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Epic Legends Experience #SeriousGEES

By FNB Wines2Whales, 12/06/22, 12:45AM HST

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Jasper Lefevre and Jurgen De Witte learn what #SeriousGEES means at 2022 FNB Wines2Whales

The Epic Series has a club of riders known as the Epic Legends.

These riders have proven their mettle at Epic Series across the world – they’ve conquered the Alps of the SPAR Swiss Epic, they’ve raced in the land of the long white cloud, they’ve conquered the rocks of Croatia, and they have gone toe-to-toe with The Untamed African Mountain Bike Race.

Jasper Lefevre and Jurgen De Witte are two of these Epic Legends and have just completed the FNB Wines2Whales, The Race with Gees, for the very first time as team BIKEHIGH – CIBEL.

Epic Legends Jasper Lefevre and Jurgen De Witte

Epic Legends Jasper Lefevre and Jurgen De Witte

The FNB Wines2Whales is a three-day stage race in South Africa that showcases the very best trails on offer from Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset West to Oak Valley Estate in Elgin to Curro School in Hermanus. It’s a race that’s more about the journey than the destination and its essence is gees – a South African word meaning spirit or vibe, however it’s a word that is better experienced than explained.

We caught up with the Epic Legends when they crossed the finish line at Curro after racing over 200 kilometres.

“This entire race has been amazing,” explained Lefevre when asked about his FNB Wines2Whales experience. “The trails live up to their reputation. Each turn was different and I just can’t believe how amazing the route is – I experienced over the past few days, everything from rocks to roots to forests and amazing bridges over dams.

I’ve done the Cape Epic three times before and now I am convinced by this race too. The atmosphere here is so welcoming for locals and for international riders and I can’t wait to see more riders from Europe, Belgium in particular, come here and experience South Africa and the FNB Wines2Whales for themselves.

I’m really happy to be racing with Jurgen, we met in Belgium and we are connected through being Epic Legends. It’s great to experience something new with someone who shares the same love of mountain biking, and I have to say that this is my favourite event within the Epic Series. You get out what you put in and everyone is like a huge family.

I understand what SeriousGEES means now. I smiled the whole way from start to finish and that's what it is all about - an experience that leaves you satisfied but wanting more!”

Jurgen De Witte explained, “I’ve just been sitting behind Jasper – he’s killing me. Besides it being tough racing with him, this is just an awesome experience, it’s so beautiful here.

The atmosphere here is so nice and relaxed and the trails here are just as nice, maybe even nicer than the Cape Epic, which I find almost impossible to believe as that race is just amazing.

I’m definitely telling my friends from Belgium that this race needs to be added to their calendars for next year because I am having an incredible time.”
 

Jurgen De Witte in one of the FNB Wines2Whales trails

Jurgen De Witte cruises through one of the many berms at the 2022 FNB Wines2Whales

Entries to the 2023 FNB Wines2Whales open on 14 February 2023, be sure to secure yours to experience the meaning of #SeriousGEES for yourself!