8 days. 647 kilometres. 15 550 metres of vertical ascent. Rugged mountain dual tracks and rocky singletracks through pristine fynbos. Sandy farm road between manicured orchards. Bone-rattling descents off ancient mountain ranges. This is the 2020 Absa Cape Epic route. Wild and untamed. The pinnacle of mountain bike stage racing. The Race That Measures All. From the iconic slopes of Table Mountain National Park to the luxury of Val de Vie Estate, the route for the seventeenth edition will challenge all and reward those who have come prepared with proven partnerships, technical skills, fitness and mental fortitude. Only the truly worthy will see their names etched into the Book of Legend. The five-star favourites are undoubtedly the defending champions, Nino Schurter and Lars Forster. SCOTT-SRAM MTB-Racing was 2019’s most dominant team, having broken Cannondale Factory Racing’s hopes of victory on the Queen Stage. In 2019, SCOTT-SRAM MTB-Racing’s primary rivals were Manuel Fumic and Henrique Avancini. The Cannondale Factory Racing duo was the only team to manage to put Schurter and Forster on the back foot, last time out. To win the race that has eluded them thus far, despite spending days in yellow on each of the last three editions, they will need other teams to help put pressure on SCOTT-SRAM MTB-Racing. Any hopes of upsetting last year’s champions could come down to the role played by Trek-Pirelli in the 2020 race. Samuele Porro and Damiano Ferraro, of Trek-Pirelli 1, were 3rd in 2019.
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