Blog | dirtyheartmtb

Copy of Copy of D (2).png

2020 Absa Cape Epic: The Route Revealed!

2020 Absa Cape Epic: The Route Revealed!

The 2020 Absa Cape Epic will be The Race That Measures All thanks to a rugged and Untamed route. Taking in 647 kilometres and 15 550 metres of climbing it will challenge and reward on the trails from Cape Town to Val de Vie. From the 15th to the 22nd of March 2020 the Absa Cape Epic will provide 1 300 mountain bikers with their toughest mountain bike challenge of the year. Rugged mountain passes and rocky singletrack ascents though pristine fynbos await. As do sandy farm road

Absa Cape Epic - Women's Wrap Stage 5,6 & 7

Absa Cape Epic - Women's Wrap Stage 5,6 & 7

Stage 5 -100 km Oak Valley to Stellenbosch University South African Candice Lill and her German partner Adelheid Morath became the Queens of the Queen Stage when they won the 100km Stage 5 from Oak Valley Estate to StellenboschUniversity on Friday. The Summit Fin pair were able to temporarily halt the victory march of the Investec-songo-Specialized team of World Champions Annika Langvad and Anna van der Breggen who had convincingly won every other day of racing. Lill and Mora

Absa Cape Epic - Stage 3 & 4 - Women's Wrap

Absa Cape Epic - Stage 3 & 4 - Women's Wrap

Stage 3 - 107km Hermanus - Oak Valley Four-time race winner and current Absa Cape Epic Women’s category leader, Annika Langvad’s mantra for the gruelling eight-day event has always been: “Never to take anything for granted until you cross the finish line”. On Wednesday her conservative approach was once again vindicated as the second-placed team of Ariane Lüthi and Maja Wloszczowska (Kross-Spur Racing) were pretty much blown out of contention by punctures. Langvad and Anna Va

Absa Cape Epic - Stage 1 and 2 - Women's Wrap

Absa Cape Epic - Stage 1 and 2 - Women's Wrap

Stage 1 - 111km Hermanus - Hermanus There was a tacit admission from their nearest rivals that the mountain biking-road riding combination of Annika Langvad and Anna van der Breggen have already almost done enough to ensure their rivals are racing for second in the Women’s category at the Absa Cape Epic. After just two days of racing at the Absa Cape Epic, the Investec-songo-Specialized duo have already opened up a massive five-minute 42-second lead over Kross-Spur Racing’s

Absa Cape Epic Prologue - A Day for the Champions

Absa Cape Epic Prologue - A Day for the Champions

Mountain biking World Champion Annika Langvad and her road riding World and Olympic Champion partner Anna van der Breggen put down a marker in the opening Prologue of the Absa Cape Epic at the University of Cape Town on Sunday. Greg Beadle/Cape Epic The Investec-songo-Specialized pair removed any doubt they are going to be the team to beat this week as they powered along the slopes of Table Mountain and completed the 20km stage in a time of 51 minutes and 44 seconds. They wil

2019 ABSA Cape Epic Team News: Ariane Lüthi to Race Alongside Maja Włoszczowska

2019 ABSA Cape Epic Team News: Ariane Lüthi to Race Alongside Maja Włoszczowska

The three-time UCI Women’s category and two-time Virgin Active Mixed category Absa Cape Epic winner, Ariane Lüthi has joined Kross Racing for the 2019 season. At the untamed African mountain bike race she will partner, two-time Olympic Silver Medallist, 2010 XCO and 2003 XCM World Champion, Maja Włoszczowska; as the pair go in search of victory for Kross-Spur Racing. Lüthi’s palmarès makes her one of the leading women’s marathon and stage racers in the world. With eight Absa

Zwift Partners with Absa Cape Epic with new group workout series.

Zwift Partners with Absa Cape Epic with new group workout series.

Zwift, the multiplayer online training and racing platform, today announces a formal partnership with the Absa Cape Epic. As part of the partnership, Zwift will be hosting an eight week Group Workout series commencing on 21 January 2019. The workout series has been designed by former World Cross Country MTB and four-time Absa Cape Epic Champion, Annika Langvad. The Group Workouts will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays commencing on Jan 22. Group Workouts are unique to Zwift and e

2018 ABSA Cape Epic Womens Race - Stage 7 -Investec-songo-Specialized Ride to Absa Cape Epic Glory

2018 ABSA Cape Epic Womens Race - Stage 7 -Investec-songo-Specialized Ride to Absa Cape Epic Glory

The Investec-songo-Specialized teams of Annika Langvad and Kate Courtney; and Jaroslav Kulhavý and Howard Grotts rode to Absa Cape Epic glory on Sunday the 25th of March as they crossed the finish line at Val de Vie Estate. In doing so the team became the first to win the UCI men’s and women’s categories in a single race; while Langvad became the most successful woman in the race’s history, Kulhavý joined the illustrious three time winners club and Grotts and Courtney became

2018 ABSA Cape Epic -UCI Women UPdate- Stage 6 - GC change as we fly towards home.

2018 ABSA Cape Epic -UCI Women UPdate- Stage 6 - GC change as we fly towards home.

The dramatic weather was a welcome change as cool and cloudy conditions greeted the riders at the start of Stage 6. Dubbed a “play day” the day would see riders enjoying the Walvanpas and Bain’s trails as they completed the circular route back to Wellington. The news broke early that Silverback KMC rider Mariska Strauss had fallen ill during the evening and spent some time in the Mediclinic tent before the stage. It seemed likely the pair would suffer on the stage and would

2018 ABSA Cape Epic Stage 5 - Short Sharp and EPIC

2018 ABSA Cape Epic Stage 5 - Short Sharp and EPIC

The shortest stage (excluding the prologue ) of the ABSA Cape Epic at 39km was no walk in the park. With 1390m of climbing, the “uphill” time trial was not going to be easy for most of the field as the temperature was set to reach 34 degrees at midday and the last riders were expected to take off well into mid morning. The UCI Women left in two minute intervals from slowest to quickest on the GC so the leading Investec Songo Pair would be the last to leave the start ramp. It

2018 ABSA Cape Epic Women’s Race Highlights - Stage 4 - Team Spur OUT & Investec Songo power to

2018 ABSA Cape Epic Women’s Race Highlights - Stage 4 - Team Spur OUT & Investec Songo power to

Today saw the ACTUAL queen stage of the 2018 Cape Epic due to its rough, technical and varied terrain and climbing profile. 111km with 1800m of climbing saw riders traverse the Slanghoek valley and ascent the infamous Bain’s Pass down into Wellington on the other side. The unfortunate news from the morning team call up was that Team Spurs Luthi and Michiels would not be starting the day due to Michiels being told by team doctors not to continue. After developing a fever ove

2018 ABSA Cape Epic UCI Women’s Race- Investec Songo gain more time over the rest.

2018 ABSA Cape Epic UCI Women’s Race- Investec Songo gain more time over the rest.

As close as the racing has been, the positions on GC has some big gaps. Today’s Queen stage as it is known, being the longest of the race, took the ladies from Arabella along the mountain contours towards Worcester . The morning was cool and some low lying clouds threatened the sky with some rain predicted later in the morning. A stark contrast from the first two stages with temperatures reaching over 30 degrees on both days. The leading pair, Anika Lagvad and Kate Courtney

2018 ABSA Cape Epic Women’s Race Update: Stage 2 - Top Team Tussle

2018 ABSA Cape Epic Women’s Race Update: Stage 2 - Top Team Tussle

A chilly morning greeted the ladies as they rolled up to begin the second stage of the 2018 ABSA Cape Epic. The top UCI women’s teams warmed up to try keep the cold at bay before the start. The orange jersey leaders of Langvad and Courtney of Investec Songo looked calm and collected. Not a single eye missed the shocking pink Specialized S-Works of Courtney’s as she rolled up to the line. Looking decidedly determined was Sabine Spitz from Ascendis Health who had battled cram

2018 ABSA Cape Epic - Women’s Race Stage 1 Finish Line Tales

2018 ABSA Cape Epic - Women’s Race Stage 1 Finish Line Tales

The classic first stage of the 2018 ABSA Cape Epic saw the UCI women taking on 110km and 1900m of climbing in and around Robertson and Mcgregor in the cape winelands. The day started off cool but quickly the temperature along with the racing heated up as the ladies started pushing the pace. The Investec Songo team of Langvad and Courtney were in front at the water point at 45km into the race with Team Spur’s Luthi and Michiels not far off at 45 seconds back. A further 45 sec

2018 ABSA Cape Epic Ladies Prologue- Langvad and Courtney blaze home.

2018 ABSA Cape Epic Ladies Prologue- Langvad and Courtney blaze home.

The 2018 ABSA Cape Epic rolled out of the UCT sports campus in Cape Town this morning with a full house of ladies racing in the elite women’s category. The 20km prologue with around 600m of climbing would be a good test to get the riders ready for 7 stages ahead. With only 9% of the field made up of women and some of those participating in the mixed category, the racing amongst the women’s teams was sure to be fast and furious in the close racing field. The prologue morning

RISE UP: The Force With Which Women Have Been Pushed Down Is Twice As Powerful As They Rise Back Up

RISE UP: The Force With Which Women Have Been Pushed Down Is Twice As Powerful As They Rise Back Up

Photo courtesy: www.cape-epic.com Just a month out from the 2018 ABSA Cape Epic I found myself needing to talk about the tremendous rise of the women’s field in national and international competition . I am sitting behind my desk watching Hannele Steyn tackle the Land Rover Technical Terrain Section on Stage 4 of this year’s Cape Epic race. Hannele is the last lioness taking part in her 14th Cape Epic and the only female left in a group of four who have done every installment