While most of the media focus at the Absa Cape Epic is on the race up front, hundreds of family men with full-time jobs make up the bulk of the 1400-rider field. We’re going to follow the progress of best mates, Mark and Jimbo, who have squeezed in as much training as they can around their family lives and work commitments. They’ll be riding for the Players Fund and Ride for a Child charities and to celebrate their health and friendship.
“We’re not new to the Absa Cape Epic, but this will be our first one as teammates. It’s very cool because we have been friends for most of our lives and doing something as challenging as the Absa Cape Epic together will only add value to our friendship,” says Mark.
On Sunday 16 March, Mark and Jimbo, racing under the team name Barneys Army/Ride for a Child, will kick off the 2025 edition of the Absa Cape Epic with the 22km Prologue at Meerendal. After each stage, we will check in on Mark and Jimbo to see how their race in the middle of the Cape Epic pack is progressing. For now, here’s an introduction to each bloke.
Name: Hudson James Chevallier (Jimbo)
Age: 42
Occupation: Teacher
Work week hours on average: 40 Hours
Married to: Kylie
Number of kids: Three, aged 4 months; 5 and 8
Number of Cape Epics completed: Five
Reasons for doing the 2025 Cape Epic: Riding with my best friend and for a great cause in two charities.
Has your preparation gone well? I have tried to do as much training as possible but it has not been easy with work, life and a four-month-old. Thankfully I have an amazingly supportive wife!
You are friends off the bike. Do you have the same relationship as race teammates? We have unfortunately not raced as much as we would have liked but we have the same competitive spirit and I would like to think we don’t take life too seriously.
What is your weakness? At times I can be too competitive.
What do you believe is your Epic teammate’s weakness? He can be very hard on himself.
What is your strength? Downhills and technical trails.
What do you believe is your Epic teammate’s strength? Strong climber and consistency.
What bike are you racing Cape Epic on? Cannondale Scalpel.
What do you like most about this bike? I love the travel and the ease with which it rolls over technical terrain.
What is your fuelling strategy for the Cape Epic? Eat as often as possible.
What is your expectation as a team for this Cape Epic? Our expectation is to ride as well as we can without going too much into the red. See how we are doing after the first few days and reassess. We want to race hard but also enjoy it.
Why have you chosen to support the charity you are riding for? I have a passion for education and I firmly believe that everyone has the right to quality education. Rugby is my favourite sport and the Players Fund does a great job at supporting those who have been injured.
Name: Mark Nel
Age: 42
Occupation: Head of Sales & Marketing at Omnico (Pty) Ltd.
Work week hours on average: 48-50
Married to: Nicole
Number of kids: Three – 11, nine and four .
Number of Cape Epics completed: Three
Reasons for doing the 2025 Cape Epic: It’s always a privilege to ride the Cape Epic and Jimbo and I have always wanted to do one together.
Has your preparation gone well? Yes it has gone well, although I would have liked to have ridden more consistently from Mondays to Fridays but it’s tricky to find the time with work and kids.
You are friends off the bike. Do you have the same relationship as race teammates? Yes, Jimbo is one of my oldest mates and there’s not too much we can say to offend each other. We have done plenty of stage races together so have a good understanding of when to push or when to back off.
What is your weakness? Definitely the fast starts.
What do you believe is your Epic teammate’s weakness? He is a very well rounded cyclist, so I’d say the fast starts are also tough for him.
What is your strength? Probably the climbs.
What do you believe is your Epic teammate’s strength? His ability to dig deep and ride through the lows. He’s a proper diesel engine and rides a very good tempo, which he can maintain for hours.
What bike are you racing Cape Epic on? The new Cannondale Scalpel Lab71.
What do you like most about this bike? It is incredibly responsive and climbs like an absolute dream. It is equally as good on the descents, so is a very well balanced bike.
What is your fuelling strategy for the Cape Epic? The plan is to try and get in 100g of carbs per hour. This will be in the form of gels, bars, bananas and our energy drinks. I’ll be using Powerbar products this year.
What is your expectation as a team for this Cape Epic? I would just like us to ride as hard and consistently as possible. I feel that if we can maintain a steady, consistent temp throughout the race, we’ll be in a good space.
Why have you chosen to support the charity you are riding for? Both charities (Players Fund and Ride For A Child) are close to my heart and provide an incredible platform to their respective recipients. It really is a privilege to be riding for these charities and the fact that they have backed us means the world.
The Player’s Fund is an official charity of the Absa Cape Epic and primarily raises funds to assist rugby players that have suffered catastrophic injuries. Find out more on the official website here. You can find out more about the Ride for a Child charity via Mark and Jimbo’s fundraising link here.
