In 1817, Baron Karl von Drais Sauerbronn invented what he called a “laufmaschine” – German for “running machine” – and patented the design one year later. That design is the first verified record of what is known as the bicycle today.
Over 200 years later, Sauerbronn’s invention has evolved and spread to the degree that there are an estimated 1 billion bicycles in existence today, not to mention the millions that have been manufactured before them.
Initially used as a mode of transportation, the bicycle’s potential as a tool for speed was soon realised. Legend has it that the first recorded bicycle race was held over a distance of 1,200 metres and won by Englishman James Moore on May 31, 1868. In the same year, Moore would reportedly win the first race between cities, riding the 123 km between Paris and Rouen in 10 hours and 40 minutes.
Today, competitive cycling contains numerous disciplines, ranging from road and mountain bike racing to track cycling and gravel racing, to name but a few. The most prestigious cycling event on the road racing calendar is the Tour de France, with its mountain bike equivalent, the Cape Epic, founded in 2004 by Kevin Vermaak.
A standard of living that never quits
To excel at events such as the Absa Cape Epic, participants must prepare for months on end, knowing the route and themselves in the greatest detail. As shared by the likes of Craig Uria, a 12-time Cape Epic participant, completing the Cape Epic is among the ultimate challenges for any person who chooses to ride a mountain bike.
It requires a spirit that never quits, a spirit that sets a standard, a standard of being that never quits.
This is why GIC is a proud supporter of mountain biking events such as the Absa Cape Epic and its Epic Series peer, Wines2Whales, since 2024.
Our mission is changing lives. Cycling breathes the saying that skill is nothing without hard work and discipline.
We treasure these virtues at GIC because expertise without focus compromises our ability to change lives.