Grand Tour of Mountain Biking?

It's been some time since I've been on the dirt. As such, I've not only been figuratively, but also literally, out of the loop. I have been following mountain bike racing but with only a passing fancy, so I was caught off guard when I read about the 4th edition (where have I been?) of the Cape Epic. (Photo: Frank Bodenmuller/PhotoSport International)

The Cape Epic, held in South Africa, is an 8 day mountain bike stage race traversing over 880km and around 15,000 meters in elevation. Competitors compete in teams of two.

With the Cape Epic, La Ruta, the Trans Rockies, and the brand new Seven stage race, how long will it take for someone to connect the dots and have a Grand Tour of Mountain Bike Racing? Let's just hope that if it does happen, our breathren of the dirt don't face the headaches that are currently plaguing the Pro Tour.