Early bird entries to the 2025 Absa Cape Epic

These entries sell out instantaneously and are available on a first-come-first-served basis granted you follow the easy steps below. 

Step 1: Sign into your online profile or create a profile if you don't already have one.

Step 2: Make your way to the Early Bird Entry page and fill in your full name, ID or passport number and email address in the form that will appear on the page at 15:00 (GMT+2).  The full entry fee is due immediately and can be paid by credit card or electronic funds transfer (proof of payment must be emailed by 09:00 the following day) in order to secure the entry. 

Note that once the form appears on the Early Bird Entry page, it will be the first to complete their details and click submit who will be successful.

In previous years, Early Bird entries were snapped up in seconds, however you still have a chance at a guaranteed entry by:

• Entering the Lottery
• Registering for one of the Epic Series Qualifier races at which you have a chance at a guaranteed entry, either with a stellar performance or via the Epic Series’ Lottery Draw ( 4Islands MTB in Croatia, Andorra Epic in Andorra, SPAR Swiss Epic in Switzerland – see links for details). Find out more here – Epic Series

Lottery applications are done on an individual basis and you do not need your prospective partner's details to enter the lottery. 

First-time Absa Cape Epic riders will need to register, and provide their full name, SA ID number or passport number and email address. Only one lottery application per rider is accepted. Both riders in a prospective team can enter the lottery to increase the chance of being awarded an entry. A ZAR 150 fee is applicable to enter the lottery, which must be paid by credit card before the application is completed. Funds received via the lottery will be utilised for legacy trail building & rehabilitation projects. Applicants can check the status of their application by logging into their Absa Cape Epic online profile. 

Should you enter the lottery but accept an invitation through a different channel before the lottery closes, your lottery entry will automatically be cancelled in favour of the other invitation. Please note that your lottery entry fee is non-refundable should you take up another invitation. 

After 31 May, applicants are randomly selected to enter the race. Successful applicants will be sent an invitation via email to accept the entry and make payment. Unsuccessful applicants will be sent an email explaining how to join the waiting list. Successful applicants must accept their invitations and pay the full team registration fee by the end of June.

International & South African Lottery Applications

You are required to be signed in to enter the lottery.

SIGN IN OR CREATE AN ACCOUNT

To add your name to the waiting list, you must sign into your rider profile to submit your application. 

Details of the waiting list procedure: 

• The position on the waiting list will be decided on a first-come-first-served basis.  
• Waitlisted applicants who secure an alternate means of entry will automatically be removed from the waiting list.
• Waitlisted applicants who are invited to enter the race have 7 days in which to take up their invitation and pay the entry fee. Failure to do so will result in the forfeiture of the invitation.
• Waiting list positions are non-transferable.
   

SIGN IN OR CREATE AN ACCOUNT

A wildcard entry is a guaranteed entry for professional mountain bikers who are contending for podium places in the Absa Cape Epic. Entries are offered at the sole discretion of the organisers.

Who can apply:

• UCI-registered Men's and Women's teams
• Amateur, Masters, GIC Grand Masters and Great Grand Masters teams who are competing for an overall category win
• 2024 Absa Cape Epic top 10 results

Both riders in a team applying for a wildcard entry must:

• Hold a valid UCI racing license (if competing in UCI Men or UCI Women) or,
• Submit appropriate racing qualifications to us for verification 

Please email registration@cape-epic.com to enquire further. 

Each year a number of race entries are reserved for our partner charities. These charities sell their entries at an increased fee. Prospective riders who were unsuccessful in the lottery application process or those who wish to ride in support of a worthy cause can purchase a team entry from one of the Absa Cape Epic's charity partners. 

The increased charity entry fee includes the normal entry fee of a standard entry package as well as an additional contribution to the chosen charity. Charity entry fee payments qualify for income tax deductions and prospective riders/teams must contact the charity they wish to support directly to request an entry. 

Once the purchase of the entry has been finalised with the respective charity, an electronic invitation to ride the race will be sent to the primary rider's email address.

The Absa Cape Epic welcomes journalists and media personalities from around the globe to live the action first-hand and share your experiences.

Journalists can capture the race, news, or unique stories and media personalities can increase our exposure in certain territories.

Media can apply for a guaranteed/discounted entry to race, and join our media programme. Non-riding media can also join to follow the race in comfort and have access to our various media services. There are a limited number of entries for media teams so the earlier teams apply the better their chance of gaining access to the event. 

Media must:

• Fill out the media application form and include as much detail as possible
• Guarantee coverage before, during and after the race
• Provide hard copies of coverage
• Write/capture their own authentic stories and experiences

Media applications will open in July. For any queries please contact media@cape-epic.com

What’s included (2025)

• Guaranteed team entry
• Official press and rider events
• Tented accommodation, meals and amenities at event
• Access to media centre
• Access to official photographs and press releases
• Access to event footage

Please note that following changes may only be made once an entry has been accepted and paid for by the rider to whom the invite was sent. 

Rider Change

The riders within a confirmed and paid for team can be changed by completing the following steps:

• The rider dropping out of the race must do so through their online profile. Click on the "Rider Change" button under "Team Details".
• The remaining rider must then sign into their online profile and pay the applicable rider change fee. (Please note that only credit card payments are accepted for rider changes.)
• The remaining rider may then invite a new partner providing that person already has an online profile. 

The following fees apply to the change of riders: 

• Before 20 January: R500 per rider change
• Between 20 January and 28 February: R1000 per rider change
• Between 1 March and Registration: R2500 per rider change

Should the rider change be made after 20 January, every effort will be made to adjust all items to the replacement riders requirements. This however, cannot be guaranteed. 

Any rider changes after 1 March can only take place at Registration.

Please note that optional extras are NOT automatically transferred to the new rider. If the new rider will be taking over your optional extras, please contact registration@cape-epic.com. 

Full Team Change

If an unregistered team wishes to take over the entry of a registered team, a double rider change can be performed in the online profile. The above associated costs and dates will apply.

Team Withdrawals

Cancellations and refunds are only accepted if riders are able to fill their spot with a new team. In the case of riders not being able to fill the spot themselves, the organisers will try and fill the spot with a team from the waiting list. This is regardless of the date of withdrawal.  

If a cancellation is approved by the organisers the following terms, conditions and charges will apply:

• Before 20 January, a cancellation fee of R 2500 on ZAR entries and $250 on USD entries will apply.
• Between 20 January and 1 March, a cancellation fee of R5000 on ZAR entries and $500 on USD entries will apply. Please note, the team will only be refunded after the event.
• After 1 March no cancellations will be accepted unless agreed to by the organisers. The organisers will try their best to assist with the resale of your entry but it cannot be guaranteed. 

We highly recommend that riders take out private insurance to cover this possibility.

To avoid the cancellation penalties, a team can arrange for a new team to take their entry. Please refer to the rider changes section for more information. 

No refund will be payable if a rider’s entry is cancelled by the race organisers due to ineligibility under the race rules (e.g. being found guilty of a doping offence).

If you wish to cancel your entry, please contact the rider team at registration@cape-epic.com 

Optional Extras

If a team withdraws from the race, their optional extras can be refunded if there is a waiting list or replacement rider to take over the optional extra (e.g. confirmed hotel room). The organisers will try their best to assist with the resale of an available optional extra product but it cannot be guaranteed. Optional extra services purchased cannot be transferred to a future event. 

A 15% admin/cancellation fee applies to all optional extra refunds and transfers.

Event Changes & Cancellations

If the event, or any part thereof, is cancelled, postponed, shortened, or modified in any way, or if any of the amenities, goods, or services in relation to the event are no longer provided, whether due to force majeure, legal restrictions, disputes, safety reasons, failure by service providers to perform, or any other reason or cause, the entry fees and all other fees paid will not be refundable.