Date: 06 March 2016
Time: 06h15
Organisers: Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust
Distance: 109;
Province: Western Cape
Start: Hertzog Boulevard
Foreshore
Cape Town
Finish: Green Point
Cape Town
Enquiries:
Contact 1: Race Office
(Work) 087-8207223
(Email) info@cycletour.co.za
Website www.cycletour.co.za
Contact 2: Erick Oosthuizen
(Work) 087-8207223
(Email)erick@cycletour.co.za
Enquiries:
Contact 1: Race Office
(Work) 087-8207223
(Email) info@cycletour.co.za
Website www.cycletour.co.za
Contact 2: Erick Oosthuizen
(Work) 087-8207223
(Email)erick@cycletour.co.za
Entry Details:
This event is strictly pre-entry and entries are limited to 35,000 entrants and will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Pre-entries: www.cycletour.co.za. To ease your entry process ensure that you have the following information available: your ID or passport, a valid credit card, your medical aid details and membership number. Then proceed to www.cycletour.co.za and follow the easy instructions. If you would prefer to enter by mail or fax, download the form from www.cycletour.co.za and follow the instructions. You must turn 13 in the year of the race or be over 13 to enter. If you are in doubt as to your fitness, it is strongly recommended that you have a medical check-up first. You must have your own Winning Time Chip to participate in the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour. If you do not own a Winning Time Chip, you will be required to purchase one at a cost of around R80. If you are entering from outside the African continent, your entry will include a Winning Time Chip. Any two- or three-wheeled machine powered solely by you will be allowed as long as it is roadworthy. No bicycle, tandem or other machine is permitted to have unconventional handlebars, including triathlon bars, aero bars, clip-ons, prayer bars or cow bars. Spinachi type handle bars are not permitted. Bar ends are permitted on mountain bikes. Seeding: Approximately 50% of the solo-conventional field is seeded. You are seeded on your index, which equates to your best finishing time in any one of the seeding events relative to the winning time. The index calculation is 100 (Winner’s time/your time x 100). Some of the other events are "weighted", taking into account the degree of difficulty of the route and quality of the field. If you do not qualify for seeding and are a member of PPA you will automatically be placed in the PPA category. Similarly, non-PPA members will be placed in the Open category.
Route Description:
Difficulty Rating: 0. Route Type: Point-to-point
The start in town is always festive. While it is very crowded, it is well-ordered.
There is some initial climbing as you make your way out onto the Eastern Boulevard but amid the excitement of the occasion it will hardly be noticed. This is a good time to go over your race schedule and to get a measure of the bunch you are touring with. Before you know it you pass the University of Cape Town sports fields and the finish venue of another Cape Classic, the Two Oceans Marathon.
The race is characterised by four hills. The first should not prove much of a challenge at around the 13-kilometre mark. Once over this, the ride to Lakeside along the Simon van der Stel freeway is easy and pleasant. The view over Constantia is breathtaking.
Then on to Muizenberg. The road along the coast has its own village charm as you push through St James and on to Kalk Bay. This is an easy part of the tour. While one may be tempted to go a bit faster, resist the temptation. Rather enjoy the beautiful view of False Bay, bordered by the Cape Peninsula Mountains on the one side and the Hottentots Holland Mountains on the other. Here you may do battle with the southeaster; it is a good time to tuck into the belly of the pack and let the intrepid riders ahead take the blast.
You can expect a friendly reception from Fish Hoek residents as you make the left turn and push on to Simon’s Town. On this stretch lie the wrecks of several ancient vessels: the SS Clan Stuart (1917), HMSM Bato (1806), Die Gebroeders (1792) and Katwyk Ann Rhyn (1786). Finally you pass the Panama (1862) as you enter the naval village of Simon’s Town.
Onward to Miller's Point and Smitswinkel Bay. The craggy Swartkopberge rise up on your right with the warm Indian Ocean on your left. Say goodbye to the Indian Ocean as you take the sharp left turn at Smitswinkel. Before you lies the second hill, the halfway mark and Plateau Road. Expect a fairly undulating, if not testing stretch before you see the sea again. This time it will be the cold Atlantic at Scarborough.
The stretch before the third, perhaps most-notorious hill, Chapman’s Peak, has some flat riding, sprinkled with slight inclines. This is a good place to mentally prepare for the climb. Do not be fooled by the rocky outcrop masquerading as Chapman’s Peak – the real one is around the corner about a kilometre further on. Here you are forced to take it a bit slower but it is just as well. The majestic view of the mountains above and the ocean below is a moment to fully savour.
Beware of the enthusiasm that may overtake you here. Each slope appears to be a summit. Restraint now will be rewarded on the other side of the Peak. Sooner than expected you reach the summit where an exuberant and welcome refreshment point awaits you.
The drop from Chapman’s Peak to Hout Bay is steep, the road is cambered and the ride is fast. On entering Hout Bay you see the imposing Sentinel and you will receive a rousing welcome from local spectators. Look around and you will see the batteries built by the British to protect the bay during the Napoleonic wars. The bronze statue of a leopard on a rock overlooking the bay honours a leopard that was known to sit on this rock for hours in days gone by.
The last and perhaps the most challenging of the four hills awaits; Suikerbossie. Each race has its challenge, each makes its heroes and Suikerbossie is the barrier here. The summit is reached and each rider here is a hero. The challenge is won as you look over the sweep of Llandudno and enjoy the last easy stages of this most majestic of all races.
Now it is time to settle into an easy cadence as you speed past the wreck of the Antipolis (1977) and on through Camps Bay. Clifton is next with its perennial building sites and millionaire mystique. Bantry Bay comes soon after. This is without doubt one of the most beautiful and majestic of all cycle tours.
Cape Town Cycle Tour
Prizes and Give-Aways:
Medals go to all finishers.
Editor's Notes:
The Cape Cycle Tour has been consistently ranked in a number of our surveys as a well organised and well presented event. It has achieved distinction as South Africa’s best loved races.
The Tour is a race with heart and for over 30 years funds generated by the Cycle Tour have been ploughed back into the community, giving a hands-up to those who need it most. Working together with Claremont Rotary Club and the Pedal Power Association, thousands of community organisations, individuals from schools and children’s homes, as well as skills-development programmes and development cyclists have benefited.
The Pedal Power Association runs an active programme throughout the year to promote cycling in all its forms. Says PPA's vice-chairperson, Elton Davids, "We spend a substantial portion of the money we receive from the Cycle Tour on cycling development and transformation, safe-cycling initiatives, off-road cycling and various other projects".
It all started in 1977 when Bill Mylrea and John Stegmann organised the Big Ride-In to draw attention to the need for cycle paths in Cape Town. The Ride-In, which was held under the auspices of the newly founded Western Province Pedal Power Association (now the Pedal Power Association) was a great success and attracted hundreds of cyclists, including the Mayor of Cape Town. The cyclists met on the Grand Parade and rode down Adderley Street to the Foreshore. This small beginning was the spark that ignited the flame that today is one of the world’s biggest mass-participation events.
In 1991, Pick n Pay came on board as naming-rights sponsors and the event became known as the Argus/Pick n Pay Cycle Tour. In that year, the first Expo and Registration took place in the Waterfront SA Maritime Museum. In 1997, the 20th Tour attracted over 30,000 entrants. The Argus newspaper also changed its name to the Cape Argus, which resulted in the Tour being renamed the Cape Argus/Pick n Pay Cycle Tour. The new logo design incorporated an outline of Table Mountain.
In 2002, for the first time in its 25-year history, the Tour had to be stopped. Weather predictions for the day were fine and warm, with a maximum temperature of 28°C. However, temperatures soared to 42°C on parts of the route. Upon the recommendation of the medical team, the Tour was stopped at Ou Kaapseweg at approximately 14h45.
In 2007 the Tour celebrated its 30th birthday and was blessed with near-perfect weather. Three international cycling greats participated in the 2007 race, Jan Ullrich, Greg LeMond and Steven Rooks – all names synonymous with the Tour de France. The organisers also honoured the "Magnificent Seven" - Neil Bramwell, Louis de Waal, Steph du Toit, Gareth Holmes, Stephen Stefano, Alec Stewart and Neville Yeo – seven riders who have completed every Tour since its inception. Famous past participants include actor Matt Damon, former tennis star Gabriella Sabatini and the most famous cyclist on earth, Lance Armstrong.
The CapeTown Cycle Tour celebrated its 38th anniversary in 2015 and formed part of the UCI Golden Bike Series. It was the first Golden Bike event held outside Europe and is arguably the largest timed event in the world, attracting an ever-increasing number of international cyclists, now topping 2,000 riders.
The Cape Town Cycle Tour is one of South Africa’s national treasures. Truly a race to savour. For regular updates follow on Twitter @CycleTourTrust.
Latest from organisers: For the first time in the event’s 38 year history, elite ladies cyclists will ride the Cape Town Cycle Tour on equal terms with their male counterparts. The event organisers, the Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust, heeded calls for them to be seeded in their own group this year. Some of the top ladies lining up to claim top honours are Ashleigh Moolman Pasio, Cycle Tour defending champion Cherise Stander, Anriette Schoeman and Jennie Stenerhag.
Finishers: 28800