SOUTH AFRICA · MTB

ABSA CAPE EPIC TRAINING PLAN.

The Absa Cape Epic is the premier 8-day MTB stage race — 700km + 15,000m of climbing across the Western Cape of South Africa, raced in teams of two. World Series status, lottery entry, the hardest amateur MTB event on earth.

700 km·15,000 m climbing·8 days (stage race)·March

THE OVERVIEW

WHAT THE CAPE EPIC ACTUALLY IS

TERRAIN

8 days of MTB stage racing across the Western Cape — fynbos singletrack, farm roads, technical mountain descents, and long sustained climbs. Each stage averages 90-100km with 2,000-2,500m climbing. Singletrack technicality varies from beginner-friendly to genuinely demanding; the climbing is where the race is decided.

WEATHER

Late March in the Western Cape ranges from 18°C at the early stage starts to 35°C+ on the open Karoo sections. Heat compounds across the week — by stage 5 the cumulative dehydration is the silent race-killer. Dust on every stage. Occasional summer rain on the mountain stages. Altitude variations from sea level to 1,800m across the route.

FITNESS DEMANDS

WHAT YOU NEED TO ARRIVE WITH.

MINIMUM FTP

3.0 W/kg

to finish, well-fuelled

COMPETITIVE FTP

3.8 W/kg

to ride the day on your terms

ENDURANCE

12-16 hours/week peaking, with at least three back-to-back weekends of 5-6 hour MTB rides paired with 4-hour days the next morning. You should have done one 3-day stack of 4+ hour rides in the final 12 weeks, ideally on real mountain terrain. Singletrack-specific skill work matters as much as engine work — losing 15 seconds per technical section across 8 days is hours, not minutes.

WHY THESE NUMBERS MATTER HERE

Cape Epic is multi-day, so single-day FTP underestimates the demand. 3.0 W/kg sustained for 8 stages requires the same engine as 3.4 W/kg fresh. The competitive number — 3.8+ W/kg — is what holds a top-third GC across a week, not what wins a single stage. Singletrack technical skill saves more time than watts on most days.

CLIMBING DEMANDS

THE CLIMBS, IN ORDER.

Around 15,000m of climbing across the week — averaging 1,900m per stage, with the queen stages (typically stage 3 or 4) topping 2,500m. The climbing is the race. Singletrack descents matter for skill, but the GC is built and lost on long fynbos climbs in the heat. Cumulative climbing fatigue compounds across the week — stage 7 power on the climbs is typically 80-85% of stage 1 power for amateurs who managed recovery, and 65-70% for those who didn't.

WELVANPAS CLIMB

VARIES BY YEAR

8 km·6% avg·480 m gain

Classic Cape Epic climb when it features. Long sustained farm road into fynbos. Pace on power — heart rate drifts in the heat and lies about your effort.

GROENLANDBERG

QUEEN-STAGE DAY

12 km·5.5% avg·660 m gain

Tops out around 1,000m. Long, exposed, hot. The signature climb of multiple recent editions. Manage temperature as much as wattage.

STETTYN'S BERG

MID-WEEK

14 km·5% avg·700 m gain

One of the longest sustained climbs in any edition. Drink before you're thirsty, eat before you're hungry, and pace at 70-75% FTP — not racing pace.

EXPECTED FINISH TIMES

WHERE YOU'LL LAND.

Use these bands to set a realistic goal. Pick the band closest to your current fitness — not the one above it. Pacing a band you haven't earned is the fastest way to a back-half blow-up.

SURVIVAL FINISHER

8 days, 6-7h daily average

FTP 2.6-3.0 W/kg, 8-10 hours/week training, MTB-specific skill work, longest ride 5 hours, has finished a 4-day MTB stage event before.

MID-PACK FINISHER

8 days, 5-6h daily average

FTP 3.0-3.4 W/kg, 10-12 hours/week, multiple back-to-back long-ride weekends, partner-paired endurance, gut trained to 80g carbs/hour.

TOP-THIRD GC

8 days, 4:30-5:30h daily average

FTP 3.4-3.8 W/kg, 12-15 hours/week, MTB racing background, technical singletrack confidence, refined recovery protocol, gut trained to 90g+ carbs/hour.

FRONT-OF-FIELD GC

8 days, 3:30-4:30h daily average

FTP 3.8+ W/kg, 15-18 hours/week, professional-tier race calendar, structured altitude block, partner-matched fitness, sub-2% margin on race weight.

Ask Roadman about your Cape Epic target →

THE TRAINING PLAN

HOW LONG TILL YOUR CAPE EPIC?

Six weeks-out windows, each built around the demands of this course. Pick the one that matches your window today. The framework is free; coaching makes it personal.

16 WEEKS OUT

BASE PHASE

Aerobic foundation. High volume, low intensity. Don't skip this.

12 WEEKS OUT

LATE BASE

Bridge phase. Volume still rules, but structure begins.

8 WEEKS OUT

BUILD PHASE

Structured intensity enters. Threshold + VO2 max work.

4 WEEKS OUT

PEAK PHASE

Event-specific sharpening. Volume drops, quality rises.

2 WEEKS OUT

TAPER

Sharpness is banked. Now shed fatigue.

1 WEEK OUT

RACE WEEK

Don't do anything clever. Eat, sleep, show up.

FUELLING STRATEGY

EAT LIKE THE DAY DEMANDS.

Cape Epic fuelling is on-bike + off-bike, and the off-bike side is where amateurs lose the week. On the bike: 80g carbs/hour minimum, 90-100g if you've trained the gut, sustained for 5-7 hours every stage. Daily carb intake during race week climbs to 8-10g/kg body weight (a 70kg rider eats 560-700g carbs across the day). Recovery window is non-negotiable: a carb-protein shake (3:1 or 4:1 ratio) within 30 minutes of every stage finish, real meal within 90. Protein needs rise on stage races: 1.6-2g/kg/day to support overnight muscle repair. Sleep is fuel — riders banking 7-8 hours per night recover; riders sleeping 5-6 crack on day 5 regardless of fitness. Sodium losses in Karoo heat are 1,500-2,000mg/hour; replace aggressively or accept the cramp and the bonk.

PACING STRATEGY

RIDE IT IN THE RIGHT ORDER.

Cape Epic is multi-day pacing, full stop. Each stage is a 70-75% effort, not a 100% effort. Stage 1 power should be the slowest you can comfortably hold for the day, not the fastest — riders who race stage 1 are riding defence by stage 4. Pace climbs on rigid wattage ceilings: 75-80% FTP on the major climbs through stage 3, dropping to 70-75% by stage 5 as fatigue lands. Heart rate drifts 5-10 bpm higher in the heat for the same wattage — pace on power, accept the HR. Singletrack descents are recovery, not racing: hold pace, eat, drink, do not crash (a Cape Epic broken collarbone is 8 days of waiting at the finish line). The team rule is the iron rule: you finish together or you DNF. Pace at the slower partner's level on day 1, not day 5.

COMMON MISTAKES

DON'T DO THIS.

Patterns we see at the Cape Epic every year. Each one has a fix that costs nothing — except the discipline to actually use it on the day.

MISTAKE

Arriving undertrained for back-to-back 6-8 hour days

FIX

Five-hour Saturday rides do not prepare you for stacked 5-6 hour days at altitude in the heat. Build at least three back-to-back long-ride weekends in the final 12 weeks (Saturday 5-6h + Sunday 4-5h), ideally on real mountain terrain. The training problem Cape Epic asks isn't 'can you ride hard for one day' — it's 'can you ride hard the day after riding hard, six times in a row'.

MISTAKE

Mismatching partner fitness

FIX

You ride at the slower rider's pace, every day, all week. Pair early in the training cycle, train together at least once a week, and arrive with a shared sense of pacing, fuelling, and stage strategy. The team that finishes top-third is rarely the team with the strongest individual rider — it's the team where both riders end stage 7 still able to ride.

MISTAKE

Skimping on the post-stage recovery protocol

FIX

Carb-protein shake within 30 minutes of every stage finish. Real meal within 90. Compression, foam roller, 7-8 hours of sleep — non-negotiable from stage 1, not 'starting tomorrow when I feel tired'. Recovery debt compounds: skip it on stage 1 and you pay on stage 5 with interest.

MISTAKE

Underspecing tyres for the singletrack

FIX

2.3-2.4" tyres with MaxxTerra or Enduro casing. Tubeless mandatory with plug kit and CO2. A puncture in technical singletrack costs 10-30 minutes and can end the team's day if it lands at altitude in the heat. Run pressures conservative — comfort and grip beat rolling resistance over 8 days.

MISTAKE

Treating altitude as a sea-level problem

FIX

Several stages cross 1,500-1,800m. At those altitudes most amateurs lose 5-8% of sea-level sustainable power. Sleep at altitude in the final 2-3 weeks if you can, or arrive 7-10 days early in the Cape to acclimatise. The combined heat + altitude on the queen stage is where unprepared teams fall apart.

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GOT A QUESTION ABOUT THE CAPE EPIC?

The Cape Epic doesn't have a predictor course yet. Ask Roadman directly — Anthony reads every question and replies with event-specific advice.

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FAQ

CAPE EPIC TRAINING, ANSWERED.

What FTP do I need for the Absa Cape Epic?

Cape Epic is multi-day, so single-day FTP underestimates the demand. 3.0 W/kg sustained for 8 stages requires the same engine as 3.4 W/kg fresh. The competitive number — 3.8+ W/kg — is what holds a top-third GC across a week, not what wins a single stage. Singletrack technical skill saves more time than watts on most days. A practical floor is 3.0 W/kg to finish; 3.8 W/kg to ride competitively.

How long should I train for the Absa Cape Epic?

Most riders benefit from 12-16 weeks of structured preparation. 12-16 hours/week peaking, with at least three back-to-back weekends of 5-6 hour MTB rides paired with 4-hour days the next morning. You should have done one 3-day stack of 4+ hour rides in the final 12 weeks, ideally on real mountain terrain. Singletrack-specific skill work matters as much as engine work — losing 15 seconds per technical section across 8 days is hours, not minutes. If you have less time, the 8-week and 4-week plans still produce a meaningful result on the right starting fitness.

What's the typical finish time for the Absa Cape Epic?

Amateur finishers cover the full range. Survival finisher: 8 days, 6-7h daily average; Mid-pack finisher: 8 days, 5-6h daily average; Top-third GC: 8 days, 4:30-5:30h daily average; Front-of-field GC: 8 days, 3:30-4:30h daily average. The difference between bands is climbing fitness and fuelling discipline more than flat speed.

What's the biggest mistake riders make at the Absa Cape Epic?

Arriving undertrained for back-to-back 6-8 hour days. Fix: Five-hour Saturday rides do not prepare you for stacked 5-6 hour days at altitude in the heat. Build at least three back-to-back long-ride weekends in the final 12 weeks (Saturday 5-6h + Sunday 4-5h), ideally on real mountain terrain. The training problem Cape Epic asks isn't 'can you ride hard for one day' — it's 'can you ride hard the day after riding hard, six times in a row'.

How should I pace the Absa Cape Epic?

Cape Epic is multi-day pacing, full stop. Each stage is a 70-75% effort, not a 100% effort. Stage 1 power should be the slowest you can comfortably hold for the day, not the fastest — riders who race stage 1 are riding defence by stage 4. Pace climbs on rigid wattage ceilings: 75-80% FTP on the major climbs through stage 3, dropping to 70-75% by stage 5 as fatigue lands. Heart rate drifts 5-10 bpm higher in the heat for the same wattage — pace on power, accept the HR. Singletrack descents are recovery, not racing: hold pace, eat, drink, do not crash (a Cape Epic broken collarbone is 8 days of waiting at the finish line). The team rule is the iron rule: you finish together or you DNF. Pace at the slower partner's level on day 1, not day 5.

When does the Absa Cape Epic take place?

The Absa Cape Epic typically runs in March. Count back from your event date and pick the weeks-out plan that matches your window.

WANT THIS BUILT AROUND YOUR FTP?

PLAN MADE FOR YOU, NOT FOR THE AVERAGE.

The framework here gets you in the right territory. Roadman coaching builds it around your FTP, your week, your weeks remaining, and your delivery via TrainingPeaks.

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