The sixteenth edition of the Untamed African Mountain Bike Race boasts an exceptional elite field filled with World, National and Continental champions, in addition to ten previous winners of the Absa Cape Epic. The elite men’s field is spear headed by defending champions Jaroslav Kulhavý and Howard Grotts with the reigning XCO World and Olympic champion Nino Schurter intent on dethroning them. In the elite women’s race, the presence of road cycling’s star attraction Anna van der Breggen alongside four-time champion Annika Langvad has fans wondering if even Ariane Lüthi and Maja Włoszczowska will be able to beat the Investec-songo-Specialized pairing.
To read about each of the teams, as well as their aspirations and chances for the 2019 Absa Cape Epic click on the link next to their team names.
Can Jaroslav Kulhavy and Howard Grotts defend their title? Photo by Greg Beadle | Absa Cape Epic | SPORTPICS
Listen as Oliver Munnik and Seamus Allardice discuss the 2019 Elite Field
2019 Absa Cape Epic Elite Men’s Field
| Team Name | Story Link | Rider Number | Rider Name | Country |
| Investec Songo Specialized 1 | Click Here | 1-1 | Jaroslav Kulhavy | Czech Republic |
| 1-2 | Howard Grotts | USA | ||
| BULLS 1 | Click Here | 2-1 | Karl Platt | Germany |
| 2-2 | Alban Lakata | Austria | ||
| Cannondale Factory Racing | Click Here | 3-1 | Manuel Fumic | Germany |
| 3-2 | Henrique Avancini | Brazil | ||
| SCOTT-SRAM | Click Here | 4-1 | Nino Schurter | Switzerland |
| 4-2 | Andri Frischknecht | Switzerland | ||
| Vitalo – Future Cycling | Click Here | 5-1 | Kristian Hynek | Czech Republic |
| 5-2 | Petter Fagerhaug | Norway | ||
| BULLS 2 | Click Here | 6-1 | Urs Huber | Switzerland |
| 6-2 | Simon Stiebjahn | Germany | ||
| PYGA Euro Steel | Click Here | 7-1 | Philip Buys | South Africa |
| 7-2 | Matthys Beukes | South Africa | ||
| Silverback SBC | Click Here | 8-1 | Nicola Rohrbach | Switzerland |
| 8-2 | Konny Looser | Switzerland | ||
| Centurion Vaude 1 | Click Here | 9-1 | Daniel Geismayr | Austria |
| 9-2 | Jochen Käß | Germany | ||
| Trek Selle San Marco 1 | Click Here | 10-1 | Damiano Ferraro | Italy |
| 10-2 | Samuele Porro | Italy | ||
| BUFF SCOTT MTB | Click Here | 11-1 | Francesc Guerra Carretero | Spain |
| 11-2 | Enrique Morcillo Vergara | Spain | ||
| DSV-SCOTT-SRAM | Click Here | 12-1 | Gert Heyns | South Africa |
| 12-2 | Lars Forster | Switzerland | ||
| Specialized Foundation | Click Here | 13-1 | Alan Hatherly | South Africa |
| 13-2 | Sam Gaze | New Zealand | ||
| Kross Racing Team | Click Here | 14-1 | Sergio Mantecón Gutiérrez | Spain |
| 14-2 | Ondřej Cink | Czech Republic | ||
| NAD MTB | Click Here | 15-1 | Nico Bell | South Africa |
| 15-2 | Matt Beers | South Africa | ||
| Trek Selle San Marco 2 | Click Here | 16-1 | Fabian Rabensteiner | Italy |
| 16-2 | Michele Casagrande | Italy | ||
| BULLS 3 | Click Here | 17-1 | Martin Frey | Germany |
| 17-2 | Simon Schneller | Germany | ||
| Wilier Bakker Racing | Click Here | 18-1 | Erwin Bakker | Netherlands |
| 18-2 | David Nordemann | Netherlands | ||
| CST Sandd | Click Here | 19-1 | Sebastien Fini | Denmark |
| 19-2 | Martins Blums | Latvia | ||
| Investec Songo Specialized 2 | Click Here | 20-1 | Christoph Sauser | Switzerland |
| 20-2 | Simon Andreassen | Denmark | ||
| T°RED FACTORY RACING | 21-1 | Alessandro Petacchi | Italy | |
| 21-2 | Francesco Chicchi | Italy | ||
| Shimano Aus | Click Here | 22-1 | Brendan Johnston | Australia |
| 22-2 | Cameron Ivory | Australia | ||
| SPOT Africa | 23-1 | Timothy Hammond | South Africa | |
| 23-2 | Jan Schaer | Switzerland | ||
| Centurion Vaude 2 | Click Here | 24-1 | Tristan de Lange | Namibia |
| 24-2 | Vinzent Dorn | Germany | ||
| 7C CBZ Wilier 1 | Click Here | 25-1 | Louis Meija | Columbia |
| 25-2 | Johnny Cattaneo | Italy | ||
| Pro Devonbosch Qhubeka | Click Here | 26-1 | Frans Claes | Belgium |
| 26-2 | Hendrik (HB) Kruger | South Africa | ||
| KTM Pro | Click Here | 27-1 | Manuel Pliem | Austria |
| 27-2 | David Schöggl | Austria | ||
| DSV Pro | Click Here | 28-1 | Julian Jessop | South Africa |
| 28-2 | Arno Du Toit | South Africa | ||
| PYGA Euro Steel | Click Here | 29-1 | Pieter du Toit | South Africa |
| 29-2 | Phillimon Sebona | South Africa | ||
| Orbea Factory Team | 30-1 | Aleix Espargaro Villa | Spain | |
| 30-2 | Ibon Zugasti | Spain | ||
| MMR Factory Racing Team | 31-1 | David Valero | Spain | |
| 31-2 | Catriel Soto | Argentina | ||
| 7C CBZ Wilier 2 | Click Here | 32-1 | Tony Longo | Italy |
| 32-2 | Gregory Brenes | Costa Rica | ||
| Ceska sporitelna-Accolade | Click Here | 33-1 | Tomas Visnovsky | Slovenia |
| 33-2 | Matouš Ulman | Czech Republic | ||
| Madmacs | Click Here | 34-1 | Charlie McFall | South Africa |
| 34-2 | Matthew Keyser | South Africa | ||
| IMBUKO Giant | Click Here | 35-1 | Marco Joubert | South Africa |
| 35-2 | Nicol Carstens | South Africa | ||
| Darkhorse Wheels | Click Here | 36-1 | Shaun-Nick Bester | South Africa |
| 36-2 | Andrew Hill | South Africa | ||
| Restonic | 37-1 | Craig Uria | South Africa | |
| 37-2 | Andrew Duvenage | South Africa | ||
| Reynolds BlacklabelRacing | 38-1 | Julian Biefang | Germany | |
| 38-2 | Todd Tanner | USA | ||
| ERG 1900 EV. | 39-1 | Sascha Weil | Germany | |
| 39-2 | Benjamin Weil | Germany | ||
| Scott France | 40-1 | Jonathan Galante | France | |
| 40-2 | Anthony Collet-Beillon | France | ||
| Tvert | 42-1 | Maxime Danon | France | |
| 42-2 | Benjamin Chavas | France | ||
| Tbelles – ProtourBCN | 43-1 | Roberto Bou Martin | Spain | |
| 43-2 | Alberto Losada | Spain | ||
| Ecuador 4X2 | 44-1 | Galo Tamayo | Ecuador | |
| 44-2 | Jose Bernardo Vintimilla Corral | Ecuador |
Will anyone be able to stop Annika Langvad from retaining the Absa Cape Epic crown?
Photo by Ewald Sadie | Absa Cape Epic | SPORTZPICS
2019 Absa Cape Epic Elite Women’s Field
| Team Name | Story Link | Rider Number | Rider Name | Country |
| Investec-Songo-Specialized | Click Here | 50-1 | Annika Langvad | Denmark |
| 50-2 | Anna van der Breggen | Netherlands | ||
| Silverback – Fairtree | Click Here | 52-1 | Jennie Stenerhag | Sweden |
| 52-2 | Mariske Strauss | South Africa | ||
| Kross-Spur Racing | Click Here | 53-1 | Ariane Lüthi | Switzerland |
| 53-2 | Maja Włoszczowska | Poland | ||
| Summit | Click Here | 54-1 | Candice Lill | South Africa |
| 54-2 | Adelheid Morath | Germany | ||
| dormakaba Ladies | Click Here | 55-1 | Samantha Sanders | South Africa |
| 55-2 | Amy McDougall | South Africa | ||
| Galileo Risk | Click Here | 56-1 | Theresa Ralph | South Africa |
| 56-2 | Sarah Hill | South Africa | ||
| Land Rover Jaguars | 46-1 | Hannele Steyn | South Africa | |
| 46-2 | Katja Steenkamp | South Africa |
