Easy for an armchair Epic reporter to say, but it looks like it’s downhill from here. Stage 5 was even termed as “a fun day” by those scripting the Epic website, although for most of us the thought of riding 84km with 2 100m of climbing makes one wonder what these Epic extremists’ idea of fun actually is.
However, the route took in some steep climbs at the start of the stage at Oak Valley Wine Estate. “That’s normally not fun,” says Jacques Wentzel. “You want a few kays of even riding to warm up, but getting straight into a climb has you puffing and creaking immediately, not an ideal start.”
But the course led the riders to some picturesque single-tracks through the the Grabouw-Elgin area. This is cool-climate wine country, and we could just imagine winemakers Jacques (Black Elephant Vintners) and team-mate Braam Gericke (Wildekrans Wine Estate) commenting on the condition of the Chardonnay vineyards and the planting density of Pinot Noir as they cycled past.
Take if from us here at Amorim, besides being awesome endurance athletes, Jacques and Braam are two dedicated, skilled and passionate wine professionals who live for the soil, the vineyard plant, wine-making and the final magical product.
This is also why the South African wine industry can do more to get behind the Epic. Being one of the world’s great cycling events generating hours and pages of international coverage, the Epic’s wine-land connection should receive more recognition. The event can help to promote South Africa’s international profile as a wine country.
As riders, Jacques is the tall, lean Iron Man with the steely glint of a fierce competitor. Braam is the nuggety, quiet grinder complementing Jacques’s imposing physical presence with a big-hearted quietness of the kind that you want by your side, as you know this guy is never, ever going to give up.
They rode Stage 5 in a comfortable 4hrs 53mins. “Apart from nearly being knocked off our bikes by a cyclist storming past us like he’d just seen a puff-adder on his back-wheel, it all went well,” says Jacques. “Stage 6 is a 103km killer, so we had to make sure we’ve got enough in the tank.”
No worries here. For Jacques and Braam, the tank is always half-full.
