N1NO's & Filippo's SCOTT Spark RC Cape Epic Special Edition

It's Cape Epic time of the year again! Filippo Colombo & Nino Schurter heading to the world's toughest mountain bike stage race requires a special bike perfectly equipped for this challenge. Keep your eyes peeled for all details below!

The untamed Cape Epic is considered to be the toughest Mountain Bike stage race on earth. The race that measures all is marked red in the racing calendar of mountain biking's Greatest Of All Time, N1NO Schurter, who is looking into his 10th participation chasing the prestigious yellow jersey.

In 2025, Cape Epic veteran Nino Schurter has top-tier support with Swiss National Champion and fellow SCOTT-SRAM teammate Filippo Colombo. He’s no newcomer having already completed a Cape Epic in 2021, and together they're not planning on anything other than a 1st place finish.

For this extraordinary challenge, the team will be equipped with an extraordinary bike: a cheetah-inspired special edition of the SCOTT Spark RC. This unique build features a special design and a highly optimized setup for the rugged South African landscape.

Behind the design

Cheetahs are generally known as the fastest animals on land and are feared predators in the savannah of South Africa. But now a new one enters the stage, the Spark RC, feared predator in the World Cup circuit and widely known as the fastest XC race bike to date, ready to pounce at the Untamed Cape Epic 2025. 
Much like a cheetah, Nino, Filippo, and their SCOTT Spark RC bikes are all about speed—smooth, powerful, and built to be the fastest. Every move the cheetah makes, every pedal stroke from the riders, is about balance, precision, and pure energy, blending instinct with great engineering. Just like the cheetah digs its claws into the ground for control, the Maxxis tires grip the South African terrain, turning raw speed into command over every twist and turn.
And while the cheetah’s camouflage is all about blending into the wild, don’t be fooled—Nino and Filippo aren’t hiding. They’re here to attack, fast and fierce, just like a cheetah on the hunt.

"We want to win the Cape Epic 2025, but it will certainly not be easy and a lot of things have to come together. It's very cool to ride this race with Filippo. He already has experience in stage races, both on the road and on the bike. I'm very excited because he is currently one of the strongest cross-country athletes and we have high ambitions."
 
Nino Schurter
SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing

"It's an incredible honor for me to start with Nino in such a race. I want to gain good experience with the team and Nino. We know that stage wins are possible and of course we want to do our best and compete for the overall victory. We have the best possible support, the best material and I couldn't imagine a better partner than Nino!"

Filippo Colombo
SCOTT-SRAM MTB Racing

N1NO & Filippo's SCOTT Spark RC Cape Epic Spec List

At Cape Epic, the racing duo will be riding the SCOTT Spark RC World Cup in a special setup. Cape Epic comes with its own unique challenges, which is why the team bikes will be set up a bit differently than for a World Cup race. The team has to be able to sort their own problems out on course, no Yanick the Mechanic nearby, which is why they'll have to carry spares, plugs, pumps, etc.

Fully kitted out with SRAM XX SL EAGLE AXS Transmission drivetrain, Syncros wheels and ROCKSHOX Flight Attendant suspension system - it's time for the tires to hit the dirt and for the cheetah to demonstrate its skills.