The Absa Cape Epic is a race, not a ride. It’s eight days of pressure, not pleasure. It’s not a point-to-point event, but it is a journey – of discovery. Every single participant at the 2018 Cape Epic, whether he/she finished or not, discovered something new about himself/herself and has a compelling story to tell. Each of 1344 riders from 52 countries that started the event, whether they finished it or not, left the race a little tougher and a lot wiser.
The Absa Cape Epic has run a rider survey since 2006. We (TREAD) have become obsessed with these stats and collaborate each year with the Cape Epic in publishing them, along with some insight. Courtesy of Maxxis Tyres, we’re delivering the 2018 stats reveals in three categories – Rider, Gear and Bikes.
Here are all the Cape Epic 2018 rider stats…
Average age
Ave age |
18-25 |
26-30 |
31-35 |
36-40 |
41-41 |
46-50 |
51-55 |
56-59 |
60+ |
Total | |
| Male | 42 | 6% | 7% | 9% | 17% | 18% | 23% | 12% | 5% | 2% | 91% |
| Female | 38 | 7% | 12% | 21% | 22% | 16% | 10% | 9% | 2% | 1% | 9% |
The average age is very similar to 2017 with the men static at 42 and women moving from 37 to 38.
Months of preparation
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | >10 | Ave |
| 12% | 21% | 13% | 32% | 6% | 7% | 4% | 4% | 1% | 5.5 months |
A total of 68% said they followed a prescribed training plan for the 2017 Cape Epic. Although the biggest percentage (32%) say they began serious preparation in September 2017 (six months out), 46% fitted in their preparation in less than six months. A total of 22% said their training build-up period was longer than six months.
Training aids
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | |
| HRM | 85% | 85% | 84% | 86% | 82% | 83% | 84% | 84% | 86% | 86% | 84% | 90% |
| Power Meter | 16% | 18% | 19% | 19% | 18% | 20% | 22% | 30% | 35% | 43% | 42% | 48% |
| GPS | N/A | 23% | 26% | 29% | 43% | 54% | 67% | 77% | 86% | 91% | 88% | 91% |
All three training aids, Heart Rate Monitor, Power Meter and GPS, all peaked at their highest usage in the 2018 Cape Epic rider survey. Since it’s the oldest of the three, heart rate monitors have always played an integral part of training performance measurement for Cape Epic riders, but this year the 90% usage stat shows that the monitoring of the ticker is more popular than ever. Yes, all of the above can be measured on one device, and that’s become the norm for most brands like Garmin, Polar, Suunto and Wahoo. And that’s possibly why power meters have peaked as well as GPS…
Photo by Andrew McFadden/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
Gone are the days when you’d have different devices on your handlebars and/or wrist. Every committed Cape Epic participant clearly sees technology-measured performance as his/her companion. As power measurement becomes more cost effective and bicycle riders more enlightened to the benefits of power measurement, expect Power Meter usage to continue to grow.
Start and finish stats of complete teams
| Year | All Start | All Finish | % teams DNF |
| 2018 | 672 | 564 | 16.1% |
| 2017 | 666 | 503 | 24.4% |
| 2016 | 648 | 483 | 25.5% |
| 2015 | 624 | 512 | 18% |
| 2014 | 620 | 522 | 15.7% |
| 2013 | 630 | 496 | 21.4% |
| 2012 | 605 | 481 | 20.5% |
| 2011 | 604 | 496 | 18% |
| 2010 | 589 | 445 | 24.5% |
| 2009 | 598 | 503 | 16.1% |
| 2008 | 599 | 435 | 27.4% |
| 2007 | 624 | 468 | 25% |
| 2006 | 466 | 379 | 19.1% |
| Ave | 611 | 484 | 20.9% |
After two years of some of the biggest DNF percentages, the 2018 Cape Epic had one of its lowest DNF rates. At 16.1%, it was equal second lowest DNF rate, along with 2009, and well below the 20.9% average. While there is never really an easy Cape Epic, the 2018 edition will go down in history as race that was remembered for, well, nothing exceptional really. Although there were a couple of hot days, the weather wasn’t extreme, the stage distances weren’t excessive (the longest was 122km); and the time trial on Day 6 was a short stage that gave most a little recovery after five 100km-plus days in succession. With much of the route now using existing mountain bike trails networks, the majority of the terrain is also becoming less unpredictable and more mountain-bike friendly.
Photo by Sam Clark/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
With 672 teams, the 2018 edition had the highest numbers of starting teams in the race’s history. And the 564 finishing teams is the biggest number of finishers too.
Note: these stats exclude the first two editions (2004 and 2005) as we have no data on those events.
All categories start and finish stats 2018
| 2018 |
Team Totals |
% of Teams that DNF |
Number of Solo Finishers |
Total Finishers: Teams + Solo |
Total % Finishers: Teams + Solo |
| All Teams Start | 672 | ||||
| All Teams Finish | 564 | 16.07% | 89 | 1217 | 90.55% |
| Men Teams Start | 272 | ||||
| Men Teams Finish | 236 | 13.23% | 31 | 503 | 92.46% |
| Women Teams Start | 24 | ||||
| Women Teams Finish | 18 | 25% | 4 | 40 | 83.33% |
| Masters Teams Start | 228 | ||||
| Masters Teams Finish | 193 | 15.35% | 28 | 414 | 90.78% |
| Grand Masters Teams Start | 74 | ||||
| Grand Masters Teams Finish | 59 | 20.27% | 14 | 132 | 89.18% |
| Mixed Teams Start | 73 | ||||
| Mixed Teams Finish | 58 | 20.54% | 12 | 128 | 87.67% |
% of Teams that DNF 2017 vs 2018
| 2017 | 2018 | |
| All | 24.4% | 16.1% |
| Men | 23.3% | 13.2% |
| Women | 14.1% | 25% |
| Masters | 15.3% | 24.8% |
| Grand Masters | 20.3% | 29.7% |
| Mixed | 20.5% | 27.5% |
% of total finishers – Teams & Solo 2017 vs 2018
| 2017 | 2018 | |
| All | 84.1% | 90.6% |
| Men | 85.9% | 92.5% |
| Women | 92.6% | 83.3% |
| Masters | 84.1% | 90.8% |
| Grand Masters | 79.7% | 89.2% |
| Mixed | 77.5% | 87.7% |
What’s very evident here is that the 2018 Absa Cape Epic claimed far fewer teams than the 2018 edition did. As pointed out earlier, the 2017 edition was one of the highest DNF rates, while the 2018 edition was one of the lowest.
The only category that showed a higher DNF rate over last year was the Women’s division with a total of 40 finishers from 48 starters.
Photo by Andrew McFadden/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
General statistics after 2018
Most stage wins
Men:
38 Christoph Sauser (SUI)
20 Burry Stander (RSA)
17 Karl Platt (GER)
13 Jaroslav Kulhavy (CZE)
12 Bart Brentjens (NED)
6 Mannie Heymans (NAM)
6 Nino Schurter (SUI)
5 Henrique Avencini (BRA)
5 Manuel Fumic (GER)
Women:
24 Annika Langvad (DEN)
17 Hanlie Booyens (RSA), Ariane Lüthi (SUI)
14 Sharon Laws (GBR)
12 Esther Suss (SUI)
9 Hannele Steyn (RSA)
8 Anke Moore (RSA), Yolande de Villiers (RSA) and Sally Bigham (GBR)
7 Sabine Spitz (GER)
7 Kate Courtney (USA)
Photo by Ewald Sadie/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
Mixed:
18 Nico Pfitzenmaier (RSA)
15 Ariane Lüthi (SUI), Erik Kleinhans (RSA)
10 Barti Bucher (SUI), Paul Cordes (RSA), Yolande Speedy (RSA)
8 Thomas Frischknecht (SUI), Jenny Rissveds (SWE)
Masters:
26 Bart Brentjens (NED)
25 Abraao Azevedo (BRA)
18 Shan Wilson (RSA)
17 Andrew McLean (RSA)
14 Linus van Onselen (RSA)
13 Doug Brown (RSA)
12 Nico Pfitzenmaier (RSA)
11 Carsten Bresser (GER) and Udo Boelts (GER)
10 Robert Sim (RSA)
Grandmasters
32 Heinz Zoerweg (AUT)
27 Barti Bucher (SUI)
13 Robert Sim (RSA)
13 Udo Boelts (GER)
8 Andrew McLean (RSA)
Africans (and South Africans) in the Cape Epic overall top 10 since 2006:
2018 – 0
2017 – 3 (3 SA)
2016 – 3 (3 SA)
2015 – 8 (8 SA)
2014 – 5 (5 SA)
2013 – 4 (4 SA)
2012 – 8 (8 SA)
2011 – 3 (1 SA)
2010 – 5 (5 SA)
2009 – 5 (3 SA)
2008 – 6 (5 SA)
2007 – 4 (3 SA)
2006 – 10 (6 SA)
South African Cape Epic overall stage winners – men:
20 Burry Stander
4 Kevin Evans
3 Shan Wilson
3 David George
3 Philip Buys
2 Matthys Beukes
2 Brandon Stewart
1 Jacques Rossouw
1 Gert Heyns
1 Ben-Melt Swanepoel
1 Richard Beswick
Multiple overall winners:
Men
5 Christoph Sauser (SUI) 2006, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015
5 Karl Platt (GER) 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2016
3 Stefan Sahm (GER) 2007, 2009, 2010
3 Jaroslav Kulhavy (CZE) 2013, 2015, 2018
2 Burry Stander (RSA) 2011, 2012
2 Roel Paulissen (BEL) 2005, 2008
Women
4 Annika Langvad (DEN) 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
3 Ariane Kleinhans (SUI) 2014, 2015, 2016
2 Hanlie Booyens (RSA) 2004, 2009
2 Sharon Laws (GBR) 2004, 2009
2 Sally Bigham (GBR) 2011, 2012
2 Esther Süss (SUI) 2012, 2017
Photo by Nick Muzik/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
South Africans that have won Cape Epic titles:
Men: Burry Stander x 2
Women: Hanlie Booyens x2, Zoe Frost, Hannele Steyn, Anke Moore, Yolande de Villiers, Karien van Jaarsveld, Yolande Speedy
Mixed: Yolande Speedy/Paul Cordes x2, Erik Kleinhans x 2, Nic White/Anke Moore
Masters: Doug Brown x 3, Andrew McLean x 2, Frank Soll, Duncan English, Fred Coleske, Linus v Onselen, Geddan Ruddock, Shan Wilson, Damian Booth
Grand Masters: Robert Sim x 2, Andrew Mclean
Photo by Mark Sampson/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS
The Last Lions
Only four riders have completed every edition of the Cape Epic (15 in total). They are Hannele Steyn (52), Mike Nixon (59), John Gale (49) and Craic Beech (45) – all South Africans.
