Sent via the wires directly from the ABSA Cape Epic by Rens Rezelman (@rens29er). Rens is riding his 3rd ABSA Cape Epic in the Nguni Bulls Team with Andrew “Rocky” Koen. They’re team 120 if you’d like to follow them live via Tracker.
Pre-Stage Chatter
Good morning, so yesterday (Stage 4) was a good day for us. Maybe a bit too good! We find ourselves at 149th overall, which moves us up into the front batch this morning. It is a somewhat intimidation task to leave with all the elites… especially with 117km to get through!
There are 8 starting batches, all 10 minutes apart. We normally ride from the second batch. #GraduationToBigDogs
Anyhow… we’ll hang on as best we can because that’s how we roll!
We get drilled on the 10-60km zone with some gnarly climbs.. but the real pain is around the 100km mark. After Bainskloof we hit the Black Route of Walvanpas. It’s a never ending tear jerker. But to battle we go! Attack attack!
Phil: “Today could be the day! Sauser beware.”
I didn’t want to verbalise it… but I think he’s panicking a bit. I’m deal calm. Like a ninja. Psychologically I think the Nguni Bulls have already struck a major blow. Sauser hasn’t moved up the leader board at all! And we have. #JustSaying
Stage 5: 117km with 2 500m of climbing
So it starts with a 4km extension. The route is now 121km. Another 120km plus day… and of course more than 2 500m of climbing!
We set off with the lead batch and it’s cordite and thunder for the first 15km. All good – if you’re doing a 15km race.
Issue one came at about 35km. I gashed the back tyre quite badly and spend some time getting the plug to take. But the hole was too big and I lost air throughout the day.
As my wheel was going flat so was Rocky. All our hard fought gains of yesterday were leaking away as teams were overtaking us. It can be quite demoralising!
I eventually limped into a tech point after blowing out three bombs in the ascent up Bianskloof. The mechanics weren’t exactly Formula 1 trained so the extra ten minutes taken to put on ans seat a new tyre left us even more grumpy!
And then we climbed. Welvanpas was murder today. After 100 very hard kilometres the endless climbing was torture.
“Enjoy the singletrack!” Yelled the spectators. No my friend. After seven hours of suffering you don’t enjoy the singletrack you survive it.
And then on the way home Rocky’s rear derailleur went. Gone. So as I pushed him home we were very relieved to cross the finish line. Very!
This was the Attakwas on steroids. Same distance but over an hour longer on the bike.
Andrew and I both agree (along with many other riders) that this is the toughest Epic. Again there were no free kilometres.
But we’re over the line! And we seem to have done okay despite all the administration. We’ll take it.
Pre-Stage Chatter
No chatter this morning just a photo of the rain…
Stage 6: 71km with 2 000m of climbing
Thank goodness I’ve done these reports otherwise I’d have no idea how to remember each day!
Today was great. Only 71km – although the 2 00m ascent thrown into the middle 45km was steep!
The Green Mamba soaked up the singletrack like a parched mouth to an ice cold beer. It made it FUN! And for the first time this Epic we had some momentum. It’s taken some time to get that experience.
Rocky and I ended about 150th overall today. And that’s our current GC position so all good. We might be up a bit in category as we landed another top 40 in the Masters… a position we are proud of.
We had our last massage and CycleLab will be tending to our bikes one last evening. Tomorrow is no walking in the park though. 87km to Meerendal via a very steep Paardeberg Mountain in the way. Oh well… it’s not like we’re not used to it.
Great to see Amanda and the Mortons on the side-lines today. Go great setting you! Thanks.
Cold beers at Meerendal tomorrow, this time. Be there for be square.
Nearly done.
Bulls Bye!
