2020 ABSA Cape Epic
ON December 11, 2019 by Matt Noble(Jan 30, 2020)
Meet the 2020 Zwift Cape Epic MTB Team
Aldean Lim & Benjamin Ramirez
Aldean Lim (Left) – Born and raised on the Panay Island in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines, Aldean now calls Manila home. A lawyer by day, Aldean is an amateur adventurer and explorer during his off-hours. He spends most of his free time riding, running, and overlanding wherever his feet, wheels (two or four) take him. Aldean’s bucket list includes some of the toughest endurance and adventure races on the seven continents.
Benjamin “Jami” Ramirez (Right) was born and raised in Bacolod City in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines. An entrepreneur and serial adventurer, Jami says he’s in constant pursuit of self-awareness through endurance sports like cycling, triathlon, and ultrarunning. But he says he’s, “The easy-going kind.”
Aldean and Jami got to know each other as competitors in triathlon, ultra trail running, and off-road endurance events. They started training together when Jami was prepping for his first Cape Epic and found out they had a lot in common, including bucket list races.
Since then, they’ve had lots of adventures together in the Philippines and abroad.
“We rode the Pioneer in New Zealand in 2018 and Swiss Epic 2019, where Jami got his Epic Legend status. Now, he is helping me obtain my Epic Legend Status in the 2020 Absa Cape Epic,” explains Aldean.
What is it that attracted you to the Cape Epic and your goals for the event?
“The Cape Epic is a mountain bikers’ ultimate dream. You get to ride for eight days with some of the best mountain bikers on the planet. We hope to finish strong, while enjoying every moment of the experience. In the process, we get to challenge ourselves and overcome our limits,” says Aldean.
Aldean & Jami will receive the pro-team experience, supported by SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing Team, Wahoo, and Oakley, as they take on the 2020 Absa Cape Epic and will have their experience captured every step of the way for you to follow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U01E4-9r2Cc
Make sure to follow Zwift on Instagram to keep updated
Sign up for a Cape Epic workout and join the Team as they prepare for the race.
(Dec 11, 2019)
ZWIFT PARTNERS WITH ABSA CAPE EPIC FOR 2020
The Absa Cape Epic today announces a renewed formal partnership with Zwift, the world’s largest multiplayer online cycling platform, allowing riders from across the globe to bridge geographical gaps and prepare together for the 2020 Absa Cape Epic. In addition to obvious fitness benefits, Zwift is also giving 2020 Absa Cape Epic riders a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become part of Team Zwift.
The Absa Cape Epic is proud to announce a renewed partnership with the world’s largest multiplayer online training and racing platform, Zwift, that builds on the successful relationship that was developed in 2019.
Historically, Zwift may have been perceived to be a ‘roadie brand’ Recently though, Zwift has expanded on their commitment to off-road cyclists with a recent game expansion containing a selection of new training plans as well as in-game equipment. Amongst the plans is the aptly dubbed ‘Dirt Destroyer’. This plan is designed for intermediate riders looking to improve their mountain bike specific strengths through repeated surges far over threshold to increase anaerobic capacity and grow their peak pedal torque to conquer even the toughest climbs of the Absa Cape Epic. A more advanced training plan targeting cross country cyclists is set to be added early in 2020.
Zwift’s focus for the 2020 Absa Cape Epic will be to build a brand-new online Absa Cape Epic community, bringing all competitors from across the globe together within the platform. With nearly half of the Absa Cape Epic riders hailing from countries other than South Africa and a large percentage of those teaming up with partners not located in the same region or country, the benefit of being able to prepare together via the Zwift community is undoubtedly beneficial for all.
Kevin Vermaak, Founder of the Absa Cape Epic, called upon Zwift in his preparation for the 2019 Absa Cape Epic as his partner was living in Costa Rica, some 11 000 kilometers away. “Zwift is phenomenal – it allowed Andrew and me to bridge the gap in both our fitness levels and geographical location. With Zwift’s recent introduction of mountain biking-specific offerings, I suspect that there will be many more teams lining up at the 2020 Absa Cape Epic Prologue as cohesive units than ever before.”
Beginning in February 2020, Zwift will once again be giving back to the online community by offering specific group workouts that will assist in developing the required fitness levels for the Absa Cape Epic. These workouts will be led by some of the world’s most recognized mountain bikers and riders of all levels are welcome to join in, provided they have an active Zwift membership.
The benefits of Zwift don’t end once the 2020 Absa Cape Epic begins; all registered riders are encouraged to enter Zwift’s competition to join Team Zwift and receive unrivaled support for every leg of their Absa Cape Epic journey.
The prize includes everything from mentorship from SCOTT-SRAM Professional Athletes Nino Schurter and Lars Forster, to eyewear, branded Zwift kit, coaching from a world-renowned coach, complete Zwift home installs, to top of the range mountain bikes, and much more!
“I’m delighted that we have landed a long-term partnership with the Absa Cape Epic, building on the tremendous success of our partnership for the 2019 event. I look forward to welcoming in many of the participants signed up for the 2020 event into our online community, and wish them the very best in their preparations.” Eric Min, Zwift CEO and Co-Founder.
Zwift Absa Cape Epic Workout Series
The Zwift 2020 Absa Cape Epic Workout Series is coming Feb 4 and will be found here
Want to start building fitness? checkout the new Zwift off-road training plans
See more at Zwift.com/offroad
2019 Zwift x Cape Epic
In 2019 Zwift followed the story of the Absa Cape Epic founder, Kevin Vermaak, as he took on the Cape Epic group workout series. Kevin was training remotely with his partner Andrew Hunt in Costa Rica, and used Zwift to give them an extra edge going into the competition leading to a successful finish at the 2019 Absa Cape Epic. Find out more in the videos below.
About the Cape Epic:
The Absa Cape Epic, often dubbed ‘Un-tameable’, is a 600km+ beast of a Mountain Bike race. It has 8 stages over 8 days covering over 16,000m of climbing around the western cape of South Africa. Kevin founded the Cape Epic at a time when mountain biking in South Africa was in its infancy. Since then, it’s become the most televised mountain bike race in the world and the only eight-day mountain bike stage race classified as hors catégorie by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). This official UCI status makes it a highlight on any Mountain Bikers calendar.