Cape Epic kicks off
The 2026 Absa Cape Epic opened with a 20‑kilometre prologue stage completed by the pro peloton, officially starting the multi‑day mountain‑bike stage race in South Africa 2026 Cape Epic Prologue Stage Results - Pinkbike. The short, fast prologue sets early GC gaps and shapes team tactics heading into the stage race proper 2026 Cape Epic Prologue Stage Results - Pinkbike.
Candice Lill and Alessandra [Keller pinkbike.com] clocked 51:24.6 to win the elite women’s prologue for Thömus Maxon Sabi Sabi, opening a 56.8‑second lead over Kate Courtney and Greta Seiwald. Matthew Beers and Tristan [Nortje pinkbike.com] posted the fastest elite men’s time at 44:37.4, with Luca Braidot and Simone Avondetto a slim 6.3 seconds back. Jenny Rissveds and Simon Andreassen’s Team [69 pinkbike.com] topped the mixed category, finishing the prologue almost four minutes clear of their nearest mixed rivals. The prologue ran at Meerendal Wine Estate in Durbanville over a 20‑kilometre loop that included roughly 650 metres of climbing on March 15, [2026 cape-epic.com]. Stage 1 moves the race into Montagu on March 16 with a 90‑kilometre opening road stage featuring about 2,150 metres of [ascent bicycling.co.za]. The full 2026 route totals approximately 692 kilometres with 15,900 metres of climbing across the eight days, setting the context for how small prologue gaps can grow on longer mountain [stages epic-series.com].
