From 4Islands Epic to Cape Epic: Learning to Race as a Team
Updated: Sep 23
Damon and Xander, racing as Team Double Dutch, are no strangers to endurance sport. From triathlons and marathon running to beach racing, they've spent years pushing their physical and mental limits. But 4Islands Epic presented a completely different challenge, their first multi-day mountain bike stage race together and an important stepping stone towards Cape Epic 2027.
They arrived with one clear objective: gain valuable stage-racing experience and learn how to race as a team over five demanding days.
What followed exceeded their expectations. After finishing Stage 1 in 12th place, they set their sights on the top 10. Five days later, they crossed the finish line in an impressive 6th place overall in the M40-49 category.
Along the way, they discovered that success in a multi-day stage race depends on far more than fitness alone.
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The Approach
Damon and Xander followed custom training plans, tailored to their individual abilities while preparing them to race effectively as a team.
With different strengths and abilities, the goal was not to hold the stronger rider back. Both riders needed to develop towards their full potential, while recognizing that the weaker rider ultimately determines the team's sustainable pace.
The biggest gains came from improving the weaker rider's sustainable power and making the team more efficient together. This allowed both riders to maximize their potential while becoming a stronger, more effective team.
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What was your motivation for entering 4Islands Epic?
Damon:
Qualifying for Cape Epic. We managed to qualify thanks to a lucky pre-registration ticket.
Xander:
Damon and I wanted to gain experience racing a multi-day mountain bike event as preparation for our goal of competing at Cape Epic in 2027. 4Islands was the perfect fit with five days of racing early in the season, making the preparation comparable to Cape Epic.
Did you have any specific goals, or were you just focused on finishing?
Damon:
My initial goal was simply to finish the race without any problems. Another goal was to learn how to race together with Xander on the challenging climbs and rocky terrain.
Xander:
Our main goal was to get used to racing together over multiple days. Before the race, we thought finishing in the top 20% of the field would be achievable based on previous years.
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A Goal That Kept Growing
After finishing Stage 1 in 12th place, their expectations changed. What had started as a goal of simply gaining experience quickly became a realistic opportunity to challenge for the top 10. They maintained their position under increasing fatigue and finished the week in 6th overall in the M40-49 category.
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What was the toughest part of the race?
Damon:
Stage 3 was my toughest day. After two long stages, I suddenly ran very low on energy about three-quarters of the way through. A caffeine gel and an isotonic drink helped, and I was able to recover enough to ride strongly to the finish.
Xander:
Stage 3 was also the toughest for me. There was no opportunity for a proper warm-up because of the ferry start, and I perform much better after a 30 minute warm-up with a few hard efforts. The second Dutch team was trying to make up time on us in the general classification, so the pace was high from the start. Halfway through the stage, both Damon and I suffered small mechanical issues, costing us about two minutes. We had to ride very hard for the remainder of the stage to limit the damage.
Did you face any major setbacks?
Damon:
Stage 5 was challenging because of a breakfast mishap.
Xander:
Apart from that, we only had minor mechanical issues. One bolt from the rear suspension on Damon’s bike came loose, and I experienced some shifting issues. We repaired both on the course, and they're things we can easily avoid next time.
How did you work together as a team?
This became one of the biggest lessons from the race.
Damon:
Xander wasn’t as strong as I was. I knew the power he could sustain, so I adjusted my pace accordingly. That worked well throughout most of the race.
Xander:
We agreed before the race that Damon, as the stronger rider, would do most of the work on the flatter sections so I could benefit from the slipstream. On the climbs, he knew what power I could hold and adapted to that.
We constantly communicated about how we were feeling and whether I could maintain the pace. That turned out to be critically important to avoid burning too many matches too early.
“Effective communication is crucial when there’s a power imbalance and differing fitness levels.”
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The coaching lesson: Both riders need to be developed to their full potential. The weaker rider determines the sustainable team pace. The answer isn't to hold the stronger rider back; it's to improve the weaker rider and optimise how the pair work together.
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More Than Fitness
Success in a multi-day stage race isn't just about being the strongest rider, it's about working together as a team.
For Damon and Xander, communication became one of the biggest lessons of the race. Throughout the five days, they checked in with each other about pace, fatigue and how they were feeling. They also learned to play to each other's strengths, with Damon taking on more of the workload where he could and adapting his pace when needed.
The lessons didn't stop when the racing ended each day.
Xander: "I learned that continuous communication with your partner, before, during and after the race is critically important. You're tired and may experience different levels of fatigue, so it's important to share how you're feeling. You also don't have to do everything together. After a demanding stage, I liked some alone time to recharge, while Damon enjoyed a bit of socialising."
Their biggest takeaway was simple:
Communicate openly, understand each other's strengths, and give each other the space to recover in the way that works best for them.
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How did you manage nutrition and hydration?
The pair created a nutrition plan for every stage based on the expected race time and a target carbohydrate intake of 70-90 grams per hour.
On the longer stages, both riders used CamelBaks containing their nutrition and around two litres of fluid, allowing them to reach the final aid station with only a brief stop for additional gels and drinks. Recovery started immediately after each stage with carbohydrates, protein and plenty of fluids.
How did the reality of 4Islands Epic compare with your expectations?
Damon:
It was a truly great and well-organised event. I loved the scenery and the trails. Rafeeq's training plan prepared us exceptionally well. The VO2max work for the climbs and the back-to-back training days were particularly valuable.
Xander:
The experience was amazing. Our preparation with Rafeeq made us far more competitive than we expected, which gave us confidence during the hardest parts of the race. The organisation was second to none. Everything, from transport and accommodation to mechanical support and aid stations was outstanding. I would highly recommend an Epic Series event. These are memories that last a lifetime.
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The Build-Up to 4Islands Epic
While they shared the same goal, each followed an individualised training plan tailored to their fitness, strengths and availability.
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What advice would you give someone considering 4Islands Epic?
Damon:
Follow a structured training plan. Ride the bike you'll race on, make sure it's properly equipped, and spend plenty of time riding with your partner.
Xander:
Choose a partner you trust and communicate openly. Prepare physically, mentally and logistically. Have a plan for every stage, your equipment and your nutrition. If you're aiming to race competitively, attention to detail makes a huge difference.
What's next?
The original goal was to qualify for Cape Epic and gain experience racing together in a multi-day mountain bike event.
Instead, Damon and Xander left 4Islands with something even more valuable: confidence that they can compete together at a high level, finishing 6th overall in the M40-49 category.
Their next challenge is Cape Epic 2027, and most likely Swiss Epic or Andorra Epic in 2028 as they work towards becoming Epic Legends.
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Images courtesy of riders.
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