The 2025 Absa Cape Epic finished with four all-South African teams in top 10 of the UCI Men’s general classification. Marco Joubert and Tristan Nortje (Imbuko ChemChamp A) finished third at the event, winning the Absa African Men’s Special Jersey for the top African team, but more than that, they thrilled local fans with aggressive, tactical and entertaining mountain biking all week long. Their victory on the penultimate Stage 6 of the event was well-deserved - this after battling to upset the pre-favourites all week. 

For future stars of the sport, their efforts will do much to inspire and encourage - and instil the belief that South African teams can start to succeed on a regular at the Absa Cape Epic. 

“It’s great to have guys like Marco and Tristan race so hard and to see the level of competition in the Absa African Special Jersey race,” says Wessel Botha, who finished eighth overall during this year’s racing with Marc Pritzen (the pair also claimed third place on the Prologue).

“We have four South African teams in the top 10 this year, which is almost unheard of at the Absa Cape Epic. This kind of competition can only be good for South African cycling and I think the level can only improve from here.”

For future stars of the sport, their efforts will do much to inspire and encourage - and instil the belief that South African teams can start to succeed on a regular at the Absa Cape Epic. 

“It’s great to have guys like Marco and Tristan race so hard and to see the level of competition in the Absa African Special Jersey race,” says Wessel Botha, who finished eighth overall during this year’s racing with Marc Pritzen (the pair also claimed third place on the Prologue).

“We have four South African teams in the top 10 this year, which is almost unheard of at the Absa Cape Epic. This kind of competition can only be good for South African cycling and I think the level can only improve from here.”

Botha adds that his local rivals have set the bar high now and it’s up to others to respond. “Marco and Tristan have been inspiring and frustrating this week! Inspiring because they are doing well for South Africa, but frustrating because we were racing them. Haha. They have set the level so high this week and made us all chase them. They’ve had a great year and have shown what South African riders can achieve on the biggest stage.”

With the 2025 Absa Cape Epic held close to major towns like Durbanville, Paarl, and Somerset West this year, crowd support was a major theme of the week. Once Joubert and Nortje started pushing for top honours, the hometown fans went into overdrive. 

“It means a lot to be here and to win stages - this is a home race for us and the crowd support has been immense,” says Joubert. “After winning Stage 6 on Saturday, people were mobbing me this morning. I was trying to get to the start of Stage 7 but everyone was stopping me to talk to me. It was quite strange because when we train we are all alone, so now we are here and getting rewarded with the support. It’s indescribable.” 

Joubert, Nortje, Botha, Pritzen and, of course, three-time champion Matt Beers, all race hard to win, but their efforts also go a long way to show rising stars what is possible in the sport.

“Ja, I think us doing well definitely helps to inspire future stars. One of them is Lood Goosen, who is also in our team. He’s getting first-hand experience now of how we do things. But ultimately it’s about training hard and believing in yourself. It took us three or four stages of close racing this year to win a stage but eventually, we got it. You have to believe. I think a lot of people might have stopped trying this week if they had tried so hard for no reward - but that’s our whole philosophy. You can’t give up.”