Between Wellington and Val de Vie lie a final 68 kilometres of Untamed mountain biking. A last test to ensure that no finisher's medal is handed over without the realisation being driven home that it was hard-earned. Ensuring that insight is gleaned by every rider, the climbing begins just 3 kilometres into the final stage. Patatskloof, Beulah and the Hawequa Climb roll neatly into one. At the summit of Hawequa, a Dimension Data Hotspot provides a reward for the fastest men and women to the top. Hugging the precipitously steep slopes of the Hawequa Mountains the route continues south, losing hard-earned altitude only to climb again, up the Protea Climb.

Undulating dual tracks tick off vital kilometres before the Freedom Struggle Climb and the Bone Rattler, which also forms the race's final Land Rover Technical Terrain descent, signal the beginning of the end. Then finally onto the grounds of Val de Vie and around the final bend, to see the finish line arches looming up ahead. Each Absa Cape Epic finisher's medal, and name etched into The Book of Legend, will have had to earn his or her place with grit and determination. It is after-all the Untamed African Mountain Bike Race; the Absa Cape Epic; The Race That Measures All