Absa Cape Epic takes place on Mar 21 – 28, 2027 in Western Cape, South Africa. The main route is 650 km.
- Date
- Mar 21 – 28, 2027
- Start
- Western Cape 🇿🇦
- Distance
- 650 km
- Level
- Mixed field
Your 21-week plan to Absa Cape Epic
The Base phase starts this week. Built around your fitness and adjusted every day as your form changes; attach the course and it prepares for the climbs too.
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The Absa Cape Epic is an eight-day mountain-bike stage race for two-rider teams through South Africa's Western Cape (21–28 March 2027), covering about 650 km with 15,500 m of climbing, with professional and amateur teams riding the same route.
What this race demands
This eight-day, 650 km mountain-bike stage race demands sustained endurance and the ability to recover between days. Its stated 15,500 m of climbing adds a substantial repeated climbing load, while the two-rider team format also requires coordination across the event.
Multi-day durability
Riders cover about 650 km across eight days, so they must sustain effort over repeated stages and recover well enough to ride again the next day.
Climbing volume
The route includes 15,500 m of climbing, requiring riders to manage a large accumulated uphill workload across the event.
Mountain-bike handling
The event is a mountain-bike race, so riders need to handle the demands of off-road riding; the stated facts do not specify particular terrain or technical features.
Team coordination
Riders compete in two-person teams, making coordination with a partner part of the event demand.
Because this is an eight-day event with substantial daily riding, plan carbohydrate intake during each stage—often around 60–90 g/h for prolonged efforts—and replenish between stages.
What would it take you?
Pick the level closest to yours for an estimate of finish time on this course and the training a solid preparation needs.
Estimated finish
20:15–24:25
Peak-week training
6–8 h/week
A model estimate from distance, climbing and level, not a promise. Conditions, drafting and pacing move it.
IntervalCoach turns those weekly hours into a concrete plan built around your actual fitness. Start with this race as your goal
Your road to race day
Race day at Absa Cape Epic is 21 weeks away. This is how a coach divides that time. The first phase starts now.
01Base9 weeks · Oct 26, 2026 – Dec 27, 2026
Aerobic foundation: mostly steady endurance work that grows the aerobic engine and the durability the later phases stand on.
02Build6 weeks · Dec 28, 2026 – Feb 7, 2027
Progressive overload: training load climbs in waves, with harder weeks stacked on the base and planned recovery weeks that let the gains land.
03Peak3 weeks · Feb 8, 2027 – Feb 28, 2027
The hardest weeks of the plan: race-specific intensity at nearly full training load, sharpening exactly what this race asks for.
04Taper2 weeks · Mar 1, 2027 – Mar 14, 2027
Volume drops while intensity stays: short, sharp efforts keep the legs awake as fatigue drains away.
05Race week1 week · Mar 15, 2027 – Mar 21, 2027
Openers, rest and logistics. The work is done; the job now is arriving fresh.
Frequently asked questions
When is Absa Cape Epic?
Absa Cape Epic takes place on Mar 21 – 28, 2027 in Western Cape, South Africa.
How long is Absa Cape Epic?
The main route is 650 km.
What does Absa Cape Epic demand?
This eight-day, 650 km mountain-bike stage race demands sustained endurance and the ability to recover between days. Its stated 15,500 m of climbing adds a substantial repeated climbing load, while the two-rider team format also requires coordination across the event.
Who is Absa Cape Epic for?
Absa Cape Epic has a mixed field of professional and amateur participants.
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