Sunday, March 26, 2023

Distance: 80km
Climbing: 2400m

Max Stage Time 7h 15min

Start Location
Lourensford Wine Estate

Finish Location
Val de Vie Estate

The Trail to Val de Vie

The Grand Finale is no easy ride to Val de Vie. Rather it is a rite of passage that has been hard-earned over eight days of limit-testing racing on the Western Cape’s Untamed trails. The 78 kilometre long Stage 7 takes in 2 400 metres of climbing, making it one of the toughest 

Grand Finales in Absa Cape Epic history. Beginning with a grind to the Lourensford Nek there is climbing from the gun, before thrilling singletracks lead teams through Mont Marie, Eden, G-Spot and the Stellenbosch World Cup Course. Then Botmaskop provides the second major test of the day and the final significant climb of the 2023 race. Banhoek and Boschendal’s famed trails then ensure that the Untamed African Mountain Bike Race ends on a singletrack high, before the trails of Val de Vie provide a moment for reflection on the previous seven days. It is not over until riders cross the line, however, and the final 500 metres on the estate’s polo fields are where emotions overcome teams as they’re beckoned home by deafening crowds as heroes of the Untamed.