Cape Epic
The Cape Epic is a year in South Africa ( Western Cape ) take -find mountain bike stage race and will take place in the international calendar of the International Cycling Union.
Held for the first time in 2004, the race usually goes more than 700 km and lasts for eight days. The Cape Epic attracts top riders from all over the world. It may also participate Amateurs, wherein the subscriber will be drawn. Every day is gone a stage. To determine the winner in each category, the times of all stages are added together at the end of the race. The route changes every year, but the goal is always in the wine region of the Western Cape. Since 2007 is the culmination of the last stage in Lourensford Wine Estate. The Cape Epic was once described by Bart Brentjens ( Olympic champion in mountain biking 1996) as " The Tour de France of mountain biking ".
Origins
After founder Kevin Vermaak 2002 ended the Ruta del Conquistadores in Costa Rica, he left London and went to Cape Town. There he was planning an event similar to the La Ruta, which enables drivers to experience the scenic beauty of South Africa.
Racing concept
Two-person team All drivers must compete in a two-person team. The Teams register in one of five different categories (Men, Ladies, Mixed, Masters or Grand Masters). Originally, the concept of teams was developed because the stage race, the driver performs very remote areas. To have partners who have to care for each other by the regulations, fulfills a useful security option. The distance between the drivers of each team must not exceed two minutes during the race, otherwise a penalty is imposed by an hour.
Categories and jerseys of leaders All drivers are eager to win stages, but mostly they want to win in their category. There are five categories: Men, Ladies, Mixed (a woman and a man ), Masters ( both riders must be received by December 31 of the year 40 years or older ) and Grand Masters ( both riders must be at least 50 years old). The color of the jersey displays the category of leaders. Yellow: Men, rust-colored: Ladies, green: Mixed, blue: Masters and pink: Grand Masters. The leaders in each category are determined by summing the times a team in the daily stages. The team with the fastest total time will receive at the end of each stage ceremoniously handed over the jerseys and to compete in these jerseys at the next stage.