[3] Kevin Vermaak founded the Absa Cape Epic in 2004 at a time when there were no similar events in South Africa and mountain biking was in its infancy in the country.

[4] The growth of the Absa Cape Epic has been paralleled by an explosion in the popularity of mountain biking in South Africa, and there are now more than 50 stage races.

He conceived the Absa Cape Epic while taking part in the La Ruta de los Conquistadores in Costa Rica in November, 2002.

This format changed in 2009, when riders spent multiple days in each stage location to ensure the route could fully explore the best mountain biking that the region had to offer.

Leopard Jersey UCI licensed riders who lose their partners will be allowed to continue riding but without influencing the outcome of the race.

2004 2004 saw Karl Platt team up with Namibian Mannie Heymans, one of the world's top marathoners at the time to win six out of the eight stages, with a 20-minute lead overall.

2005 In 2005, Olympic gold medalist and mountain biking legend Bart Brentjens partnered with Roel Paulissen to win the race.

2006 The Swiss team of Christoph Sauser and Silvio Bundi won this edition; previous winner Platt only managed 3rd, partnered with Carsten Bresser.

2010 The Bulls entered the race as favorites, though Team MTN Qhubeka's Kevin Evans and Alban Lakata took the lead after Stage 1.

As the race wore on, however, MTN Qhubeka experienced tyre failures and Stander won three stages—enough to push the Bulls over the finish line in first place.

[11] 2012 Stander and Sauser again turned in a winning performance, beating team 360Life (Kevin Evans and David George) by almost 30 minutes.

[13] 2014 Topeak Ergon's Kristian Hynek (Czech republic) and Robert Mennen (Germany) emerged as overall winners after a dramatic event in which the lead changed several times.

Pre-race favourites Karl Platt (Germany) and Urs Huber (Switzerland) of the Bulls team pulled out on Stage 4 after the German, bidding for his fifth win, injured his knee in a crash.

Switzerland's Christoph Sauser, also seeking to be the first to win five times, and his Czech partner Frantisek Rabon finished second after a race plagued by mechanical problems and punctures.

The women's event was comfortably won by Ariane Lüthi (Switzerland) and Annika Langvad (Denmark) after they overcame a poor Stage 1 in which they too were plagued by punctures.

2015 Christoph Sauser because the first person to win the Absa Cape Epic five times after finishing with his partner Jaroslav Kulhavý.

2016 Karl Platt of Germany manages to equal Christoph Sauser with his fifth Absa Cape Epic win when he sails to victory with racing partner Urs Huber as Team Bulls.

2018 Jaroslav Kulhavy earned his third win on the men's side, partnering with American Howard Grotts as team Investec Songo Specialized.

[14] In December 2012 the Absa Cape Epic introduced a lifetime ban for all athletes found guilty of a doping offence.

Kevin Vermaak, founder of the race, said at the time: "As of 1 January 2013, any athlete (professional or amateur) caught using performance-enhancing substances, whether at another event or out of competition, will be banned for life from participating in the Absa Cape Epic.

Not only will the person not be allowed to participate (as an amateur rider or UCI- licensed elite), but the individual will also be banned from being involved on any level, including as a team manager.

This is harsher than what is required currently by any federation, but is our considered opinion of what should be enforced even on a wider scale with regards to event participation of convicted dope cheats".

Many riders from this previous era have rediscovered the joy of cycling as mountain bikers and participate in the Absa Cape Epic as their expression of riding clean.