The 2017 Absa Cape Epic route has been revealed!

In 2017 the Absa Cape Epic returns to an old favourite seaside venue for a spectacular Stage 1 … and finishes at a new Grand Finale venue.
Route profiles added below


After the Prologue at Meerendal Wine Estate the riders, crew and supporters will transfer to Hermanus for the first staging of the race in the coastal town since 2008. In the intervening years the area has been turned into something of a mountain biking mecca, with a network of trails snaking across the nearby hills and valleys.
A week later the event will finish for the first time at the renowned Val de Vie Estate near Franschhoek.

The 2017 route will take riders through 691 km of Western Cape countryside and up a lot of hills: the accumulated vertical gain over the eight days will be 15 400m.

2017 Route Overview - Prologue and Stages 1 to 7, starting at Meerendal Wine Estate on March 19 and ending at Val de Vie on March 26.
2017 Route Overview – Prologue and Stages 1 to 7, starting at Meerendal Wine Estate on March 19 and ending at Val de Vie on March 26.

 

The Prologue will again be held on the Meerendal Wine Estate trails and include parts of neighbouring Hoogekraal. Then it is on to Hermanus, where the 101km opening stage starts and finishes at the local high school.

 

 

 

Prologue (March 19) Meerendal Wine Estate 26km, 750m
Prologue (March 19)
Meerendal Wine Estate
26km, 750m

 

Stage one (March 20) Hermanus High School – Hermanus High School 101km, 2 300m
Stage one (March 20)
Hermanus High School – Hermanus High School
101km, 2 300m

 

Stage 2 sees riders bidding farewell to the whales and heading inland to Greyton for two nights. Stage 3 starts and finishes in Greyton and includes most of the many trails around the quaint town.

Stage two (March 21) Hermanus High School – Elandskloof, Greyton 102km, 2 350m
Stage two (March 21)
Hermanus High School – Elandskloof, Greyton
102km, 2 350m

 

Stage three (March 22) Elandskloof, Greyton – Elandskloof, Greyton 78km, 1 650m
Stage three (March 22)
Elandskloof, Greyton – Elandskloof, Greyton
78km, 1 650m

 

Stage 4 is another transition day, this time from Greyton to Elgin and the race village at the Oak Valley Wine Estate. Stage 5 takes riders on a circular route around the Grabouw/Elgin area and lots of singletrack.

Stage four (March 23) Elandskloof, Greyton – Oak Valley, Elgin 112km, 2 150m
Stage four (March 23)
Elandskloof, Greyton – Oak Valley, Elgin
112km, 2 150m

 

Riders will be well advised to enjoy Stage 5’s relatively short distance and great trails: the next day they will be confronting the 2017 route’s Queen Stage – 103km with an eye-watering 2 750m of elevation gain. This could well mean that the 6th stage could be decisive in the race for overall honours.

Stage five (March 24) Oak Valley, Elgin – Oak Valley, Elgin 84km, 2 100m
Stage five (March 24)
Oak Valley, Elgin – Oak Valley, Elgin
84km, 2 100m

 

Stage six (March 25) Oak Valley, Elgin – Oak Valley, Elgin 103km, 2 750m
Stage six (March 25)
Oak Valley, Elgin – Oak Valley, Elgin
103km, 2 750m

 

Stage 7 takes rider to the new Grand Finale venue – the sumptuous Val de Vie Estate near Franschhoek – and a well-deserved finisher’s shirt

Stage seven (March 26) Oak Valley,Elgin – Val de Vie, Franschhoek 85km, 1 350m
Stage seven (March 26)
Oak Valley,Elgin – Val de Vie, Franschhoek
85km, 1 350m

 

Source: Cape Epic Media

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