The City of Cape Town is delighted to welcome the global mountain biking community to our beautiful part of the world for the 2024 Absa Cape Epic. Over the past 20 years, this race has grown into a bucket-list event for any serious mountain biker, and it’s not hard to see why.

The most obvious reason would be the unrivalled backdrop to this gruelling eight-day event, with the ever-changing route taking in the most spectacular scenery and trails of the Western Cape. The 2024 route is no exception, and riders will get to test the limits of their endurance along 613 kilometres of breath-taking trails around Tulbagh, Wellington and Stellenbosch, climbing almost 17 000 metres in the process.

What also makes this race so special is that the two-person teams include both professional riders and amateur entrants, which means the aspiring amateur riders who are lucky enough to secure entries get to test themselves against the very best in the world.

And then, of course, there is the unmatched level of support given to riders in this full-service race. From the daily full buffet breakfasts, to the professional medical staff and race hospital, to the bike wash at the conclusion of each stage, it is no surprise that this has become the largest, most televised and most sought-after stage race in the world.

It is also an incredibly important event for our local economy. In addition to showing off the very best of the region to audiences around the world, it also directly injects hundreds of millions of Rands into our economy, not to mention the precious jobs that are created across many different industries. It is the perfect event to showcase our country, our province and our city, and the City of Cape Town is proud to offer its support.

To the race organisers, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the amazing job you do every year to put together such a complex and demanding event, while making it look so effortless and professional. You have set the international benchmark in mountain bike stage racing, and you deserve all the praise the Absa Cape Epic receives around the world.

I wish all the riders an unforgettable and safe 2024 Absa Cape Epic, and a wonderful stay to everyone who travelled here for the event.