A great team on the hunt, wild gear and full coverage of the event. These are the three pillars of the Factory team’s participation in the Cape Epic 2020 (March 15-22).

Let’s talk about the team. On the one hand, shining with a light all his own will be Ibon Zugasti, whose charisma and competitive DNA guarantee great moments. His experience in this race will be the ideal complement for his partner, Gotzon Martín.

“I feel privileged to share the most important race in the world with Gotzon,” insists Ibon. “After having competed together in the Colina Triste UCI S2, where we earned a podium position, I will give it my all and contribute my experience for a great result with the best possible partner.”

His partner Gotzon is an exceptional case. A pro rider for Euskaltel-Euskadi, he originally competed in the mountain bike category, so this discipline is nothing new him. His first participation in the Cape is a dream come true. For a few days, he’ll hang up his Orca OMX to give it his all aboard the Oiz. More on this later.

Gotzon admits he feels “very lucky” to take part in the best MTB pair race in the world. “I’ve established a very good relationship with Ibon,” he comments, “and we’re going to complement each other perfectly. I’m lucky to be able to learn alongside teammates with so much experience. I want this to be something that’s unforgettable and to come back home eager to do it again.”

In addition to this, Purito will compete in his first Cape Epic after joining the ranks of the Orbea Factory Team. Since retiring from his professional career, he has never missed what has become his annual event. It will be the fourth consecutive time he’s participated in the race, in which he’s already tasted glory.

“It’s the best MTB stage race in the world and for me, it has huge magnetism,” Purito assures us.“This year is very special, since I’m debuting with the Orbea Factory Team. I’m going to enjoy being an Amabubesi (a term that means the Pride of Lions and honors those who have finished the race three or more times).I want to give it my all and give the fans what they expect of us: a good show and a good time. Of course, I have the best company and the Oiz, the best bike for this type of races.

This year, Purito shares the adventure with his friend Oliver Avilés, who also debuts as brand ambassador in 2020.A grand partner, since Oliver is an XC superclass rider.”Riding in a race like the Cape is a huge challenge, and it is as much a sports challenge as it is a life experience,” says Oliver.“Besides, pairing up with a friend like Purito is a big incentive. We know each other very well, and I’ll have enough to do just to stick to his wheel,” he says jokingly.

WILD BIKE AND GEAR

We’ll land in Cape Town with a fully personalized bike. We used our MyO tool to accomplish this, since it offers an unlimited set of possibilities for our XC and trail machines.

In this case, we’ve turned our Oiz into a camouflaged wild beast in dark green and electric orange, with top-of-the-line components. You can replicate this design and purchase it through our personalization tool. Just go to the MyO section, select the Oiz and let your imagination go wild.

We’re also debuting cycling gear and casual apparel, including two lines of jerseys we’ve designed. Ibon and Gotzon will sport the orange, with a picture of a lion on their shoulders. In a certain way, it’s also a nod to the colors of Euskaltel-Euskadi, Gotzon’s team. Purito and Oliver, in turn, will dress in grey and orange, with a spectacular print of the beast on the chest.

Parallel to this, we’re launching a line of casual apparel, designed for before and after the competition: two models of t-shirts, a sweatshirt, a bag and two caps. These are what our riders will wear while in Africa. You can purchase them on orbea.com or your nearest dealer starting on March 16.

FULL COVERAGE

Orbea will offer you full coverage of the Cape Epic and the progress of our riders. We’ll post a video summary every day of the race and share all the highlights on our usual channels and on the Orbea Factory Team social media networks. We’ll also reward your loyalty with daily drawings for some fantastic prizes.

What we have prepared is tremendous and you won’t want to miss it! It wouldn’t be the same without you or the passion of our travel companions: Orca, SRAM, Skoda, FOX, Selle Italia, Isostar, DT Swiss and Evoc complete our big family. They’ll also be stars in Africa.

The countdown is on and the adventure is about to being.