If Karl Platt is getting tired of being told that he is the favourite to win his fifth Cape Epic title, he has not shown it. Ask the German about his chances at this year’s race, which starts on Sunday, and he will smile and shrug at the same time.
The Team Bulls’ rider is in good nick. He won in January. His teammate, Urs Huber, is “super strong”. The race looks suited to them. His time in South Africa has been well spent, a combination of hard racing, long road training rides, with a jaunt in the Cape Rouleur to stretch his legs around the winelands.
“This year I have been training a lot in South Africa and think my shape is getting better and better,” said Platt, who was one of many mountain bikers to compete in the Cape Town Cycle Tour on Sunday. “I keep coming back because this race has been a big part of my career and who I am. I am always very motivated for the Epic and that’s the reason why I always go 200 percent for the race. Number five would be awesome, specially with Urs. The 2016 route should suit to us more then previous years. It is very technical with good climbs, so I think we will have a good advantage.”
Urs, a Swiss of few words, said yesterday he was holding thumbs for (Platt) to win his fifth time … “and my first”. The Team Bulls website describes him as a “congenial partner” for Platt, who won three of his four Epic victories with another congenial man, Stefan Sahm.
While Platt may be favourite, yesterday’s press conference with the professionals suggested this could the “year of the long shot”. The Epic’s website suggested that “some outsiders will be eyeing the overall podium when the race starts on Sunday. Among these are Cape Epic novices, but world-class marathon riders Periklis Ilias of Greece and Portuguese teammate Tiago Ferreira (Team Dolomiti Superbike). Ilias is a former marathon world champion and Olympian while Ferreira is the reigning Portuguese marathon champion.
“They have just come off a win in the Spain’s six-day Andalucia Bike Race and Ilias revealed that he had been planning to race the Cape Epic of some time but now he had ‘found Tiago, who is the right partner for me’.
“Now is the moment,” said Ilias.”
James Reid, the South African and African cross country champion, has teamed up with Gert Heyns to form Team Spur after a late spur-of-the-minute decision to ride the Epic. “We’re outsiders, but we’re going to roll the dice,” said Reid.
Platt’s main competion will be Topeak Ergon’s Austrian rider Alban Lakata and Kristian Hynek of the Czech Republic. Lakata has finished in every position from sixth through to second in the Epic but has never won it, while Hynek has a victory to his name. “I’m fresh and feeling good and looking for another good year,” said Lakata. “Hopefully we have less mechanicals this year.”
In the women’s section, it is hard to look past Swiss Ariane Kleinhans, who lives in South Africa, and the Dane, Annika Langvad, of Team Spur-Specialized, the defending champions. They will be pushed hard by England’s Sally Bigham, another former winner, who is hoping to put two years of bad luck at the Epic behind her with German teammate teammate Adel Morath of Topeak Ergon.
“Morath is the perfect partner: we both have similar strengths and we’re both good climbers. I’m really excited,” she said.
The Epic starts at Meerendal on Sunday and will also finish at the same wine estate eight days later. - Cape Times