After a first duo, let's now find Hugo and Fabien at the start of the world's largest and most difficult team mountain bike race, the Absa Cape Epic 2026. For its 22nd edition this year, 725 teams started from March 15 to 22. The event is very often compared to the Tour de France thanks to its international follow-up and its wide media coverage.
A duo that goes back several years.
Their friendship began almost ten years ago. Both coming from XCO, they met at a training camp. Fabien, a 33-year-old from Haute-Savoie, has been mountain biking since he was 19, with a particular fondness he discovered a few years ago for marathon events that would suit him better. Hugo, a 28-year-old from Montpellier, is an elite in XCO events with some great finishes in the French Cup!
They are forming a duo for the first time in a race, and what's more, the highly demanding Absa Cape Epic!
And why this race? Hugo recounts: “In 2024, I fulfilled a family dream by participating in the Cape Epic with my father. We passed on the bug to Fabien and his friend, who rode the following edition.
Each of us returned with the desire to go back to optimize our chances of shining in this reference Mountain Bike Marathon race, against the best athletes.
We knew our levels were similar, ideal for performance and for experiencing this human adventure together. The super duo was born! :)”
One objective: to compete among the top amateurs.
For a first race together and especially considering the demands of this adventure: 8 stages, over 700km, they had no precise objectives defined. Avoiding falls and mechanical and physical failures was their daily priority on each stage.
Each stage was there to do their best every day and move up the general classification, hoping for a good result at the end of the final stage. At the start of this same final stage, the Top 10 was not yet secured, so they had to lock in what had been achieved during that week of racing.
In the end, with a rather high level this year, they together achieved a very nice Top 10 in the Open category, counting a good 43rd place overall, taking into account the Elite teams. This particularly popular category saw many riders end up in the Open category, which considerably raised the level of competition, and this was felt throughout the race.
Rigour on all fronts.
With heat that could be described as extreme for our French riders, with temperatures approaching 45 degrees and even more at times, they demonstrated rigour on all the most important aspects. Every detail counted, from hydration to recovery. The rain in the following stages contrasted with the beginning of the week, with much cooler and easily bearable temperatures.
“Doing the job” was their constant state of mind, both on and off the bike! Prudence was part of the work done in the early stages, but it allowed them to step up the level when necessary. The queen stage was the best example, with an average speed of 29 km/h over the announced 141 km.
The race is done without authorized external assistance, so daily adaptation was necessary. Indeed, from one stage to the next, it was necessary to adapt and anticipate needs: adjusting the necessary equipment, hydration and nutrition (increasing electrolytes if needed, in particular).
The most important thing was managing the effort as a duo, which was a real challenge. Indeed, even if they know each other, the effort remains personal to each: two states of form, two riding styles, two management styles. When a duo is formed for the first time, slight tensions or misunderstandings can be feared. For Fabien and Hugo, a complicated start was noted, but kilometer by kilometer, they had to and were able to get to know each other better on the bike and work together, especially in terms of communication.
“It's demanding, but also extremely rewarding and moving.”
A tight schedule.
Everything was meticulously planned and paced down to the smallest detail of each day. This allowed our riders to have a minimum rest period, as the days were busy.
After an early morning wake-up to prepare for the day's stage, they would cycle for 5 or 6 hours before starting recovery to prepare for the next stage: refueling, showering, cleaning gear, massages—everything necessary to recharge their batteries. By 9 PM, it was lights out at the base camp.
A timeless and unexpected moment. In the middle of a stage, our duo encountered two monkeys side by side but with their backs to the race, peaceful as if indifferent to the race and what was happening behind them while everyone was exerting themselves!
The final stat!
In addition to 8 days of racing and over 700 km and 15,000 m of elevation gain, there are some completely crazy numbers regarding the organization of this race!
The event itself represents 58 countries, with 1450 riders and 1500 people mobilized in the organization. While the human resources are already significant, the material resources are even more considerable: 2 helicopters for video, 1 medical helicopter, 20 motorcycles, 65 equipment trucks, 234 vehicles, and finally 6 video drones.
A big thank you to all those who accompanied us in this project: partners, relatives, loyal supporters. Their trust is essential.
This adventure reminds us of a simple thing: every dream is accessible.
And as a duo, the key remains listening, sharing, and the ability to move forward together, no matter what.
See you in 2027 for bigger and faster!
Photo credit: Hugo & Fabien, Cape Epic.
