Professional riders

Total Prize Purse: R3 228 000

Prize money is awarded to the professional racing teams in the UCI Men and Women Categories, as well as to the top All-African teams in these categories. Further prize money is awarded to the Exxaro Jersey winner, who is the top placed historically disadvantaged South African team.

The trophies and special awards at the Absa Cape Epic also makes it the ultimate prize in Mountain Biking.

All UCI licensed teams that wish to compete for prize money and earn UCI points must present their valid UCI license at registration
Prize money is awarded per team
Teams are eligible for stage money even if they do not complete the entire race (except in the event of disqualification)
All prize money is in South African Rand and will be paid via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)
Please note that unless you can provide us with your SA income tax number we are obliged by the South African Revenue Service (SARS) to withhold 15% tax on prize money. This will be deducted off the prize money due to you and paid over to SARS accordingly.

Hundreds of bikers heading across a path near a lake [Cape to Cape]

UCI Status

The Absa Cape Epic was awarded Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) status in 2005 - the first-ever team mountain bike stage race to achieve this. At the time it was the only mountain bike race in Africa to appear on the UCI calendar. Since then the race was classified as SHC (stage hors categorie) by the UCI for the Men's and Women's categories, which is the highest classification awarded by the UCI. There are only 5 HC bike stage races in the world, the other four HC classified races being the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a España, Cyprus Sunshine Cup.

The Men's and Women's category winners receive 500 UCI XCM points per team (250 per rider). This can have a huge impact on the racing season, and compares favourably to the UCI awarding 300 points to the individual winner of a Mountain Bike World Championship

The following UCI XCM points are awarded to each rider in a team according to the following GC / overall results, with no UCI points are awarded for stage results.

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
250	200	160	150	140	130	120	110	100	95

11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20
90	85	80	78	76	74	72	70	68	66

21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30
64	62	60	58	56	54	52	50	48	46

31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40
44	42	40	38	36	34	32	30	29	28

51	52	53	54	55	56	57	58	59	60
17	16	15	14	13	12	11	10	9	8

Prize Money

Men's and Women's UCI Licensed Teams

Each year professional mountain bikers from around the globe come together at the Absa Cape Epic start line to race for the ultimate title in mountain biking.

Position	Overall Results	Stage Results
1	R350 000	R10 000
2	R250 000	R7 000
3	R150 000	R5 000
4	R85 000	R4 000
5	R70 000	R3 000
6	R50 000	R2 500
7	R35 000	R2 200
8	R25 000	R1 800
9	R20 000	R 1500
10	R15 000	R 1000

EPIC KINGS & QUEENS

Mid-stage Epic Kings and Queens hotspot prizes will be awarded to the first Men’s and Women’s to cross the indicated mark on selected stages.

For 2025 the Epic Kings and Queens spots will be on: Stage 1, Stage 3, Stage 5 and Stage 7

Position	Prize Money
1	R15 000

Special Ranking Absa African Men's and Women's Jersey

Prize money is awarded for both the Men’s and Women’s Absa African jersey winners. To be eligible for this prize money, teams must finish within 15% of the GC winning times in their respective category.

Any prize money not awarded at the Absa Cape Epic will be used to support riders who are chosen to represent South Africa at the cross country or marathon World Championships.

Position	Prize Money
1	R50 000
2	R30 000
3	R20 000

Special Ranking Exxaro Men's and Women's Jersey

Prize money is awarded for both the Men’s and Women’s Exxaro jersey winners. The Exxaro Jersey is awarded to the top historically disadvantaged South African team. For the men’s jersey both riders must be under the age of 26 and for the Women’s jersey, both riders must be under the age of 30..

Position	Prize Money
1st	R50 000
2nd	R30 000
3rd	R20 000

Jerseys and Trophies

4Islands Epic