The Epic is one of those races that guarantees massive highs
and huge lows, so I think every rider no matter how many they have done is
apprehensive going into it. I
don’t know why the Epic offers that kind of drama, maybe its just because the
days are that little bit longer, it’s a little bit more technical or that we’re
all a little more hyped up and therefore take more risks. The first challenge is to get your
partner and yourself on the start line.
As it is always a big race of the year riders take extra chances
improving their skills that can end in injury and they train hard which can end
in sickness. However, both Nizaam
and me got to the start line in one piece and though we both laid out our
excuses as you do before the start we were both ready to go.
Prologue
Cape Town
20km 600m ascent
Rolling off the start ramp in front of such big crowds is
always fun though the fun ended quickly as we started the climb up Table
Mountain. Never one for a fast
start I was glad Nizaam was in the same boat and was happy enough to sit on my
wheel so I could pace it. Neither
of us pushed it too hard, I even got chance to take in the magnificent views
down into Cape Town and soaked up the hundreds of supporters cheers as we rode
past. Once up the scary bit
started down a loose dusty single track, now very rutted out from the hundreds
of riders before us. Someone
stopped in front of me so I had to hop off but once round I rode the second
part and tensed so much my quad went into semi cramp. We finished though safely, down in 7th place but
didn’t loose a lot of time.
Stage One
Elgin to Elgin
113km 2800m ascent
Yesterday we travelled to our camp in Elgin where chef Zac
prepared us a great dinner of sword fish and sweet potato and today as I came
out of the camper he had a big bowl of oats hot and ready as well as the best
bit - a big pot of tea. We started
in Group B, so was a long way back and with everyone wanting to move forward it
wasn’t long before the first lock up of brakes and a crash. I looked across and saw Yolande de Villiars
sprawl out, it looked bad and I was relieved to see her later on in the
ride. As is normal when you set
off in B, the first climb was one long queue and quite challenging to ride. It soon spread out and we rode nicely
along. It started to rain and got
chilly as we climbed higher.
Nizaam started to suffer a bit and we lost a few places but then picked
up again near the end and dug deep knowing that the next mixed team was getting
pretty close. The single track
near the end was very smooth and flowing, the dust having settled with the rain
and we came in 3rd place and moved up to 3rd on GC and
came in 95th overall. Looking at the mixed teams on paper I thought our aim of a
podium finish would be hard to get so to do it on the 1st stage we
were both pretty stoked.
Stage Two
Elgin to Elgin
92km 2300m ascent
It rained all afternoon yesterday and today we woke up to
gale force winds. I’m not sure why the weather is always so extreme in the
Epic, it’s as if it’s organized just to make things that bit harder. Starting in ‘A’ made a big difference
today and we were dragged along faster than yesterday. There was a lot of riding in the gutter
as the wind swung round all directions and it was a relief (for me anyway) to
get on the first long climb. We
were motoring along thanks to the 3 coffees Nizaam had had this morning and saw
both 1st and 2nd mixed teams just in front. Again there was lots of single track
and after the rain it was in perfect condition. We dropped some places mid way but the jersey wearers who
had only just passed us went off course so we were surprised to finish 2nd,
66th overall. We’d had
a few near misses, I watched a gust of wind blow a guy in front straight into
Nizaam’s bars, how he stayed upright I’ll never know, the other guy went flying
though was ok. I also watched him
fly straight into a ditch and somehow bounced back out. Recovery the rest of the afternoon was
chilling out around the camper van, sitting in the wheelie bin full of freezing
water, eating Zac’s chicken wraps, and getting a massage from Kim. We are certainly spoilt in Team
Asrin!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment