Cape Epic - The race
Bart Brentjens (1996 Olympic mountain biking champion) once compared the Cape Epic stage race in South Africa to the Tour de France. Like the Tour, the Cape Epic is considered the most important stage race in mountain bike racing. The course of this year's race was very reminiscent of the Tour in 2020: Pogacar snatched the yellow jersey from Roglic on the 20th stage, which Roglic had previously defended over many stages.
But right from the start: The Cape Epic took place for the 18th time in 2022. About eight days The participants completed the programme 657 kilometres and 17250 metres altitude. In addition to the professionals, amateurs can also take part and the coveted starting places will be raffled off.
As in previous years, the professional field can be divided into two groups: On the one hand, the marathon riders, whose favourite discipline is long stages. The most prominent representative: The reigning marathon world champion Andreas Seewald. On the other hand, there are the cross-country riders, whose strength lies in shorter but tougher stages. The most prominent representative in the starting field: Nino Schurter. He won together with Lars Forster in 2019.
The prologue on the first day in particular plays into the hands of the cross-country pros, as the race duration of one hour is very reminiscent of a cross-country World Cup. The subsequent stages are more suited to the long-distance experts, with riding times of four hours being the norm. This often raises the question: will the XCO pros hold out or will they die?
The men's race: Sensation on the last stage
As expected, the marathon pros Andreas Seewald and Martin Stosek were able to break away on the first stage and secure a five-minute lead over their pursuers. They rode the remaining days in the yellow leader's jersey. The two young Germans, Georg Egger and Lukas Baum (both born in 1995), caused a small surprise in the prologue: they finished second in their Cape Epic debut and made a clear statement: "We are not here to take part, we are here to take over!".
And these were not to remain empty words: The two attacked every day and were able to secure victory on stage three. They also remained within reach of the Overall leader Andreas Seewald and Martin Stosek from the Canyon-Northwave team. On the last day, the sensation: Egger and Baum were able to break away from the field and win the prestigious final stage.
But that's not all: the lead for the two young Germans from Speed Company Racing was enough for overall victory! From a German perspective, the Cape Epic 2022 was an incredible success: Georg Egger and Lukas Baum in first place, followed by Andreas Seewald in second. Simon Schneller (Team Bulls) rode to 5th place, Sascha Weber from Trek Vaude to 10th. No other nation can boast so many top ten finishes.
The women's race: Ferrand-Prévot/de Grott only third
The women's field was also high-calibre. The most prominent starter: all-round star Pauline Ferrand-Prévot. She has already become world champion in all three disciplines (road, cyclocross and mountain bike). Together with her team-mate Robyn de Groot (BMC) won the prologue, but then had to let the competition go: Haley Batten and Sofia Gomez Villafane (NinetyOne-Songo-Specialized) secured overall victory. Second place went to the South Africans Candice Lill and Mariske Strauss.
The Masters race: A clear win for Platt/Sauser
The Masters category included the two Cape Epic legends Karl Platt and Christoph Sauser at the start. The two have each won the men's competition five times with different partners and, together with Annika Langvad (who ended her active career in 2020), lead the list with the most elite victories. No other team was able to match this concentrated experience, with the pair winning by a narrow margin. 50 minutes ahead.
Concentrated racing action: The eight-minute video shows just some of the highlights of the Cape Epic 2022.
Interview with Cape Epic winner Georg Egger
BIKE: We interviewed you for the first time over ten years ago. You were 15 at the time and your big dream the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Unfortunately, that didn't work. How did you deal with it?
Georg Egger: Throughout the preparation In 2019 and 2020, I wasn't quite at the level to be at the front. On top of that, we had a new addition to the family. I had a lot on my plate. The fastest riders get to go to the Olympics. Unfortunately, I wasn't one of them at the time.
You were part of the BIKE Junior Teams. Which lesson do you still remember today?
I probably learnt all the racing basics from the BIKE Junior Team. From camaraderie, sponsor loyalty and riding technique to "ride clean". It wasn't just written large on the jersey, it was also practised. Prohibited substances were and still are a no-go!
In your youth, you honed your riding technique on pallets and trained lap after lap on your private race track in Obergessertshausen. What tips can you give young racers?
I was always a strong rider in terms of fitness, but my riding technique was lacking. That's why I practised on pallets and built a circuit in the forest to make up for the deficit. My tip for young racers: have fun with it!
You founded your own team last year. How did it come about that you left a professional team (Lexware) and founded your own team?
I just wanted to do something of my own with my best mate Lukas Baum and we didn't want to subordinate ourselves, but decide for ourselves whether we wanted to ride cross-country, marathon or road races. So far, the concept has worked.
Your statement after the prologue "We are not here to take part, we are here to take over!" sounded pretty confident for a debut. What did you expect from the race?
The statement is of course a declaration of war and came from Lukas. I was surprised by the clear words at first. But it was clear from the outset that we weren't travelling to South Africa to finish in 20th place. In the end, it paid off.
You attacked on the fifth stage and pulled out a two-minute lead. Then you missed a junction and were overtaken. How do you stay focussed and motivated for the rest of the stage?
The diversions was of course annoying. On top of that, we had to drive at the limit during the race to catch up. But instead of letting ourselves down, this chase pushed us so hard that we were in "beast mode" for the rest of the race. We never thought about giving up!
Large teams bring dozens of people with them to look after the well-being of the drivers and the equipment. They also have a backup team that can provide support on the track. You only had Lukas' father with you. How do you manage that?
Sure, we were at a disadvantage due to the small team, but we tried to make the best of it, focussed fully on the race and supported each other. Whether it was cooking or getting the bikes in shape. For the next time, an additional coach and a physiotherapist wouldn't be a bad idea, but it worked well as it was.
What happens now? What are your next big goals? Will you focus on marathon races together with Lukas or is the Cross-Country World Cup on your programme?
Both. Lukas and I will be competing in the European cross-country World Cup races and marathon races. Races such as the Epic Israel and probably the Andorra Epic are also on the agenda. Another major goal is the Marathon World Championships in Denmark. We will also be competing in the German Marathon Championships. On the road, we want to attack at the German Road Championships.
A short video about Georg and Lukas from the Cape Epic: The young Germans and their two-man team Speed Company Racing were unable to rely on the support of a large support team. Instead, they took care of the bike service themselves.
