The sun wasn’t going to go down on Epic 2017 that easily. At 85km, the final stage from Oak Valley in Elgin to the luxurious manicured lawns of Val de Vie in Paarl might have looked like a trot. But there was 1 350m of climbing, including the grunt over that winding Franschhoek Pass. And yes, the sun was out again making conditions hot, dry and thirst-inducing.

But what a finish awaited the riders at Val de Vie. Over 15 000 screaming, cheering, ululating and bell-clanging spectators. A wall of sound was added in the form of music and the ecstatic verbal volleys coming from the professional commentators.

As the riders started coming in, the people went ballistic, and the joy experienced by both the competitors as well as the spectators was infectious. Bikes, kit and faces were covered in dust, white smiles gleaming as the teams headed for the finish line.

It was over. All of eight days. 691km. 15 400m of climbing.

For our guys, team Black Elephant Vintners and Wildekrans Wine Estate, it was so much bigger, better, faster and wilder than last year’s Epic. Jacques Wentzel and Braam Gericke clocked a total time of 40hrs49mins13.8 seconds with an overall position of 253 out of the 650 teams that started.

“It sounds crazy, but the first thing we think about now is getting a ticket for next year’s race,” says Jacques. As the world’s premier mountain-bike event, entries are by selection, lottery and on-line applications, the last of which are limited to just 100 teams.

“We achieved what we set out to achieve in terms of time, and both of us were chuffed by the form we showed and how we rode,” says Braam. “But as Jacques says, this Epic thing is so addictive it’s surprising it is legal – the moment you finish, you start thinking about the possibility of riding again next year.”

Jacques says it is the most all-consuming sports event he has ever participated in, including the South African Iron Man. “Man, where do I start…the demands it makes on your body, the camaraderie between your racing buddy and the other riders we team-up with en route. There is nothing like sweating blood together to create lasting friendships. The fresh early mornings along a scenic single-track, with only the sound of wheels on dirt to break the silence…”

“Don’t forget the joy of the finish!” quips Braam. “Words come easy after eight days in the saddle, but we are pretty stuffed, let’s not forget it. But the high of finishing and having ridden well will be there for a few days – and if we crack an entry for 2018 it will be higher.”