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The 2008 Absa Cape Epic, which started in Knysna on Friday, March 28 and finishes at the Lourensford Estate in Somerset West on Saturday, April 5, has 1 200 riders from more than 40 countries cycling 966 km in nine days and climbing 18 529 m, which is the equivalent of riding twice up Mount Everest.

By Thursday morning the riders will have four stages and around 435 km left to complete the race, which the organisers claim will not only be the longest, but arguably the most challenging route they have set out.

"We want technical and challenging riding that takes the riders to new towns whilst at the same time gives them beautiful and remote scenery and with wild animals to boot," they said.

Among the entrants are Olympic gold medallists, world champions and reigning UCI World Cup champions. However, the bulk of the field are non professional everyday mountainbike enthusiasts, including many cyclists from the Helderberg. Riders compete in teams of two in one of four categories: Men, Ladies, Mixed and Masters (both riders must be 40 years or older).

This year the riders competed in the very first prologue which started and finished in the Pezula Private Estate.

Stage one on Friday took the riders from the Knysna Waterfront to the Saasveld Campus Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in George 123 km away and climbed 3 0 91 metres. This route included sharp climbs, lush indigenous forests and heart-in-the stomach descents.

Stage two from George to Calitzdorp was 137 km and climbed 2 518 m and was said to be the hardest stage of the race, which included a cut-off time and riders not making it were eliminated from the race.

Stage three from Calitzdorp to Riversdale was 133 km and climbed up to 2 340 metres.

Here riders rode through game country and over rough terrain which included gaining 600 m in altitude before a 70 km/h descent.

Stage four from Riversdale to Swellendam was 121 km long and climbed up to 2 620 metres. Cyclists rode through Grootvaderbosch and into forests and over difficult technical descents and river crossings.

Stage five was the longest from Swellendam to Bredasdorp - a long, long 146 km and climbing 1 819 km. This section included riding through the De Hoop Nature Reserve, where rocks and sand killed all momentum and the cyclists already tired legs.

Stage six from Bredasdorp to Hermanus was 130 km long and climbed 2 095 metres and took the riders through the Salmonsdam Nature Reserve.

The dirt roads were quick and energy sapping and included numerous short sharp rises that kicked up quickly before reaching the old harbour finish in Hermanus.

Stage seven was the second shortest from Hermanus to Elgin over 91 km and a climb of 1 985 metres. This included a loose rocky climb gaining 500 metres then onto a very challenging single track through the Lebabon Trails, the faster flowing single-track on Paul Cluver Estate and then wind their way to the overnight stop at Oak Valley.

Stage eight from Elgin to Lourensford is the last stage and 68 km long climbing 1 760 metres. It includes long, steep climbs and fast descents plus a section where riders must carry their bikes for about a kilometre down slippery rocks that bear the marks of the Voortrekker ox wagons before finishing at Lourensford Wine Estate.

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