Is this the most complete review of the ABSA Cape EPIC 2025 route, including all trails listed?
Let’s find out… From Durbanville via Paarl to Somerset West. The start and finish is very familiar but the 300kms in the middle is brand new and never seen before on an EPIC. Summary of the Absa Cape EPIC route for 2025:
- Two days at Meerendal
- Three days at Fairview
- Three days at Lourensford
Let’s go!
Epic Prologue — 26km, 750m
Absa Cape EPIC route for 2025 – Prologue over the Meerendal floating bridge and ending with stairway to heaven. It starts with the Dorstberg climb to get to the highest point for the day before dropping down at speed to the water below and onto the shake+rattle+roll Toyota tough section for the day. The prologue both starts and finishes at Meerendal wine estate in Durbanville. The Prologue of the ABSA Cape EPIC happens on SUNDAY, March 16, 2025 and highlights of the prologue include:
- Dorstberg
- Faircape floating bridge
- Faircape switchbacks
- Shake+rattle+roll (Toyota)
- Hoogekraal
- Ongegund killer
- Missing link
- Stairway to heaven
Epic Stage 1 — 96km, 2750m
Absa Cape EPIC route for 2025 – Stage 1 through Contermanskloof and Bloemendal starts off the 2025 edition of the EPIC with a bang as this day is already almost 100kms in length, of which the first half is lower in elevation than the second half which happens after Contermanskloof and up the Rhino climb. Stage 1 as also confined to the same venue as it both starts and finishes at Meerendal wine estate in Durbanville. Epic stage 1 happens on MONDAY, March 17, 2025 and includes the following trails:
- Klipheuwel trails
- Malanshoogte
- Faircape trails
- Welvergenoegd
- Hoogekraal
- Annah Beulah
- Contermanskloof
- Rhino climb
- Hillcrest
- Lombard’s trails (Toyota)
- Bloemendal
- Bloemendaler
- Burry Stander
Epic Stage 2 — 63km, 950m
Absa Cape EPIC route for 2025 – Stage 2 TT time trial to Spice Route will be a fast one with very few punchy climbs and one where the roadies might have an advantage over the course, until you get to the Drop Zone which is the Toyota tough section for the day, right before the finish in Paarl. Stage 2 is a transition stage from Meerendal to Faircape as the EPIC enters the Paarl. Epic stage 2 happens on TUESDAY, March 18, 2025 and features the following segments:
- Mine shaft
- Milkshake
- Airfield
- Ruitersvlei
- Vrymansfontein
- Spice route
- Drop zone (Toyota)
- Fairview
Epic Stage 3 — 90km, 2600m
Absa Cape EPIC route for 2025 – Stage 3 brand new around Paarl with a proper climb at 20kms into the race day after the JDK grapes waterpoint and 4.5 stars for this long stage, which also includes the Rhebokskloof trails where Henrico used to work and from where we know Darren Herbst. Stage 3 goes around and over the mountain in Paarl and Spice Route. Epic stage 3 happens on WEDNESDAY, March 19, 2025, and these are the highlights for the day:
- Advocate
- Skillie
- Victoria dam
- JDK grapes
- Dryland
- Oom JDK’s traverse
- Duans afdak
- Superbowl
- Stiffler’s Mom (Toyota)
- Rhebokskloof
- Flatrock
- Ridgeback wines
- Pipeline
- Boulder city
- Paarl reserve
- Bethal dam
- Krismiskamp
- The rock
- The wall
- Spice route
- Fairview
Epic Stage 4 — 80km, 1950m
Absa Cape EPIC route for 2025 – Stage 4 includes somewhat familiar territory through Landskroon and the Taalmonument before the Bretagne Rock climb and through the Paarl reserve on top of the mountain, where we have spent many climbing hours before. Stage 4 spends a lot of time both below and on top of the Paarl Mountain around the Taalmonument. Epic stage 4 happens on THURSDAY, March 20, 2025 and all of these are in store for the day:
- Vrymansfontein
- Landskroon
- Faff’s flow
- Tomb raider
- Diamant estate
- Langklip
- Rockhopper
- Knus café (at Specialized)
- Laborie
- Vernooy
- Taalmonument
- Bretagne rock
- Paarl reserve
- Cement pad
- Krismiskamp
- XCO – HERO legacy (Toyota)
- Spice route
- Fairview
- Fijnland
- Broken barrel
Epic Stage 5 — 98km, 2850m
Absa Cape EPIC route for 2025 – Stage 5 is the full FIVE starts this year and starts from Paarl to Lourensford with the Neversayneverending climb then onto Muratie and Idas valley before the Ou Helshoogte climb (my favourite) and then all the very familiar routes through Coetzenburg, G-spot, Eden, Mont Marie, Dornier and then climbing over the neck to get to Lourensford and down Young Bafana for a stunning finish as the last 15-odd-kms are all down-hill. Brilliant! Stage 5 transitions from Paarl via Stellenbosch to Lourensford in Somerset West. Epic stage 5 happens on FRIDAY, March 21, 2025 and oh my just look what is in store for this magical day:
- Neversayneverending
- Gum scramble
- Muratie
- Idasvalei
- Ou Helshoogte
- Botmaskop
- The Doctor (Toyota)
- Coetzenburg
- G-spot (climb)
- Eden forest
- Mont Marie
- Dornier
- The Neck
- Hoenderpoot
- Young Bafana
- Bryan’s Bones
Epic Stage 6 — 88km, 2550m
Absa Cape EPIC route for 2025 – Stage 6 is another 4.5 stars full value day in Lourensford that stays in the basin where you can see the ocean and turns in the valley below Somerset Sneeukop before returning back to the very familiar race village in Lourensford. With the unique climate from this mountain anything can happen (and has happened) weather-wise, and we hop it stays dry this time around. Stage 6 starts and finishes in Lourensford. Epic stage 6 is the penultimate day of the race and happens on Saturday, March 22, 2025 and includes:
- Brinksburg dam
- Rola roller
- Stokkies
- Trails on rails
- Landdros
- Cork
- Olive stairs
- Wolf
- Old graveyard
- Magic forest
- Schoeman’s (Toyota)
- Kanaal
- Pinot stairs
- Rooiland
Epic Stage 7 — 64km, 2100m
Absa Cape EPIC route for 2025 – Stage 7 will write some more names into the book of legends as the race concludes at Lourensford but not before going up to the Neck again and then dropping over towards the Stellenbosch side and spending some time at Waterford, Dornier, Stellenzicht etc before climbing back towards the finish line. What a day! The Absa Cape EPIC concludes on SUNDAY, March 23, 2025 and before you cross the finish line you get to enjoy all of these sections for one last time:
- Lourensford climb
- The Neck
- Waterford estate
- Dornier
- Stellenzicht
- Bilton
- Ernie Els (Toyota)
- Helderberg farms
- Steilte proteas
- Comfortably numb
And there you have it. Full circle. Off to the party. Well-deserved. On to the next one.
