Watch Nino Schurter’s disaster-filled Cape Epic attempt

James Bracey

Scott-SRAM receive a lesson in hardship at this year's Cape Epic

Steps to the Top. Relive the highs and lows of Scott-SRAM’s 2018 Cape Epic. Grab a hot beverage of your choosing and take in the full film above.

>>> The story behind THAT Nino Schurter photo

Imagine for a second that you’re on the best cross-country mountain bike team in the world. You have the best record, best roster, best support staff and the best-laid plans for success. Nothing can go wrong on your way to the podium — but it all does.

A new film about Scott-SRAM’s Cape Epic 2018 campaign takes you through the trials and tribulations of the team in a disaster filled edition.

STEPS TO THE TOP

This was not the year for Scott-SRAM

For Scott-SRAM 2018’s Cape Epic, held around South Africa, will probably go down as a race to remember; but for all the wrong reasons. Before the starting 16 kilometre prologue stage nobody would have bet against the cross country juggernauts taking the title again. But fate was not on their side.

Read: Scott Spark RC 900 Team 2018 review

Reigning champs

Reigning Cape Epic champions Nino Schurter and Matthias Stirnemann were first to suffer misfortune. Stirnemann was unable to find the power to keep pace with Schurter almost from the start of the prologue and the pair lost time over their rivals. Hoping that time will be made back over the remaining seven stages things went from bad to worse when Stirnemann is barely able to finish Stage 1. Ghostly white and barely able to stand, the champion is taken to hospital. And with him goes their chances of repeating the victory from twelve months ago.

The Young Guns

Step forward the ‘young guns’. Scott-SRAM’s second team consisted of Michael Van der Heyden and Andri Frischknecht (son of Thomas). And while they were possibly hoping for the chances of a stage victory, whilst Schurter and Stirnemann were in the squad, they were always going to be working for them. So with the departure of the reigning champs the ‘young guns’ were thrust into the limelight. But as a victory can boost a team, so too can misfortune bring a team down. And a knee injury for Andri proved to be the downfall of the second team.

With two teams down, all eyes fell to Scott-SRAM’s ‘Old Dudes’. The legendary Thomas Frischknecht and partner Urs Gerig had it all to do…

About the Cape Epic

  • 2108 marked the 15th edition of the event
  • Prologue Time Trial plus seven stages over eight days (March 18-25, Cape Town-Wellington, South Africa)
  • Total distance: 658 kilometers (409 miles)
  • Total climbing: 13,530 meters (44,390 feet)
  • Overall time for the Mens Champions: 25 hours, 29 minutes, 48.9 seconds
  • Overall time for the Womens Champions: 29 hours, 57 minutes, 6.5 seconds
  • Overall time for the Scott–SRAM Old Dudes Thomas Frischknecht and Urs Gerig: 30 hours, 10 minutes, 6.4 seconds