The ninth edition of the race kicked off with a 27-kilometer prologue at Meerendal Wine Estate in the Durbanville Wine Valley — mountainbiking Mecca on Cape Town’s doorstep. The event saw 1 200 excited riders from 46 countries enjoy sunny weather with the first group of riders starting their 8-day journey at 06:45. Far from just a ceremonial stroll, it was flat out from the start ramp heading through spectator points Contermanskloof, Kliprug Hillcrest and Nitida. The route took riders through protected Renosterveld, railing the sublime single track created by the Tygerberg Mountain Bike club. On the final push on the lung-bursting climb up to the Meerendal hilltop finish — a first in the history of the Absa Cape Epic, riders saw spectators lining the trail for support, with magnificent views of Table Mountain and Table Bay in the background. This time trial was a race against the clock to decide the seeding at the start of Stage 1 in Robertson.
