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Cape-Epic, RSA |
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| Date: |
21.03.2010 - 28.03.2010 |
| Description: |
Mountain Bike Stage Race |
| More information: |
http://www.cape-epic.com/ |
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| Diary:
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| 09.04.2010 |
Pictures from Gary Perkin and Claire Rushworth
                                     
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| 31.03.2010 |
Link of Swiss TV coverage Cape-Epic
Link 1: http://videoportal.sf.tv/video?id=2d572454-71b9-4dcc-8683-36b8859...
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| 21.03.2010 |
Oak Valley-Lourensford
65km, 1640m of climbing, 2.45hrs, third place, second overall
A other super fast cross country start. Not good for my still bothering stomach bug. I suffered so much on the two long climbs. Getting dropped, coming back, getting dropped, coming back... and the heart rate was so low. Finally after a long rough downhill my body came together, also with knowing there is no more wall to climb any more.
The Bulls had to fix the chain in the one and only tech zone today. That put them back behind us on todays stage. Merida and Rabobank were just too strong for all of us overall general classification contenders.
It was great to cross the finish line in Lourensford, where thousands of thousands spectators awaited us. After some official celebrations we went back to our camper and it was awesome to drink a few beers with our entire team, and not thinking about a other race the next day any more!
Oak Valley-Oak Valley
99km, 2160m of climbing, 4.15hrs, 4th place, second overall
I was very light at today's start line! I got diarrhea, which hit me during the night and morning.
Actually for the first half hour into the race I felt super, even the Scott team lighted it up like a cross country race. But my mind has never been confident for the end of the race. ,
A long sandy climb was waiting for us mid race. Even that was not enough, we the 5 leading teams took a wrong turn and it made the climb about 4min longer. That was too much for me! I could only go one speed, so we lost the leaders, but at least we past all the teams again, who did not go lost on the climb. It was a long way home after that. Not only for us. For example team Scott with Schurter and Vogel looked like they are going to win easy, but Nino popped so bad towards the end, that we even passed them right before the finish.
Worcester-Oak Valley
123km, 2240m of climbing, 4.40hrs, second place, 2nd overall
I am now actually really tired to write this. Have had some better sleeps in my live then last night. Hope for a good nap this afternoon, just before I can go on the massage table.
Today's stage was first pretty flat and fast, but mid into it the real climbing started. All those uphills started to take toll on many teams. Unfortunately I had a puncture 5km before the last monster one started. Tell you, it is not easy trying to chase back on the flat before hitting that climb. Especially some guy's tried to make use of our stop, and obviously increased the race pace. Luckily we passed all teams again, a third up into the climb. Except Trek who were gone, plus the Bulls who sticked like "super glue" on our wheels. Well at that point we were also not "springy" any more. However we moved into second overall, which is great!
Worcester-Worcester
27km, 860m of climbing, 1.05min, first place, 3rd overall
Easy race report for me today.
I was basically drafting behind Burry from the start to the finish! At least I was suffering on a high level, because we won by 1.10min to MTN. Our performance values even more, when you have a look how close all the other teams are ranked behind us.
By the way, it was a easy morning, since for once we did not have to start at 7am. I woke up at 6am by myself, instead with "friend" calls alarm at 5am.
Easy camping breakfasts with the morning sun was awesome! But on the other hand with the 27km time trial in the back of my mind, tension was going through my body as well.
Ceres-Worcester (say wuuster)
86km, 1640m of climbing, 3.30hrs, firsts place, 3rd overall
The stage profile for today's race brought a nice smile on my face before bed time yesterday. Lots of shorter steep climbs. Cross Country style.
Burry and I lead for almost every climb and descent. We all got "cooked" a bit, we the least :-) and broke away on the last climb. At that stage we were only with Team Bulls and MTN any more. Luckily it was not so far to go, and on some flat stretches the wind blow us to the finish!
We gained about 1.30min to the Bulls the overall leaders, so might around 9min off yellow.
Ceres-Ceres
120km, 1700m of climbing, 4.35hrs, first place, 4th overall
From the coffin back into the sky!
How good I started to feel when I saw Burry is back again! Sport is such a mental game.
At the start I did not know if we are going to race 10min, 1h or finish the stage in 7hours. Burry still could not eat much (2 slices of bread with Nutella) in the morning, but he ate almost the feed station empty especially the last one.
Today we were lucky in the bad luck. I had a very slow puncture when we (Bulls, Brentjens, Trek and us) travelled with super fast speed through fast vineyard roads. I reinflated it with a co2. Just when we almost chased back, the guys took a wrong turn, so as the motorbikes. We kept the eyes open, and followed the right signs, although we were doubting it too, since we have seen them down the road. From that on we were flying and made up almost 4min to the 3 teams.
Moral is so good again, and it will so much easier to wake up tomorrow at 5am again in our camper.
I feel very sorry for team MTN! From the leaders jersey back to normal. They had lots of mechanical issues.
Cape-Epic never been so crazy like this year. Every day a new unbelievable story(s)!
Ceres to Ceres
90km, 1620m of climbing, 4.24hrs, about 16min off Trek-Brentjens
Definitely not our day! Burry's head was down already in the morning. His stomach was just not right, so as the whole body for his pedaling performance.
After about 2hrs we got dropped, and after that we rode up the climbs in hobby speed. Luckily towards the Burry had a mini comeback, and we started to travel with speed again.
It is a big petty we are out of contention for the overall now. It big season goal got blown into the air today, but everything has to come together over all the days.
Today we rode more single trails compare to any other Cape-Epic years. Wondering who build all those trails. Like winding snakes!
Diemersfontein to Ceres
117km, 2190m of climbing, 4.40hrs about 3min off MTN
It must be the highest wattage stage the Cape-Epic has ever seen. There was almost no soft pedaling, because every team wanted to show off and making a impression! Well now we know who impressed the most. Team MTN with Alban Lakata and Kevin Evans showed off just before hitting a 7km railway line. Burry popped a little and had cramps. Not cool when you have to ride for such a long time in the middle of a super bumpy railway track. He was only hoping a train will come in any direction for a instant pain relieve... Anyway we still finished second, and there are many days to come. Tomorrow will be a real single trail stage I heard. Hoping for a easier day in the saddle. Gotta speak to my legs!
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| 22.03.2010 13:45:18 |
Epic Stage 2 update? |
| From Wentzel Christo, Hartbeespoortdam, South Africa |
Hi Christoph,
Please update us what happended on Stage 2. Curious to know how you guys felt. How did Burry feel?
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