page_title: Cape Epic
hierarchical_section_title: Cape Epic
caption_attribution_description: cape epic stage 5
context_page_description: The Cape Epic, full name Absa Cape Epic, is an annual mountain bike stage race held in the Western Cape, South Africa. It has been accredited as hors categorie by the Union Cycliste Internationale.
  First staged in 2004, the race typically covers more than 700 kilometres, and lasts eight days - a prologue and seven stages. The Absa Cape Epic attracts elite professional mountain bikers from around the world, who compete in teams of two. To qualify for a finish, teams have to stay together for the duration of the race. The race is also open to amateurs, who enter a lottery in order to gain a slot. A total of 650 teams take part.
  The times taken to finish each stage are aggregated to determine the overall winning team in each category at the end of the race. The course changes every year, but the race has always taken place in the Western Cape.
  The Absa Cape Epic was described by Bart Brentjens, 1996 Olympic gold medallist in mountain biking and a former Absa Cape Epic winner, as the "Tour de France of mountain biking".
  It is owned by World Triathlon Corporation, part of Dalian Wanda Group.
context_section_description: The Cape Epic, full name Absa Cape Epic, is an annual mountain bike stage race held in the Western Cape, South Africa. It has been accredited as hors categorie (beyond categorisation) by the Union Cycliste Internationale. 
  First staged in 2004, the race typically covers more than 700 kilometres (435 miles), and lasts eight days - a prologue and seven stages. The Absa Cape Epic attracts elite professional mountain bikers from around the world, who compete in teams of two. To qualify for a finish, teams have to stay together for the duration of the race. The race is also open to amateurs, who enter a lottery in order to gain a slot. A total of 650 teams take part.
  The times taken to finish each stage are aggregated to determine the overall winning team in each category at the end of the race. The course changes every year, but the race has always taken place in the Western Cape. 
  The Absa Cape Epic was described by Bart Brentjens, 1996 Olympic gold medallist in mountain biking and a former Absa Cape Epic winner, as the "Tour de France of mountain biking".
  It is owned by World Triathlon Corporation, part of Dalian Wanda Group.
caption: Riders during the 2009 Absa Cape Epic
exif: {"Image ImageDescription": "DCIM\\106GOPRO", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "Ver02.05.11", "Image DateTime": "2009:03:13 02:46:47", "Image ExifOffset": "172", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/1940", "EXIF FNumber": "18/5", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Program Normal", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "100", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0220", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2009:03:13 02:46:47", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2009:03:13 02:46:47", "EXIF CompressedBitsPerPixel": "26204/7723", "EXIF ShutterSpeedValue": "10921/1000", "EXIF ApertureValue": "373/100", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "0", "EXIF MaxApertureValue": "37/10", "EXIF SubjectDistance": "0", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Spot", "EXIF LightSource": "Unknown", "EXIF Flash": "No flash function", "EXIF FocalLength": "5", "EXIF Tag 0x9215": "0", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "2592", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "1944", "EXIF ExposureIndex": "0", "EXIF SensingMethod": "One-chip color area", "EXIF CustomRendered": "Normal", "EXIF ExposureMode": "Auto Exposure", "EXIF WhiteBalance": "Auto", "EXIF DigitalZoomRatio": "1", "EXIF FocalLengthIn35mmFilm": "0", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard", "EXIF GainControl": "None", "EXIF Contrast": "Normal", "EXIF Saturation": "Normal", "EXIF Sharpness": "Normal", "EXIF SubjectDistanceRange": "0"}