School Friends Ride The Absa Cape Epic For The Absa Diepsloot Mountain Bike Academy

Gouws and Von Staden have been friends since primary school. Von Staden has finished the Absa Cape Epic twice and was happy to participate in the event for the third time. Von Staden elaborates: "My Absa Cape Epic partner and friend of about 35 years, Johan, managed to secure an entry and asked me to join him. I really enjoy being so close to nature. For eight days in a row, I marvel at every aspect of our creation. This is what drove me to enter the race again.”

Gouws adds: "I’ve been fascinated by the Absa Cape Epic since I started mountain biking two years ago. I consider this to be the ultimate race in mountain biking. When the time came around for booking entries, I knew that I needed to take the opportunity.” Gouws is an Absa Cape Epic newbie. He continues: "My mind would not rest until I’ve attempted to complete the race. For me entering this race means pushing myself beyond my limits and achieving more than I thought was possible. After all, the pain and suffering will go away, but the glory will last forever.”

Team AE Aurigae is named after a runaway star in the constellation Auriga. Von Staden explains: "A runaway star is ejected from its birthplace through an encounter with another star or as a result of a supernova. The effect creates two stars racing off to other parts of the galaxy. AE Aurigae speeds away from its partner runaway star Mu Columbae at something like 200 kilometers per second. We hope to do the Absa Cape Epic at similar speed and see other parts of the galaxy, albeit the beautiful Western Cape, in the process.”

Gouws and Von Staden believe that this year’s route will be challenging. Gouws says: "However, from a difficulty perspective the route is not much different from previous years.” The route will lead the 1 200 riders over 14 850m of climbing and across 718km of the Western Cape. Von Staden continues: "Every year seems tougher than the previous, but I believe that Stage 5 will be make or break.” Says Gouws: "Stages 1, 3 and 5 will be monster days. I believe that the real determinant this year will be the weather conditions.”

The team trains together five days a week with breaks on Monday and Fridays. Gouws explains: "During the week we do shorter faster rides on the road and on the weekend longer distances off-road.” Von Staden goes into more detail about what makes for a successful race: "The most important things to consider is your discipline, long-term training, and compatibility with your partner. You need to remember not to overdo it in the first few stages of the race.” Gouws agrees: "You need a combination of discipline, focus and attention to detail. The Absa Cape Epic starts several months before the actual race. The event is really about a journey and not just about the race. The planning, training and build up are part of the experience.”

The team will be riding in support of the Diepsloot Mountain Bike Academy in Johannesburg. Gouws explains: "We’ll be participating in raising support for Team Absa at the 2014 Absa Cape Epic.” This year Team Absa hopes to raise sufficient funds to build a mountain biking track for the underprivileged community of Diepsloot. Readers can help Team Absa to raise funds by simply sending an SMS with the word "Epic” to 49227 and donating R20.00 to the cause. Watch William Mokgopo’s of the Diepsloot Mountain Bike Academy and his personal journey on http://youtu.be/ti_gbH2ov18.

 

Gouws describes himself as a "moderate adrenaline junky”. He enjoys gym, photography, reading and writing. His personal highlights include finishing first in the 40 to 45 age category in the 94.7 mountain biking race in the 2012 event. "I have a good amount of energy and passion for life”. On his goals for 2014 Gouws adds: "I’m somebody who becomes extremely focused once I have set a goal. At the moment I’m not thinking about anything beyond 23 March 2014.”

Von Staden’s goal for 2014 is to make a positive difference. Von Staden elaborates: "I believe we all have a unique purpose and it’s a privilege to be on this earth. I think we’re tasked to add value to as many lives as possible while on our fascinating, and often surprising, journey.” His personal highlights include riding the Sani2C mountain bike race with his wife, and then twice with his son. He describes himself as a family man, hardworking and competitive. "I absolutely adore spending time with my wife and our four children. You’ll often find all six of us on our mountain bikes together.”