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RACE WEEK · 1 WEEKS OUT

ABSA CAPE EPIC — 1 WEEKS OUT

Don't do anything clever. Eat, sleep, show up. Built around the 700km / 15,000m profile of the Cape Epic in South Africa.

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

THE FOCUS RIGHT NOW

DON'T DO ANYTHING CLEVER.

Race week is about arriving at the start line fresh, hydrated, and calm. The training is done. Hard sessions now cost you more than they give you. Every hour of good sleep in the final 72 hours does more than any workout could.

THIS WEEK'S ANCHOR SESSION

RACE MORNING OPENERS

20 minutes on the bike, morning of the event or day before, with 3x30sec at race pace. Wakes legs up without draining anything. That's it.

THE WEEK

A TYPICAL WEEK, 1 WEEKS OUT

Monday

45MIN Z1 + OPENERS (3X1MIN RACE PACE)

Legs awake, fatigue low.

Tuesday

REST OR 30MIN EASY

Focus on hydration + sleep.

Wednesday

60MIN WITH 4X30SEC RACE PACE

Final primer — nothing heroic.

Thursday

REST

Start carb-loading today.

Friday

30MIN EASY SPIN + OPENERS

Race check. Kit lay-out. Route review.

Saturday (race day -1)

20-30MIN VERY EASY

Or rest. Whichever calms nerves.

Race Day

EVENT

Pace it. Fuel it. Enjoy it.

DON'T DO THIS

Race-week mistakes are always additive — an extra hard session, extra volume, an unfamiliar food. Do less. The last week cannot make you fitter. It can absolutely make you slower.

EVENT INTEL

WHAT THE CAPE EPIC ACTUALLY DEMANDS

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.

KEY CHARACTERISTICS

  • ✓8-day stage race — sleep, recover, repeat
  • ✓Raced in teams of 2 — you finish together or you DNF
  • ✓Technical singletrack AND long climbs on each stage
  • ✓Heat, dust, and altitude variations across the Cape
  • ✓Stage cut-offs — slower teams eliminated during the week

COMMON MISTAKES

  • ✕Arriving undertrained for back-to-back 6-8 hour days
  • ✕Mismatching partner fitness — you ride at the slower rider's pace
  • ✕Skipping the first two stages' recovery protocols — day 5 is where it breaks

PACING

Cape Epic pacing is multi-day pacing, not single-stage racing. Target day 1 at 70-75% of a single-day race effort. Recovery — sleep, nutrition, legs up — is the race after day 3. The strongest teams at the finish line are those who held back on days 1-3 and still had legs on days 5-8.

FUELLING

Daily calorie intake 5,000-7,000 kcal during the event. Fuel on the bike aggressively (80g carbs/hour). Recovery window post-stage: 4:1 carb:protein within 30 minutes. Hydrate all day every day — dehydration compounds across stages.

KIT

Trail or lightweight XC full-suspension. 2.3-2.4" tyres with good sidewalls (MaxxTerra or Enduro casing). Service-day bike fleet access (mandatory at the Cape Epic). 2x kit pieces of everything. Tyre plugs, pump, CO2, multitool.

WANT THIS BUILT AROUND YOUR FTP?

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FAQ

COMMON QUESTIONS AT 1 WEEKS OUT

Is 1 weeks enough to train for the Absa Cape Epic?+

Race week is about showing up fresh. No new fitness gains possible in a week. Focus on sleep, hydration, carb loading 48-72 hours out, and mental prep. Any hard session this week costs you more than it gives.

What's the hardest part of the Absa Cape Epic?+

8-day stage race — sleep, recover, repeat. arriving undertrained for back-to-back 6-8 hour days — so pacing discipline is the single biggest lever most amateurs miss. Cape Epic pacing is multi-day pacing, not single-stage racing.

How many hours a week should I train at 1 weeks out from the Absa Cape Epic?+

Drop to 6-8 hours with minimal intensity. The taper protects the fitness you've built rather than growing more. Short, sharp openers to keep legs awake. Nothing aerobically challenging.

Do I need a coach to train for the Absa Cape Epic?+

You don't need a coach to finish. You do need structure. If you're new to sportives, have a target finish time, have a plateau you can't break, or have a history of peaking wrong, a coached plan pays for itself. Inside Not Done Yet the plan is built backwards from your event date — base, build, peak, taper timed to the week the Absa Cape Epic runs. 7-day free trial, $195/mo.

What gearing should I run for the Absa Cape Epic?+

Trail or lightweight XC full-suspension. 2.3-2.4" tyres with good sidewalls (MaxxTerra or Enduro casing). Service-day bike fleet access (mandatory at the Cape Epic). 2x kit pieces of everything. Tyre plugs, pump, CO2, multitool.

OTHER PHASES FOR THE CAPE EPIC

Earlier phase ← 2 weeks out

TAPER