It is only 2 weeks since my return from the
ABSA Cape Epic 2011 and already I am saving and planning for 2012. I am not entirely sure what it is about this event that makes it so irresistible:
8 days of racing, approximately 14 550m ascent and 707km but each year I see the same faces returning again and again. This year is my third ABSA Cape Epic and I think my most enjoyable, except my number one supported (Andy Pandy) decided to stay home, I doubt he will do this again. I have already signed him up for 2012 Mixed team.
Jodie and I arrived Friday 25th March to a sunny temperate Cape Town, a welcome change to the wet tropical weather we were experiencing in Queensland. We managed to find a great little B & B on Beach Road called The Dolphin Inn and there we stayed pre and post CE2011. This may seem inconsequential but it is strange how important a big warm fluffy bed and bath become at the end of 8 days racing and camping. I LOVE CAPE TOWN, the flat topped mountain, the Waterfront, the cheap daiquiris, the RSA accent, the cheap prices, the 1AUS:7R exchange rate, the man eating seals and the wildlife (all I have ever seen is seals, baboons and squirrels)
Next most important is the people that made this trip possible to both Jodie and I:
ADIDAS, ADIDAS, ADIDAS thanks for the opportunity to race under your banner,
ADIDAS EYEWEAR thanks for the awesome EVIL EYES,
Flight Centre Merida for the loaner steed (Team 96),
INFINIT Nutrition for the energy and recovery that allowed me to back up day after day. Without you guys this race report would not be possible as I wouldn't have been able to race.
So to the race, Jodie and I raced in the female division and the start list was daunting with the likes of Team Colnago (XCO world cup pedigree), Team USN (XCM world ranking pedigree), Team Attix5 Ladies (RSA CE veterans) and the other Australian girl team of Jenni King and Nikki Fisher....all the ingredients for a tough race. I was quietly optimistic, this was to be my 3rd CE and there is a theory that your legs remember what is required to complete this gruelling 8 day event but Jodie had no idea what lay ahead.
The format of the 2011 event was a prologue 27km, 3 long days (89km, 104km, 125km), a time trial (32km), 2 long days (143km, 128km) and then the final day (59km). Each year the race route changes but amazing trails, spectacular scenery and really scary riding is always guaranteed.

The prologue was in the Tokai forest and the trails amazing. Jodie proved to be the sensible rider here, reminding me we had 8 days of racing. We maintained a great tempo and placed third on the stage. This was a dream come true for me, I was so excited that if it all stopped here I would die smiling. I suppose I always knew I could podium at this amazing event and there it was an indescribable feeling, so much more than Amazing.....from Tokai we moved to Saronsberg (Tulbagh) for three nights. That evening at dinner team ADIDAS Ladies were on the podium in third.
Stage 1 (89km) was a whole other ball game. The first long stage and a real test of team racing as we are required to stay always within 2 minutes of each other. In 2010 I lost my team mate on completion of stage 1, three days in hospital with dehydration and heat stress. In all honesty I had flashbacks this year as Jodie woke with upset gastrointestinal tract, unable to eat for the duration of the stage. Not being able to eat is bad and this made for a very long stage. There was a time when Jodie threatened that she maybe 'unable to finish the stage', I had visions of hitting her (visions only I think). I was not going to let this happen again. We did what we could to complete the stage and Jodie received the necessary post race TLC from the ADIDAS crew to ensure she was on top of her nutrition for stage 2. I was a little worried this year may play out similar to 2010 but the main reason I chose Jodie as a team mate was because I knew Jodie just how mentally tough she was. It would take more than this to break her. My concern was that this kind of set back on stage 1 was destined to make the rest of Jodies race particularly difficult...
Stage 2 (104km) Jodie was like a new person and team ADIDAS ladies rode really really well. All smiles. The planets aligned, Jodie recovered and team ADIDAS Ladies was back on the podium that evening (3rd in ladies)..woohoo
Stage 3 (125km) This stage is a mystery to me as I can't recall what happened but I have a feeling we rode a little too well stage 2 and Jodie again suffered some nutritional set backs. That's racing. BONUS: today we leap frogged to 3rd overall as the Colnago Ladies suffered a 1hr penalty for feeding outside the zone... sweet...we did finish at Worcester (home for two nights).
Stage 4 (32km) I do recall as the time trial track as it was similar to 2010 and as awesome as I remember. Team ADIDAS ladies rode well and Jodie gave me a really really scary lesson in how to descend really really fast.... we placed 3rd on this stage, highlighted by our access to the ABSA winners lounge on completion of the stage..on the podium again at dinner.
Stage 5 (143km) The distance was daunting after 6 days of racing but the course designer (Dr Evil) was kind. The 143km was open and fast, bunches formed quickly and it was hang on as best you can for as long as you can and try and stay out of the wind. The big strong boy riders were good for this, especially when we played the girl card..:)The most amazing aspect of this stage is the Groelandberg climb toward the end which reminds me of a moonscape. We rode the same climb last year and it is spectacular... down and through to oak valley. We managed to maintain 3rd overall and set up base camp in Oak Valley, our final destination before home.
Stage 6 (128km)This stage had some great single track and team ADIDAS ladies were riding well, all smiles, until we flatted. It is amazing what a dent your ego takes when another girl team passes you fixing a flat. Try as you might to catch them as they only seem a few minutes ahead day 6 legs do not do speed well. BUT in the closing 5km of the stage we spied the offending ladies and rallied to place minutes ahead of them... victory against those girls and 4th in stage.
One stage to go and we reviewed our overall seating: we were still in 3rd, 7 minutes behind second and the world cup pedigree Colnago girls breathing down our necks with a mere 1 minute separating us and them in 4th... To maintain our position in third we would have to make up the 7 minutes on the ABSA girls as I doubt we could hold off Colnago....
Stage 7 (59km) Eight days of racing and it all hinged on today.... Unfortunately after 7 days of racing Jodies legs rebelled and there was nothing we could do but tempo to the finish. Team ADIDAS ladies placed an outstanding 4th in the ladies category after 8 hard days of racing. Sure there was some initial sadness as third place was so close but 'thats racing'. A huge achievement for two girls from Australia against such a strong international field... till next year....
Thanks again to ADIDAS, ADIDAS EYEWEAR, INFINIT, Flight Centre Merida....