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If you can not view this email click here to view online version. |
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Dear Dr.,
Stage 3 of the Absa Cape Epic saw riders complete their stage journey from Calitzdorp to Riversdale, with a distance of 133km and climbing of 2 340m. Of the 1198 riders who left Knysna on Saturday, 1112 were still in the race this morning. 15 riders were competing with a blue number board, meaning they can still ride the Absa Cape Epic, but can’t compete for overall results, because they haven’t completed one of the stages.
The teams were taken up a 13 km steady drag on smooth dirt roads over Rooiberg Pass. It was a long climb that steepened to 9% before a 70kph decent into the valley. After some sharp, rolling hills, riders crossed game country, where antelope, giraffe, leopard, and caracal watched the riders charge through. From there on the terrain was tough. Maximum concentration was needed to preserve bike and body. The rock formations were as geologically fascinating as they were race threatening (should riders have chosen a bad line or made a bad tyre choice). Even after riders survived the punctures and the heat, there was still a long slog on dirt roads before Garcia Pass. They welcomed the tarred, gentle climb and fast descent that took them into Riversdale, for a hard-earned rest.
Neil Frazer achieved the following results:
Stage Time |
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5:32.28,3 |
Stage Position |
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13. in Masters category and 78. in general classification |
Overall Time |
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19:30.19,1 |
Overall Position |
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13. in Masters category and in 81. general classification | . | |
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Dear Dr.,
For Stage 4 of the Absa Cape Epic (Riversdale to Swellendam), the rolling hills through the farmlands provided the power riders with a chance to ply their trade. Then came the big ones – heartbreak one and heartbreak two, the second of which was 4.5km long with a 7% gradient. After two days in the Karoo, riders passed through dairy country before heading into Grootvadersbosch, another Cape Nature jewel, and back into some lush forests again – a welcome shelter from the harsh sun, or so thought. In actual fact, the forest was hot and humid and did not provide the expected shelter. There were more challenges to come – more climbing, technical descents and river crossings, which were passable only by foot, or on a mountain bike. A short tar section passed the historical mission village of Suurbraak – a town that is no stranger to the Absa Cape Epic. At the weir crossing, it was “only” 12km home, which must have felt like 25km. Riders had to watch out for the mean, technical forest climbs that steepened up to 15%. It took longer than they expected to get into Swellendam. Neil Frazer achieved the following results:
Stage Time |
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5:47.12,0 |
Stage Position |
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8. in Masters category and 56. in general classification |
Overall Time |
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25:17.31,1 |
Overall Position |
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13. in Masters category and in 75. general classification | | |
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If you can not view this email click here to view online version. |
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Dear Dr.,
For Stage 5 of the Absa Cape Epic, the route had riders make the journey from Swellendam to Bredasdorp (146km, 1 819m climbing). While it might have looked like an easy day on the smooth dirt roads, riders had to turn into about 20km of rough dual tracks of De Hoop Nature Reserve where rocks and deep sand killed their momentum and their legs. As this time of year is usually a dry season, the sandy tracks were deeper and longer. Many were frustrated with having to get off and push. But it was finally worth it – riders got a magnificent reward – another ocean vista opened out in front of them as they crested the last hill. Thorns and sharp rocks posed the challenge of keeping air in the tyres again. This protected area was alive with flora and fauna with proteas, baboons, ostriches, eland, steenbok and Cape mountain zebra. But riders focused on getting home across the windy plains and farmlands into Bredasdorp.
Neil Frazer achieved the following results:
Stage Time |
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6:46.27,2 |
Stage Position |
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10. in Masters category and 61. in general classification |
Overall Time |
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32:03.58,3 |
Overall Position |
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10. in Masters category and in 67. general classification | | |
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If you can not view this email click here to view online version. |
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