BENNO WILLEIT: Two days before the race.
Two days before the Absa Cape Epic,
one of the biggest events that we do with the team
through the entire season.
Today it's very calm, so it gives us
the time to check through the bikes.
They've got new bikes for the Epic
again, the limited edition, very standard World Cup Epic.
And that's what they're going to ride.
Today we're just going to check through everything.
And everything's under control.
We have done it now a few times.
We know what we need to do.
And we are prepared.
Everything arrived in time.
The riders are looking good.
And today we work on bikes and we go from there.
CHRISTOPH SAUSER: It's Friday.
It's a pretty chill day.
Two days before the start of the prologue of the Absa Cape Epic.
There's not that much to do on the rest day.
I just want to make sure the bike is perfect for tomorrow
when we go out on the course.
I feel excitement, and also a bit of tension,
that's for sure.
It's very good.
I need the pressure, and that keeps me going.
And it's going to be challenging.
The weather doesn't look so good.
Tomorrow's Saturday.
We go and check out the prologue course.
The three teams of us together, it will like an hour and a half
warm up.
And good to know the course.
FRANTISEK RABON: So today we're going
to check the prologue route.
Just opened today.
So it's nice to always know where you're
going to go, especially tomorrow in the prologue
when you go flat out from the start.
I'm a little nervous, but not crazy.
I didn't do mistakes.
To be ready as I am, it will normally
take me maybe one or two years.
Maybe one or two Epics, and other races,
to learn from the mistakes.
Where Christoph told me straight,
OK, you have to do this, you have to do that.
He told me all the secrets he learned over the years.
So he won that race four times, so I
think that's why I feel ready now.
CHRISTOPH SAUSER: That's longer than last year.
It's fast.
It's very, very bumpy.
The whole time, basically.
Franti, he will be good on the flat section.
He has that horsepower who can really push in the flat.
And I really believe that's where
we can make the difference.
It's Saturday night at 7:00 PM, and we're packing for the race.
We leave tomorrow for the prologue, which
starts at around 11:00 for us.
Sam and I are trying to go through and figure out
exactly what we want to bring.
Pillows.
Single fitted sheets.
Another single fitted sheet.
Pillow cases.
SAM BENEDICT: We set up a tent the first night
that we get there, and then we don't move for three days.
And then we take our bag and all of our sleeping stuff, even
the pillow and everything.
ERIC SCHUDA: Everything has to come out, yeah.
SAM BENEDICT: Does it all have to fit in this bag?
I freaking hate bugs.
It kind of adds to the discomfort for us.
But we better get used to it, because I
think we're going to be uncomfortable for about
eight days.
But-- well, all part of the experience.
ERIC SCHUDA: Yeah, we're at the prologue at Meerendal Wine
Estate near Cape Town.
And so we're getting ready to go off for the Prologue.
SAM BENEDICT: I hope everybody back home is wishing us luck
and sending us all the good vibes they can.
Because eight days of riding bikes--
I don't care who you are, that's a lot of bike riding.
BENNO WILLEIT: Sausi and Franti, they are around a minute
behind.
The fastest time at the moment.
So I think they've got about five or six
kilometers left to go.
So we'll wait and see.
Everything went smooth.
Frantisek had a bit of a hard time today, to go to the speed.
But Christoph, he comes from the road,
and he's definitely stronger the longer the stages are.
Today was just slightly over an hour,
and he was suffering a little bit.
But there's many more to come.
CHRISTOPH SAUSER: We've done 20 k's out of 700.
The race only started.
And I'm sure Franti-- as long as the race
goes-- will step up big time.
FRANTISEK RABON: Day by day.
And we want to win every day.
We want to fight for the podium every day.
So we;re going to attack now every day.
And I want that jersey.
A year.