Cape Epic

The Untamed African MTB Race, 15-22 March 2026. https://www.youtube.com/@EpicSeries_Race_The_World Learn more about the race in the Absa Cape Epic Intro video.

The Absa Cape Epic takes place every year in the month of March. The race is held over 8 days and includes a time-trial prologue. The route changes every year, and leads aspiring amateur and professional mountain bikers from around the world through approximately 700 kilometres of the unspoilt nature of the Western Cape including approximately 15 000m of climbing over some of the most magnificent

passes in South Africa. Ride in Teams of Two
All riders must enter as a two-rider team. Teams register in one of five different categories that include Men, Women, Mixed, Masters (both riders must be 40 years or older on 31 December of the year in which the race takes place) and Grand Masters (both riders must be 50 years or older on the 31 December of the year in which the race takes place). The minimum age of participation is 19 years on 31 December of the year in which the race takes place. The riders in a team must remain together at all times during the race and are expected to reach the finish line a specified time daily. At each stage, the winners of the day receive prizes and the leaders in the overall classification are awarded their leader jerseys. Focus on Rider Satisfaction
The Absa Cape Epic is organised and presented with all participating athletes at the focal point. The athletes' satisfaction, well-being and enjoyment of the race are the organisers' primary goals. We aim to deliver an unsurpassed and unforgettable mountain bike and African travel-experience. Therefore, we offer 24-hour full service facilities during the race, including tented accommodation in race villages, breakfasts and dinners, race nutrition, bike servicing, masseurs, and stage location specific entertainment every evening. New Route Every Year
The route of the Absa Cape Epic changes every year and riders will see wide open African plains, majestic mountains, deep ravines, indigenous forests, spectacular coastlines and flourishing vineyards. The route is characterised by dusty and demanding gravel paths, strenuous rocky uphills, thrilling technical downhills, magnificent river crossings and stunning forested single tracks. Full Service Race
The Absa Cape Epic is the largest full-service mountain bike stage race in the world. Race nutrition, water, and isotonic carbohydrate drinks are available at the feed zones to revive tired riders during the race. At night, all riders and race crew sleep in the tented race villages that are set up prior to arrival and taken down immediately after the start each morning by the race crew.

03/06/2026

The race that tests man and machine to the limit, day-in and day-out.

Brutal climbs, demanding trails, and a sense of achievement on the finish line that can never be taken away from you.

They say nothing has been proven until it’s been to Africa. This is the Untamed land.

📸 / .chiaretta
___

🌍 / Absa Cape Epic by
🗓️ / 21 -28 March, 2027
📍 / South Africa

26/05/2026

The finish line is where the clock stops, but our supporters are where the heart starts. ❤️

After eight gruelling days, the silence of the trail is broken by a wall of sound. That energy isn’t just noise, it’s the fuel that carries a rider to the finish line when their body has had enough.

Whether you’re cheering for a World Champion or the final finisher of the day, your passion is the pulse of this race.

Keep showing up. Keep making noise. You are the wind at our riders’ backs when they need it most! 📣

📸 / /

21/05/2026

VOLUNTEER APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN FOR 2027 🤝

Come and experience the world’s biggest mountain bike race from behind the scenes! 🤩

Volunteering at the Absa Cape Epic means working alongside a great team, making incredible new friends and seeing the world’s best mountain bikers take on the Untamed African MTB Race from inside the machine!

Plus, complete the programme and earn a guaranteed entry into the following year’s race - for yourself or to pass on (standard entry fees apply).

If you think you’ve got what it takes to bring the Absa Cape Epic to life, this is your moment to shine 🔥

Application link below

https://www.epic-series.com/races/capeepic/volunteer

___

🌍 / Absa Cape Epic by
🗓️ / 21 -28 March, 2027
📍 / South Africa

20/05/2026

In Episode 3 of Race The World — It Starts With a Dream — the drama unfolds across the final stages of the 2026 Absa Cape Epic, as the battle for the yellow jersey goes down to the wire in the closest finishes in race history.

It’s the race every amateur rider dreams of finishing, and every professional rider dreams of winning. A dream that stretches far beyond the finish line.

Finisher. Not given. Earned.

📺 Episode 3 premieres on the Epic Series YouTube channel on 22 May at 17:00 GMT.

19/05/2026

From the short and sharp punches of Meerendal to the relentless drag up Ouberg and beyond, the riders who completed the 2026 Absa Cape Epic conquered close to the total elevation of two Mount Everests over 8 days. 🏔️ 🏔️

Pair that with the unforgiving terrain and unpredictable weather, and it truly becomes a feat to be marvelled at and revered.

This is where you come to prove yourself as a mountain biker. This is where you find out what you’re truly made of ⛰️

📸 .chiaretta /

14/05/2026

Body and machine. Both need to make to the finish line.

2026 had some of the harshest terrain in recent years and it took its toll on the bikes.

Countless amateur and elite teams dealt with mechanical failures induced by the urge to push the limits of bike setup and speed on Untamed roads and trails.

Will there be a shift in the tyre selection trends and prevalence of inserts in the years to come if we visit such rugged locations again? Time will tell.

12/05/2026

Perspective is found in the peaks.

The mountains and valleys of the Western Cape have a way of reminding you how small you are, but the trail has a way of showing you how much you can endure. We come here to be humbled by the landscape and empowered by the overcoming.

You realise quickly that the mountains are vast, but the human spirit is relentless.

📸 .chiaretta

10/05/2026

The Absa Cape Epic is a test of the human spirit, and if you look closely at our finish line you’ll find a strength there that surpasses all, the strength of a Mother.

Today, we celebrate the women who embody the grit, resilience, and heart required to navigate life’s biggest challenges.

To the Moms on the bike, you’ve balanced the gruelling training blocks with the chaos of parenthood. You’ve shown your children that “impossible” is just a starting point.

And to the Moms behind the scenes, you are the driving force behind so many of the incredible stories that get told after those 8 days. You’ve provided the emotional tailwind that carries our riders to the finish.

Happy Mother’s Day to the women who make the Cape Epic possible. Thank you for your strength, your sacrifice, and for being the heart of the Cape Epic community. ❤️

A special shoutout goes to The SuperMoms, and . Racing amongst the Elite Women and earning themselves a podium in the .southafrica African Jersey category! You have inspired so many others to reach for more than they ever dreamed of. 🏆

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