David Valero among the top favorites for the Cape Epic 2026: dates and how to watch the "Tour de France of MTB"

The Absa Cape Epic returns to South Africa with an edition that promises to be one of the most unpredictable in recent years. From March 15 to 22, the event considered the "Tour de France of MTB" will bring together some of the best pairs on the planet to face a week of competition where strategy, endurance, and teamwork will be as important as strength.

The most prestigious stage race in MTB

The Absa Cape Epic has established itself as the global reference for stage XCM. For eight days, teams made up of two riders will traverse some of the most spectacular trails in South Africa, sharing the course with professionals and amateurs from dozens of countries.

Completing the race is already an achievement in itself. Only those who manage to finish all eight stages enter the so-called "Book of Legend," a symbolic record reserved for those who complete the entire challenge. Each edition of the race demands not only power and technique but also effort management and perfect coordination among team members.

RECOMENDADO

Disqualified for hitting another cyclist during the race. The NSN Cycling Team apologizes and temporarily suspends Kiaan Watts

Seixas and Pogacar at UAE? The Frenchman is already starting to shake up the market

Paris-Nice 2026: Vingegaard kicks off his season in the "Race to the Sun"

Pogacar dynamites and wins a Strade Bianche in which Paul Seixas shines

Is K-MTB better than K-POP? The World Cup is coming to Yongpyong

Strade Bianche 2026: times and how to watch the Pogacar first race of the season

The 2026 edition proposes 692 kilometers and 15,900 meters of accumulated ascent, a route that will pass through some of the most emblematic areas of South African MTB. The race will start at Meerendal Wine Estate in Durbanville and conclude in Stellenbosch, after passing through locations like Montagu and Greyton.

The prologue will kick off the week with a short course among vineyards, ideal for establishing the first differences. After that, much more demanding days will come, with long stages, heat, and dusty sections that will test the teams' endurance.

Key moments of the route include:

• Stage 3, with 134 km, the longest of the race.
• Stage 5, considered the queen stage, with 128 km and 2,700 m of elevation gain.
• The finish in Stellenbosch, with technical trails well-known by XCO specialists.
• The combination of long climbs, technical descents, and demanding weather conditions often creates significant differences among the favorites throughout the week.

Male favorites: many unknowns and an open race

The men's edition of 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable in recent years. Although there will be riders at the start with victories and podiums in the Cape Epic, no pair seems to have a clear advantage over the rest, which opens up the field of candidates for the overall title.

Among the duos that could shape the race is the one formed by Matthew Beers and Tristan Nortje, who will wear the number one bib. Beers is one of the top specialists in this event and has several victories in the Epic, although this time he arrives with a different partner than initially planned. His partner was supposed to be the world champion of XCM Keegan Swenson, but the American's injury forced a team reorganization, leaving some doubts about their real potential against other contenders.

In such an open scenario, one of the pairs arriving with the strongest arguments to fight for victory is formed by David Valero and Swiss Marc Stutzmann (Klimatiza Orbea). Stutzmann already knows what it is like to fight for a podium in the Cape Epic, and the Spaniard, an Olympic medalist and regular protagonist in marathon and XCO events, approaches the race with a combination of power and experience that fits well with the demanding profile of the Epic. If both manage to maintain consistency throughout the week, their duo has enough level to fight for the podium and even aspire to the final victory.

Another team that could take on the role of reference is Wilier with Luca Braidot and Simone Avondetto, a pair that combines international experience and good performance in different competition formats. They are joined by very experienced teams in stage races, such as the Buff BH team with Wout Alleman and Martin Stosek, or the Singer KTM Racing team, where former marathon world champion Andreas Seewald will share a team with Jakob Hartmann.

Another team that deserves special attention is Orbea x Speed Company, with Lukas Baum and Georg Egger. The German pair already knows what it is like to win the Cape Epic — they did so in 2022 — and also finished second in 2023, so their experience in this type of stage race always makes them a very dangerous team, especially when the race enters its decisive phase.

The list of contenders is completed with some combinations that generate as much expectation as questions, such as the one formed by Luca Schwarzbauer and Sam Gaze, two riders of enormous talent who could be very competitive if they manage to adapt quickly to the demands of such a long race.

With so many pairs capable of entering the fight and a route that usually punishes any mistake, all signs point to a Cape Epic where the overall classification could remain open until the last stages. Consistency and the ability to endure a week of extreme wear and tear will again be the decisive factors in determining the final victory.

Female favorites: Courtney as the reference

In the women's category, the list of contenders is smaller, although it also presents important unknowns.

The pair with the highest profile is formed by Kate Courtney, the current world champion, and Melissa Rollins, a duo that combines international experience and performance in high-level events.

Another pair arriving in good form is formed by Candice Lill and Alessandra Keller, two XCO specialists who could adapt well to the technical terrain of some stages.

Among the candidates for the podium is also the Spanish team Massi ISB Sport, with Mónica Calderón and Tessa Kortekaas, a pair with marathon experience and consistent results in this type of stage race.

Dates and how to watch the Cape Epic 2026

The Absa Cape Epic 2026 will take place from March 15 to 22, and as usual, each stage will be broadcast live through the official channels of the organization.

The coverage will include expert commentary, aerial images, and cameras placed at various points along the route to follow the race's development almost in real-time.

For eight days, South Africa will once again become the epicenter of the global mountain bike scene with an event that mixes adventure, endurance, and competition at the highest level. If the Cape Epic has demonstrated anything in its more than two decades of history, it is that until crossing the final finish line, no victory is guaranteed.