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CYCLISTS' GUIDE
DISCOVERY 947 CYCLE CHALLENGE
DATE 15 November 2020
TIME 05h30
ORGANISERS Harford Sports Promotions
DISTANCE 94.7;
PROVINCE Gauteng
START VENUE Riversands Commercial Park,Fourways,
PRIMARY CONTACT
NAME Race Organiser
NUMBER
EMAIL cyclechallenge@94.7.co.za
FAX
HOME NUMBER
WORK NUMBER 011-0172700
SECONDARY CONTACT
NAME
NUMBER events@hsp.co.za
EMAIL
FAX
HOME NUMBER
WORK NUMBER
ENTRY DETAILS



Pre-entries: www.cyclechallenge.co.za. Entry forms are also available at leading cycling shops in Gauteng and at Virgin Active gyms. Entries open in July and close in September. Registration will take place at the Expo. Number collection will take place at Ticketpro Dome, cnr Northumberland Rd & Olievenhout Ave, North Riding, Johannesburg.




DIRECTIONS

Race Start Coordinates: -25.968269471763726, 28.0261264834553 

Race Finish Coordinates: 0.0,0.0 

THE RUN


At the time of writing the organisers were unsure of the details of the final route. One thing is certain; it will always be designed with safety as the number one priority.

Don’t get disheartened as you climb from the start to Summit Road. Yes it is a bit of a grind, but by the time you hit the turn onto the R55 all will be forgotten and you will be flying. There is some work to be done on this stretch to be sure, and once you have the first watering table and just over 12 kilometres at your back it is time to dig in. The ride through Kyalami and then Sunninghill is moderate by any standards, an opportunity to get your composure before tackling the highway.

At Woodmead now with over 20 kilometres to the good, the route takes you onto the M1 South on a pleasant roller-coaster ride towards the City. Marlboro Road, Corlett Drive, Glenhove and 11th Avenue all tick by before you leave the highway. The organisers want to show off the best of Johannesburg in the safest possible way and for the sake of interest the ‘Round the City Loop’ was included.

Enjoy the long descent which starts next to Wits University and takes you onto Jan Smuts Avenue. It is cool as you race through the tree-lined suburbs of Westcliff, Saxonwold and onward to the fourth refreshment station in Parktown North. Unless you were in one of the very first start bunches, spectators often line this part of the route and cheer you on. Be careful of the bends in the road between the Zoo and Rosebank, these are not tight corners but it is easy to touch wheels during a moment of inattention.

Once you have passed the Hyde Park shopping centre on your right you are on the last part of the descent and probably exceeding the speed limit. The road dips and rises through the intersections and there are a couple of awkward manhole covers to watch out for. You do not want to lose control of your bike here.

Settle into a steady cadence as you tackle the rise into the Randburg CBD. It is not too long before you turn left onto Homestead Road and the lower reaches of Bryanston. Do not panic, you do not have to climb all the way to the traffic light at the top of the hill. The route rather takes you on a fairly scenic twisting path along Cumberland Avenue, Moray Drive and Grosvenor Road to the N1 crossing into Douglas Drive.

After the turn into Witkoppen Road a steep climb awaits. Beware the tar is quite pitted in places. You will need to harden your resolve against the beer and food on offer from the restaurants and guesthouses if you are hoping for a personal best. The stretch along Malibongwe Drive is a short climb to the Lion Park where you have just a bit more than 13 kilometres to ride.

Although the tar is smooth at the 80-kilometre mark, the stretch on the N14 to the lowest point of the route at the Jukskei River can be tough. By now you have covered most of distance and the road undulates over a series of gentle but tedious hills. If the wind is blowing you will want to hold the wheel ahead and look for the shelter of the bunch. The last refreshment station will help to ease the discomfort; do not skip it if you are feeling a bit flat for there is still some climbing before your day is done.


MEDIA RELEASE
Race Name Release Date Media Release
ORGANISER
NAME Harford Sports Promotions
PROVINCE Central Gauteng
EMAIL events@hsp.co.za
WEBSITE www.hsp.co.za
ADDRESS 2nd Floor, Block A, Edenburg Terraces, 348 Rivonia Blvd

CONTACT PERSON
NAME
PROVINCE
EMAIL *jenni@hsp.co.za
NUMBER
ADDRESS

RACES BY THIS CLUB
TYPE PROVINCE RACE DATE VENUE CONTACT NUMBER
EDITORS NOTES



EDITORS NOTES

The Telkom 94.7 Cycle Challenge has been consistently ranked in a number of our surveys as a well-organised and well-presented event. The race will be staged for the 23rd time in 2019.  The race has enjoyed sustained growth from the beginning. Yet, with growth comes the challenge of maintaining safety, both for individual cyclists and for spectators. For cyclists, road closure means safety, for motorists it is an annoyance. Managing full road closure in a dense city and growing suburban areas will always be a challenge.



Time Limit:

Finishers: 27000

ACCOMODATION

RACE CHANGES (0)

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