Dutchman Bart Brentjens, 1996 Olympic gold medallist in mountain biking and a former Absa Cape Epic winner, described the event as the “Tour de France of mountain biking.” For 2021 the event is moving entirely indoors, on Zwift!
This event lasts 4 stages, totaling 73.5km/45.7 miles with an elevation again of 789.4m/2,590’ and will be raced solely on mountain bikes. The race will also include a competition for the GC, with a leaderboard being created using ZwiftPower, keeping in the spirit of racing for the Cape Epic.
The four stages will include a TT on the second stage and span from March 7-14. There will be 3 events per day to serve worldwide timezones.
Stage Details
Race categories for the “Open” race events follow the standard ZwiftPower categorization scheme (A, B, C, and D). There are also women’s only events with their own women’s categories (A, B, C, and D).
Stage 1 p/b Oakley
- Dates: March 7/8
- Course: Whole Lotta Lava, 1 lap
- Total Distance: 17.2km / 10.7 miles
- Total Elevation: 160m / 525’
Stage 2 TT p/b Dimension Data
- Dates: March 9/10
- Course Bologna TT, 1 lap
- Total Distance: 8km / 5 miles
- Total Elevation: 230m / 755’
Stage 3 p/b ABUS
- Dates: March 11/12
- Course: Jungle Circuit Reverse, 2 laps
- Total Distance: 22km / 13.7 miles
- Total Elevation: 164m / 538’
Stage 4 – Race p/b ASSOS
- Dates: March 13/14
- Course: Serpentine 8, 1 lap
- Total Distance: 26.5km / 16.5 miles
- Total Elevation: 204.7m / 675’
Signup and event schedule at zwift.com/events/series/2021-absa-cape-epic-stage-race
Event Unlocks and Prizes
Given the scale of this event, there are of course unlocks and prizes!
- Finish Stage 1 or 2 to unlock the Absa Cape Epic kit (this looks to be the same kit awarded in 2020)
- Finish Stage 3 or 4 to unlock the Scott Spark Cape Epic custom paint job (this looks to be the same paint job awarded in 2020)
- Complete all 4 stages and get an invite into the Absa Cape Epic Pro/Am Race on March 17 (details below)
- Complete all 4 stages to be entered to win an IRL custom painted Scott Spark RC 900 team issue AXS!
Be sure to read the official rules for details.
Absa Cape Epic Exhibition Pro/Am Race
The Cape Epic is the most televised mountain bike race in the world, and in keeping with the tradition, Cape Epic is going to be televising the Absa Cape Epic Exhibition Pro/Am Race hosted on Zwift’s Serpentine 8 course on March 17th
Want to race the pros? Make sure you complete all 4 stages above so you can take part in the Pro/Am race! This will be a handicapped race, so the amateurs will start before the pro men and women, then try to stay away.
Podcast Rides
In addition, there will be Absa Cape Epic Podcast Rides presented by Payson McElveen on his Adventure Stache Podcast from March 1-6.
The podcast will be focused around the Cape Epic and the athlete’s experiences of their time at the races, including discussing the race, the racing, team dynamics, kit, preparation, and the competition in general.
Questions or Comments?
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Sounds great! Now they just need to get Zwiftpower’s sh*t together and we’re set, otherwise it’s gonna be a dumpster fire.
The Serpentine 8 event is going to be great! I’m really looking forward to 800 riders funneling into the wood tunnel and going along the cliff!
Thanks for the info Eric! During last year’s cape epic event on zwift, we were also able to unlock a kit and paint job. Have you got any info on whether this year’s kit and paint job are the same as last year’s?
Looks like the same kit and paint job as last year. Note added to the post!
Think you had the wrong link on the article. should be here: https://www.zwift.com/events/series/2021-absa-cape-epic-stage-race
Fixed!
Two thoughts:
If I was TrainerRoad I’d be scared of Zwift too! They’ve got a great product, but it wouldn’t take much for Zwift to create a similar workout library…
Seems a bit off, from the official rules:
”If the Grand Prize winner is a Canadian resident, he/she must answer unaided a time-limited arithmetic skill-testing question as a condition of winning the prize.”
That’s the joy of Canadian rules! Every Zwift giveaway has that same line…
Except if you’re from Quebec (they’re probably excluded from the contest)
The reason why Canada has that rule, whether dumb or not, I think has to do with the winner having to do something, to actually win.
Like when you open a bag of chips and find that it’s a winner. The fact that it says you won isn’t enough, and so you have to do a “skill testing” question to actually win.
If you do not have the spark MTB in your garage does that mean after doing stage 3 or 4 if the hosts are doing a frame skin you get the bike in the garage free?
If it is like last year you get the paint, but you have to buy the bike in the drop shop.
Thanks, still only use the basic MTB as the it is only good jungle so far. Not good drop spending till after everything other type of frames is upgraded. At some point intend to get a better MTB but waiting on it. Maybe zwift will have more maps for the MTB frames excel on to make them have more value at some point.
There are MTB routes in Zwift, that are not anywhere near the Jungle (or as of recently, not even in Watopia).
There’s only a handful of frames/wheels that you should buy, unless you want to buy everything. And unless you rarely use Zwift, then you’ll earn those drops back fairly quickly.
Oh wow – thanks for posting this! I misread this to mean you actually got the BIKE itself! Paint job on an expensive bike doesn’t seem that valuable (especially for the many Zwifters who aren’t Level 17 and so can’t even buy the Spark)!
Holy smokes, what an embarrassment – this has to be a joke, right?
Sounds fun, but is the “3” events per day a typo? Can’t imagine that will serve “worldwide” timezones.
I don’t see The Cape Epic in my events in zwift Companion App !?
Stage one should be only 1 lap, no 2 🙂
I cant fathom the thinking here. There is one event available at a reasonable time in South Africa (19:30), and there is a limitation of only 250 per batch! For a worldwide prestige SOUTH AFRICAN event, this is beyond daft. Why on earth arent there more time slots, especially if they are limiting batch sizes.
How is the Bologna stage a time trial if drafting is allowed?
I’m just getting in on this at stage 3. Is there a week for make up rides?
Does anyone know what time of day the Pro Am race is scheduled for on the 17th please? I’ve had a good Google around but can’t seem to find that anywhere.
Martin, I am really hoping the Pro/Am is real. I dont see the event anywhere and depending on what marketing content you read, some have the Pro/Am as a unlock for the 4 stages and some dont.
I also don’t see the event anywhere. Where do I have to look? I did 4 stages.
Do you have an answear?
Likewise David – hopefully we will hear something soon.
I cant find the Event on the list. Did you find it? I ride All the stages
The Pro Am event is on ZwiftPower – https://zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=1831010
Lots of people on Cape Epic Facebook complaining that they’ve done the 4 stages but not received an invite. Others complaining that completed 4 stages but some stages haven’t been counted.
Is this a Zwift issue or a Cape Epic issue?
no mention here or on the “official rules” that zPower racers will be disqualified!!😡
Lots of zPower riders in the Pro Am race 😠