Absa Cape Epic: Dust, heat and maximum cross-country action. In the South African steppe, the elite of MTB fight for places and seconds at every stage of the toughest marathon race in the world – with the BULLS Media Team right there in the middle of it. Equipped with the BULLS E-Stream Evo AM6 and plenty of state-of-the-art camera technology, Stefan Sahm, Thomas Dietsch and Ila Stow hunt for the best live images in the South African steppe. From the rear wheel of the top cyclists, they provide a spectacular and practically unique point of view from the midst of the racing action. The visual impressions are enriched with live commentary assessing the race as it unfolds. Mastering all of this while keeping up with the leader on the downhill presents a genuine challenge for the camera riders. ‘To me, the greatest challenge is the overall coordination during the stage. So many things are happening at the same time during the race, and although I’m physically tired at the end of the day, mentally I’m even more so’, says Stefan Sahm, who has already won the legendary race thrice as a professional alongside Karl Platt. To him, though, the work of the BULLS Media Team is ‘absolutely positive stress’. He also considers it a privilege to be so close to the action. More than bystanders: In the thick of things since 2016 ‘But how cool it would be to fit a rider with lots of cameras and let have him ride along in the race.’ Towards the end of his professional career, Sahm came up with this idea during a Cape Epic stage – just one of the things that come to mind in the middle of a race. He teamed up with South African Myles Hoppe to set this brilliant idea in motion. The result was a 360-degree camera he carried when he entered the Absa Cape Epic for the first time in 2016. The response f rom officials, spectators and riders was overwhelming. As ‘Sahmurai’ explains, ‘A lot has happened since then’. ‘We said good-bye to the 360-degree concept, and now we just ride with chest- and helmet-mounted cameras. At the same time, we’ve significantly improved our broadcast technology and can deliver an extremely highquality and stable signal.’ The BULLS Media Team’s camera eBike To supply the best possible images from the most important areas of the race at all times, the BULLS Media Team is equipped with the E-Stream Evo AM6. ‘Of course an eMTB is going to offer advantages in uphill riding, but we’re also perfectly positioned for downhill stretches, thanks to the E-Stream Evo AM6 and its high-performance suspension’, Sahm points out. ‘This is the only way we can deliver the kinds of shots that make the performance of the BULLS Media Team so extraordinary.’ Although the battery offers the maximum possible capacity, it is changed at each supply station as a precaution. This delivers fresh power for rider and machine alike. The experience and response at the Absa Cape Epic was so positive that the BULLS Media Team decided to enter the Swiss Epic, too. More live broadcasts are in planning to capture the complete racing action in other races as well. ‘We are constantly working on improvements and always in search of new challenges’, Sahm adds. ‘So it’s going to stay exciting.’ Swiss Epic 2022 Full eMTB use for spectacular live images Thomas Dietsch, Ila Stow & Stefan Sahm 133 M E D I A T E A M
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