Twenty years ago, in March 2004, the very first Cape Epic set off from Knysna and covered 788 km to finish at Spier Wine Estate just outside Stellenbosch. It was the start of ‘The race that measures all’.
Few people know that Squirt Cycling also started more than two decades ago with an invention designed to lube a chain while riding. To complement this device, a lube was invented that turned out to be the wax-based lube that would set the industry benchmark for ‘dry lubes’.
The Cape Epic has grown into arguably the biggest mountain bike stage race in the world. Every March, the world’s top riders line up to test their mettle, not only against each other but also against the race itself. A challenging course, extreme weather conditions and a deep field test riders, machines, and backup crews to the absolute limit over eight stages.
Squirt Cycling Products has also evolved from its humble beginnings. Although our lube is still the cornerstone of our product line, we now offer a range of bike care products globally to take care of bikes and riders in the most demanding conditions.
Epic Series
Squirt Cycling Products has been a partner of FNB Wines2Whales since 2010 and through that, we increased our involvement by becoming a partner of the Spar Swiss Epic and NZ Pioneer in 2018 and the Absa Cape Epic in 2019. By 2022, Squirt Cycling Products was the official bicycle care product partner for the entire Epic Series, which includes The Cape Epic, The Four Islands, The Andorra Epic, The Swiss Epic, and Wines2Whales.
This year saw the 20th edition of the Cape Epic. By the end of a hotly contested race Matt Beers stood on the top step of the podium along with his teammate and former winner, Howard Grotts (Specialized Ninety-One). For Matt, it was his third win in the prestigious event confirming his talent. Matt grew up in Knysna, not far from Squirt Cycling headquarters in George and Squirt Cycling has been part of his cycling journey ever since he switched disciplines from motocross after a crash-induced injury.
It was a proudly South African moment as a South African topped the podium of Africa’s Untamed Race in its 20th anniversary, backed by, amongst others, a South African brand.
As the dust settles on the Epic, excitement is already building around Matt’s participation in the Lifetime Grand Prix Series, a collection of premier gravel and MTB events in the US with a prize purse of $300,000. Matt is off to a great start, taking third place in the opening round of the Grand Prix at Sea Otter. This past weekend he also took his first major victory on US soil, claiming honours at the Belgian Waffle Ride California.
Squirt Cycling Products also supported a host of other teams at the Epic, with Hayley Preen finishing fourth in the women’s race alongside Lena Gerault. Hayley will also be tackling the 2024 Lifetime Grand Prix Series, thanks largely to support from Squirt Cycling.
Michelle Lombardi and Hanlie Booyens topped the Grand Masters women’s category, leading from start to finish. In keeping with the parallels, these two were part of the first Cape Epics, and both have been racing out of the Squirt Cycling stable for a long time.
Cape Epic 20th Edition special label
To commemorate the 20th edition of the Absa Cape Epic, Squirt Cycling commissioned a special edition label for our lube. The contents are exactly the same as the lube everyone has come to trust and love, but a once-off label and black cap were designed to mark the occasion. Only a limited run of these were produced so expect demand for these beauties to be high.
