A Cape Epic retrospective - the D2Mont MERIDA Team interview

Now that the dust has settled after this year's Absa Cape Epic, we caught up with the riders from our two MERIDA-powered teams, the Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team and the D2Mont MERIDA Team, for a little bit of retrospective. For both of them, the Cape Epic is one of the key events of the year, but besides finding out what they focused on in their preparation, how they review their race and what other races are on their calendar, we also wanted to touch base on their NINETY-SIX experience and what insight they might have to share with today’s aspiring stage and marathon racers.

We are starting our little interview two-parter by (virtually) sitting down with the D2Mont MERIDA Team, consisting of Hermann Pernsteiner (Austria) and Filip Rydval (Czech Republic), supported by MERIDA Czech Republic, who entered the event with high hopes but came across some challenges which are not unusual for a one-week-long stage race. We started our interview by asking our two teammates how they prepared for this year’s Cape Epic and how that preparation differed from the usual pre-season training.

Herman: For me, the preparation went really well. I had no health issues during the winter and was able to train effectively. I did a lot of basic work on skis, such as cross-country skiing and mountaineering at high altitudes, until our preparation race, the Tankwa Trek, at the end of February. After that, I intensified my training with hard efforts and intense training blocks. Overall, I was really happy with how things went, and I was in the shape I wanted to be in at the start of the Epic. The only difference from the rest of the season is that I tried to gain a bit more weight and power for the Epic compared to the European climbing races. For the Epic, it's important to have some reserves and not to be at the weight limit.

Filip: My preparation for this year's Cape Epic started in November. It was different from preparing for the classic season: more intensive training and concentration, and strength training. I was also supposed to compete in the Tankwa Trek preparatory race, but unfortunately, I was unable to start due to an intestinal virus. This meant that the final stage of my preparation for the Epic was far from ideal, which probably impacted my performance in the race itself.

What were your goals for the race?
Herman: The goals were to finish in the top 10 in the GC, and maybe even a top 5 result or a podium finish in some stages!

How did the week pan out for you? What went well and what did not?
Filip: The week wasn't exactly ideal. We started the race quite well and felt optimistic. However, two falls in the first stage, a cracked rim in the second stage, and other issues meant that we lost our chance of a good overall ranking. I felt strong in the first half of the race. However, I was limited quite a bit by bruised ribs in the second half and wasn't in ideal condition for the last two stages. Once our hopes of a good GC classification were over, we tried to achieve some good stage results in the second half of the event, but it wasn’t meant to be.

What else stood out at the event besides the racing action? Did you enjoy the overall experience?
Herman: We enjoyed our time with the team in South Africa. A big thank you to our team and sponsors at D2mont Merida. The Cape Epic is always an incredible race. I think it's the most important race of the year. Media attendance is really high, and everyone is in perfect shape. This year's route was the most demanding and diverse of all the Epics I have done. It featured everything from rough terrain and beautiful single trails to rolling roads and long, hard stages. This year's edition had everything that makes mountain biking so beautiful!

Will you be returning to the event next year?
Herman: I hope so. There are still some goals left that we want to achieve at the Cape Epic!

You used our NINETY-SIX at the event. What alterations did you make to the bike to make it the perfect machine for the Absa Cape Epic? How did the bike perform?
Filip: For the race, we switched to an SRAM drivetrain. We also fitted the bike with FSA wheels and Tufo tyres; otherwise, it remained as it is available from stock. There was nothing that needed to be changed on the bike: it has top-level Fox suspension, a dropper post and Shimano XTR brakes. The bike performed very well in the race, and the additional travel at the front really helped on the more demanding stages.

Herman: I can only second that. The NINETY-SIX is the perfect bike for the challenging conditions of the Epic. This year's model has 120 mm of travel at the front, which can make a real difference, and it's a great improvement over the previous model.

What other MERIDA bikes do you have?
Herman: BIG.NINE hardtail and a SCULTURA road bike.

Filip: I also have a BIG.NINE in my stable, plus the SILEX for gravel riding.  

Which key events are you focusing on this season?
Herman: The European marathon classics like Riva del Garda and Sella Ronda Hero are important. I also want to defend my Austrian national title and my win at the Alpentour. Later in the year, the Ötztaler Radmarathon is the big goal, and of course, the Marathon World Championship!

Filip: I also have the Alpentour on my schedule, as well as the Czech Cup, the National Championships and the Swiss Epic.

Do you have any advice for aspiring stage or marathon racers to make their racing experience more enjoyable and ideally successful?
Filip: The most important thing is to enjoy the race, whatever the circumstances. Take it day by day. It's important to eat lots of carbohydrates. Eat plenty and replenish your electrolytes. And make sure you rest.

Herman: I agree with Filip that fuelling your body is super important. It's essential to provide your muscles with enough fuel to perform and recover. Many riders, even professionals, do not fuel properly and lose performance as a result!

We would like to thank Herman and Filip for their time and insight, and we wish them success in the 2026 season. Hopefully, we will see them back at the start line of the 2027 Absa Cape Epic, where they will set the record straight and get the opportunity to show what they are really capable of.

In our next interview, we will talk to the Metallurgica Veneta MTB Pro Team, which can look back on a slightly better result in the Cape Epic, to find out how their pre-season training went, what they thought of the event and how the NINETY-SIX performed for them.