for breakfast and dinner at the race village, plus there are refreshment points for everyone on each day's route. Water is brought in from the Coca-Cola plant to be single source and avoid the risk of contamination; but you are talking about 1200 riders in close proximity plus all of the support crew so if someone is poorly then there is a strong chance it will spread.
Cost to enter has risen considerably since the first year I did it. In part because it's oversubscribed and they can, but then it was bought out by IronMan and as a more corporate organisation, is also trying to turn a profit. The event is big; through entry fees, publicity, sponsorship it does contribute to a number of charitable groups/programes in the area, and of course the arrival of so many riders and supporters in the area helps drive the local economies too, albeit for a short period.
The heat this year and the very dry/dusty conditions have made it hard for many people. Most of the riders will be taking 50-100% more time to finish a stage than the leaders so they're exposed to the conditions for longer and recovery time is shorter.
It's still on my list of things to go and do again sometime - it's brilliant!
Chap from our club is doing it: Jason Bouttell.
This name is famous in my old riding group as the KOM of all Afan climbs!
4k entry doesn’t get you a feed station for everyone?
Sorry that was £4k for (Entry + flights + accom) ie the total cost to race the event.
Not £4k just for the entry ticket...
And that's per person, so if one rider gets injured on day 1, as above, the pair have just spent £8k to watch other people ride...
If one of the pair drops out, the other can still ride (they will usually pair you with another person who in similar circumstances) and your times will be logged but you won't be classified in the main categories. While it would be gutting to lose your race partner, you could still enjoy the trails and the competition.
Entry per person to include accommodation, food, broom wagon etc is now around $4,000 (that's USD, not GBP). You can add better accommodation, massage, drinks service etc should you wish. However add in flights, accommodation either side of the event, bits of kit for you and geting the bike in tip top shape and it's an expensive trip.
To give you an idea of cost increase - in 2008 entry was around £450 per person; about the same as the 2008 Trans Wales (for those who did that event, it will bring back many nightmares 🙂 )
If one gets injured in any of the Epic series races then the able rider can continue under a different coloured plate, but is out of GC... Lonely Leopards in Cape Epic, Swiss Epic single riders get a blue plate but can finish the route alone.
Not unusual for people to crash out on Prologue or day one... all fired up, red mist.... Air Zermatt and hospital food. A few of the Air Zermatt doctors are riding motorcycles in amongst everything going on.