The Absa Team riding in the Cape Epic are looking for Captonian’s with big hearts and big legs to challenge them in a celebrity ‘spinathon’ at Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront Auditorium this Saturday to raise funds for the Diepsloot Mountain Bike Academy (DMBA) – their nominated charity for Team Absa 2014.

Starting at 11:30 until 13:00 on March 22 at the V&A’s Auditorium, Team Absa’s Cape Epic riders, most of which are made up of celebrities and sports personalities, say that they are prepared to put their money with their legs are to raise big bucks for their favourite mountain bike academy – Diepsloot. 

The Diepsloot Mountain Bike Academy is a non-profit organization based at Northern Farm in Johannesburg that provides a platform to expose the youth of Diepsloot to the sport of mountain biking to enhance their education through Mathematics and English and to impart life skills to the community.

In addition to the celebrity ‘spinathon’, for every stage of the Cape Epic that a Team Absa rider completes, Absa will donate funds to the academy.

Says Absa Team Captain, Ernst Viljoen, ahead of the eight-day, 718-km MTB challenge that starts on Sunday, March 23, “With only days to go until the world’s biggest mountain bike race, Team Absa is prepared both mentally and physically.  

The team’s training has focussed on strength training and endurance, allowing each member to handle the daily challenges experienced throughout the eight day Epic. Since the last full team training session on 22 February, we have been following a revised eating plan, which adds more energy to our diets, plus our training has shifted a gear in order to avoid injury before the race.

We would like to wish all riders good luck.  Be safe, ride with pride and enjoy the epic journey." 

Follow all the action on @AbsaCapeEpic and @DiepslootMTB and share messages of encouragement by using #Prosper, #ProudlyDMA and #TeamAbsa2014.

About Team Absa at the Cape Epic

Team Absa is an integral part of Absa’s Cape Epic sponsorship. Each year the group of ambassadors is nominated to represent Absa at the race and drive the bank’s charity initiatives.

 

2014 Team Absa pairings:

● Ernst Viljoen and Tim Brink

Team Captain Ernst Viljoen (a retired Absa employee) will this year be taking part in his 6^th Absa Cape Epic. He will be teaming up with Ride Magazine editor Tim Brink.

● Stefan Terblanche and Joel Stransky

This will be former Springbok and Natal Sharks rugby player Stefan Terblanche’s first Absa Cape Epic. To guide him along the way is another rugby superstar – Joel Stransky – who is one of the longest standing members of Team Absa.

● Owen Hannie and William Mokgopo

Super Cycling and Metro FM presenter Owen Hannie will be attempting his 5th Absa Cape Epic in 2014; he has started four and finished three (2005, 2009 and 2013) as he unfortunately had to withdraw from the race on the penultimate day in 2007. This year Owen is teamed with Diepsloot’s local champion William Mokgopo - two-time Absa Cape Epic finisher and semi-professional mountain biker.

● Gugu Zulu and Hlubi Mboya

Gugu Zulu (aka ‘The Fastest Brother in Africa’) is Mzansi’s most celebrated black racing driver. He’s also shone off the track as a presenter of Car Torque and a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing. His Absa Cape Epic teammate is Hlubi Mboya - actress, activist, humanitarian and motivational speaker – and probably most well-known for her former role as “Nandipa” in Isidingo. This will be Hlubi’s first Absa Cape Epic.

● Clayton Duckworth and Tsepo Nyirenda

2014 will be former pro motocross rider Clayton Duckworth’s 3^rd Absa Cape Epic for Team Absa - and this year his eye’s set on an Amabubesi medal. Clayton’s partner is Diepsloot MTB Academy rider Tsepo Nyirenda.

SMS campaign details – the more South African’s donate the greater their chance of winning a Project 1 Trek bike valued at R100 000 as well as an entry into the 2015 Absa Cape Epic race valued at R50 000.  Each SMS will equate to R20 being donated to the Diepsloot Mountain Bike Academy with each SMS being charged at standard SMS rates. 

The competition runs from 3 February until 30 April 2014 with winners being notified directly by Absa.  Entrants must be eighteen years or older and should have a valid South African identity document. For more information visit website www.cape-epic.com

For more details:

Contact: Bronwen BlundenCell: 079 060 1905Email: bronblun@gmail.com