Cape Town Cycle Tour Explained

Cape Town Cycle Tour
Date:Second Sunday in March
Region:Cape Town, South Africa
Discipline:Road race
Type:One-day
Organiser:Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust
Number:45 (as of 2023)
Firstwinner:
    Mostwins:
      Mostrecent:
        Website:www.capetowncycletour.com/

        The Cape Town Cycle Tour,[1] formerly known as the Cape Argus Cycle Tour, is an annual cycle race hosted in Cape Town, South Africa, usually 109km (68miles) long. It is the first event outside Europe to be included in the Union Cycliste Internationale's Golden Bike Series.[2] South Africa hosts some of the largest, by the number of entrants, sporting events in the world with three being the largest of their type. The Cape Town Cycle Tour, with as many as 35 000 cyclists taking part, is the world's largest individually timed cycle race.[3] The other two are the world's largest ultra-marathon running event, the Comrades Marathon, and the world's largest open water swim, the Midmar Mile.

        The Cycle Tour formed the last leg of the Giro del Capo, a multi-stage race for professional and leading registered riders which was last run in 2010.[4]

        It is traditionally staged on the second Sunday of March and has enjoyed well-known competitors such as Miguel Indurain, Jan Ulrich, Matt Damon, Helen Zille and Lance Armstrong.

        Route

        In recent years the race has usually followed a scenic 109km (68miles) circular route from Cape Town down the Cape Peninsula and back. The race starts at the Grand Parade in Cape Town. It then follows a short section of the N2 called Nelson Mandela Boulevard, then the M3 to Muizenberg, and then Main Road along the False Bay coast to Simon's Town and Smitswinkel Bay. The route then crosses the peninsula in a westerly direction, past the entrance to Cape of Good Hope section of the Table Mountain National Park (within which Cape Point is situated). It then heads north along the Atlantic coast through Scarborough, Kommetjie, Noordhoek, Chapman's Peak, Hout Bay over Suikerbossie Hill to Camps Bay and ends next to the Cape Town Stadium in Green Point.

        In 2009 and 2010, as well as during previous years until 1999 the race had followed slightly different routes, between 104km (65miles) and 110km (70miles) in length – see the table below.

        Records

        The course records for conventional bicycles for the 110 km course over Chapman's Peak are:

        The record for the highest number of consecutive victories within a competitor's age group belongs to Penny Krohn, who scored 25 such age group wins.[5]

        By far the quickest time ever recorded (and highest ever average speed) was set on the 105 km course in 1993 by Wimpie van der Merwe in his fully faired recumbent (02:16:40, averaging 46.1 km/h).[6]

        The oldest cyclist to complete the race within the maximum allowed seven hours is Japie Malan (92 years old at the time) during the 2012 Cycle Tour – on a tandem in a time of 05:49:00.[7] He is the oldest man (90 years old at the time) to complete the race on a single bicycle during the 2010 Cycle Tour[8] in a time of 06:48:52.[9] He is also the oldest man to have ridden the Argus for the first time, which he did in 2004 when he was 84 years old.[10] The oldest woman to complete the race is Mary Warner (80 years old at the time) during the 2006 tour, in a time of 06:43:38.[11]

        History of the Cycle Tour

        In 1978, Bill Mylrea and John Stegmann organised the Big Ride-In to draw attention to the need for cycle paths in South Africa. The Ride-In drew hundreds of cyclists, including the Mayor of Cape Town at the time. The ride was first won by Lawrence Whittaker in September 1978.

        This race was originally planned to run over 140km (90miles), including a leg to Cape Point, but was reduced to a 104km (65miles) route when authority to enter the then Cape Point Nature Reserve was refused. The organisers convinced an initially reluctant Cape Argus, a local newspaper and sponsor, to grant the event the right to use its name.

        The event now forms part of one of five cycling events which take place over a period of one week starting a week before the Cycle Tour and culminating in the Cycle Tour. The other events include:

        Route alterations and stoppages

        Between 2000 and 2003, the race followed an alternative route due to the closure of Chapman's Peak Drive, with a return trip via Ou Kaapse Weg and the Blue Route.

        The race has been stopped three times due to extreme weather, although in the first two cases many competitors had completed the race before the stoppage, and once significantly shortened due to fire. It has been cancelled once:

        Details of each event

        Key information regarding each of the race events is as follows:[15]

        YearkmEntrantsFinishersMenTimeWomenTimeNotes on the routeNotes on the weather and the race
        1978104525446 Lawrence Whittaker03:02:25 Janice Theis04:35:00Started at the Castle, Strand Street. Ended in Camps Bay.
        1979104999760 Hans Degenaar02:52:38Janice Theis03:36:46same as previous year
        198010413981119 Hennie Wentzel03:02:18Monika Gasson03:59:00same as previous year
        198110416691372 Ertjies Bezuidenhout02:47:42Ann Wood03:40:01Start moved to Hertzog Boulevard to reduce congestion at on-ramp to Eastern Boulevard.
        198210416981372 Mark Pinder03:01:25 Martina le Roux03:34:54same as previous yearSoutheaster played havoc with bannering at start, and howled throughout the day.
        198310423021929Robbie McIntosh02:49:55 Heather Smithers03:21:20same as previous yearVery windy. First bicycle to cross the finish line was a tandem ridden by William Smith and Francois du Toit.
        198410423732023 Theuns Mulder02:55:07 Isavel Roche-Kelly03:19:14same as previous yearQuickest overall was Lloyd Wright on his unconventional bike in 02:43:51.
        198510430082445 Hennie Wentzel Louise van Riet Lowe03:04:36same as previous year
        198610434943086 Ertjies Bezuidenhout02:40:20 Cathy Carstens02:49:55same as previous year
        198710459344761 Hennie Wentzel02:43:05 Cathy Carstens03:03:24same as previous yearStrong northwesterly blowing, Heavy rain, high winds and extreme cold, called 'Siberian' weather by The Argus.
        1988104108508707Willie Engelbrecht02:36:54Cathy Carstens02:54:23same as previous yearWindless. Quickest overall was Lloyd Wright on his faired recumbent in 02:33:03.
        19891051280210559 Willie Engelbrecht02:49:24 Cathy Carstens02:57:55Finish line moved to Maiden's Cove, adding an extra kilometre to the courseWindy race. Quickest overall was Lloyd Wright on his faired recumbent in 02:37:35.
        19901051442711235 Willie Engelbrecht02:41:56 Cathy Carstens02:53:50same as previous yearSafety helmets became compulsory. Quickest overall was Lloyd Wright on his faired recumbent in 02:40:29 (a hat trick of fastest times).[16]
        19911051559312750 Robbie McIntosh02:28:46 Rene Scott02:44:40same as previous yearPerfect weather conditions.
        19921051727413334 Willie Engelbrecht02:50:04 Jackie Martin03:03:10same as previous year
        19931051865915256 Wayne Burgess02:33:35 Kim Carter02:51:46same as previous yearWimpie van der Merwe raced 2:16:40 on a faired recumbent (still the highest ever average speed of 46.1km/h).
        19941052096417289 Willie Engelbrecht02:23:22 Jackie Martin02:49:19same as previous yearWindless.
        19951052531320535 Michael Andersson02:22:56 Jackie Martin02:45:52same as previous yearNear-perfect weather conditions
        19961052871122294 Thomas Liese02:40:16 Erica Green02:58:33same as previous year
        19971052887522717 Kurt Asle Arvesen02:38:47 Erica Green02:58:37same as previous yearVery good weather.
        19981053416225955 Malcolm Lange02:39:25 Anke Erlank02:58:27same as previous year
        19991053615328885 Jacques Fullard02:31:26 Michelle Lombardi02:52:55With finish line still at Maiden's Cove, the carnaval was moved to Green PointFirst year of using electronic timing transponders.
        20001093986430081 Morne Bester02:39:35 Anriette Schoeman02:57:34Chapman's Peak closed. Return trip via Ou Kaapse Weg and Blue Route, with finish in Green Point.
        20011093971530785 Douglas Ryder02:31:57 Anriette Schoeman02:55:21same as previous year
        20021093983128050 Allan Davis02:35:34 Anriette Schoeman02:57:29same as previous yearHeat wave: race was stopped at 2:45 at Ou Kaapse Weg when temperatures reached 42C.
        20031093966827841 Malcolm Lange02:29:29 Anriette Schoeman02:54:02same as previous yearPerfect weather conditions.
        20041094261431219 Antonio Salomone02:32:23 Anke Erlank02:49:23Route via Chapman's Peak again, with the finish line at Green Point.Sweltering day.
        20051093992928334 Russell Downing02:37:50 Anke Erlank03:00:19same as previous yearWinds of more than 40km/h were recorded at places.
        20061084006428818 Steffen Radochla02:34:28 Anriette Schoeman02:59:08same as previous yearCool weather and light rain.
        20071094127929296 Robert Hunter02:32:36 Anke Erlank02:48:29same as previous yearNear perfect weather
        20081093797828669 Robert Hunter02:27:29 Cherise Taylor02:50:51same as previous year
        20091103859425799 Arran Brown02:46:32 Jennie Stenerhag03:06:01Cyclists diverted over Boyes Drive to avoid construction in Main RoadDubbed "the Tour of Storms", with the strongest winds ever. Fences at the start blown down and banners ripped to shreds, with gusts of up to 120km/h.[17] The cut off time was extended to 8 hrs, but the race was eventually stopped at Chapman's Peak at 16:30, both due to extreme weather.[18]
        20101103766228745 Malcolm Lange02:39:55 Anriette Schoeman03:06:11same as previous yearWind was a problem again, with wind speeds reaching up to 46km/h – but nothing like the wind of the previous year.
        20111103684828970 Tyler Day02:32:10 Cherise Taylor02:49:45same as previous yearPerfect conditions.[19]
        201211031126 Reinardt Janse van Rensburg02:36:17 Ashleigh Moolman02:52:24same as previous yearInitially good conditions, becoming hot later in the day. Late finishers suffered in the heat, and refreshment stations ran out of water. A pile-up close to the finishing line, involving top women cyclists and others, affected the outcome of the women's race.[20]
        2013109?31700 Herman Fouche02:39:53 Anriette Schoeman02:52:54Route via Chapman's Peak again, with the finish line at Green Point.?[21]
        20141093450031046 Nolan Hoffman02:39:01 Cherise Stander02:51:00Ditto, despite landslides that closed Chappies two months earlier.Windy, with wind speeds of up to 83km/h recorded at the start.[22]
        201547~ 3400032129 Nolan Hoffman01:01:49* Lynette Burger01:17:52*Route shortened due to fires[23]
        201610928751 Clint Hendricks2:35:31 An-Lin Kachelhoffer02:51:26[24]
        201710935000Cancelled NANANANACancelled on the day it was to take place due to safety concerns following very high winds reaching speeds of over 100km/h. Other reasons also cited for the cancellation were fires on part of the route in Hout Bay and the possibility of protest action on a section of the route.[25]
        20181093500026384[26] 02:37:30 Kimberley Le Court De Billot02:11:50[27] Start line moved from Hertzog Boulevard to the Grand Parade.Elite women raced a shorter route starting in Fish Hoek to avoid their race being influenced by other groups.[28]
        2019109/7823136 Sam Gaze2:39:42 Cherise Willeit02:16:11[29]
        2020109/78 (M/F)22500 Travis Barrett2:30:04[30] Cherise Willeit02:07:48
        2021109/78 (M/F)18000 Nolan Hoffman02:37:12[31] Kimberley Le Court De Billot02:13:17Postponed 17 October 2021
        2022109/78 (M/F)16000 Marc Pritzen2:37:54 Kimberley Le Court De Billot02:08:44[32]
        2023 Chris Jooste2:36:14 Kimberley Le Court De Billot2:13:20[33]
        2024109/72 (M/F) Kent Main2:31:22 Tiffany Keep2:12:02[34]

        See also

        Further reading

        Notes and References

        1. http://ewn.co.za/2014/09/24/Cape-Argus-renamed Cape Argus renamed to Cape Town Cycle Tour
        2. http://www.ucigoldenbike.com/Templates/UCI/UCI5/layout.asp?MenuID=MTg1MQ&LangId=1 Series' official website.
        3. Web site: 2024-03-06 . Hisense South Africa Pedals into the 2024 Cape Town Cycle Tour as an Official Partner . 2024-04-25 . Yahoo Finance . en-US.
        4. http://www.cycletour.co.za/history.aspx Cape Town Cycle Tour event website
        5. http://www.cycletour.co.za/theEventInterest.aspx Cape Town Cycle Tour website
        6. http://results.racetec.co.za/results_by_person.aspx?PID=2 Results For: Van Der Merwe, Wimpie
        7. Cape Times, 12 March 2012.
        8. Web site: Eye Witness News, 14 March 2010. . 28 March 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110722025953/http://www.eyewitnessnews.co.za/articleprog.aspx?id=34684 . 22 July 2011 . dead .
        9. The Echo, 19 March 2010.
        10. http://www.fullcirclemag.co.za/html/mags/2009/03mar/mar09_24.htm Full Circle, March 2009.
        11. Web site: Argus race results, 2006. . 28 March 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120305101953/http://www.racetec.co.za/results.asp?Post=true&RiderID=71386 . 5 March 2012 . dead .
        12. Web site: Cycle tour website. . 25 March 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100314132007/http://www.cycletour.co.za/history.aspx . 14 March 2010 . dead .
        13. Web site: Bamford. Helen. Cost of fighting Cape fire hits R6m. Cape Argus. 7 April 2015. 20 March 2015.
        14. Web site: Cape Town Cycle Tour 2017 cancelled as a result of extreme weather . 12 March 2017 . Cape Times.
        15. Drawn from Mike Wills The Cycle Tour, 2008; and re years 2008 to 2012 from 2012 Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour magazine, p 72-73.
        16. http://results.racetec.co.za/results_by_person.aspx?PID=972 Results For: Wright, Lloyd Bernard
        17. http://www.sundaytribune.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=&fArticleId=nw20100315093009147C525656 Sunday Tribune 15 March 2010, 'The Cape Argus Cycle Tour'.
        18. On time extension and early race closure: Cycle tour website. For a comparison between competitors' target racing time and their equivalent "storm time": Interesting facts: 2009 tour .
        19. http://www.capetown.travel/blog/entry/cape_argus_2011_results_tyler_day_edges_malcolm_lange/ Cape Argus 2011 results: Tyler Day edges Malcolm Lange
        20. Cape Times, 12 March 2012; Cape Argus, 16 March 2012; Cape Argus Cycle Tour website. Video of the pile-up close to the finishing line.
        21. http://results.racetec.co.za/results_by_event.aspx?RID=2013&EN=Sun%2010%2F03%2F2013%20Cape%20Argus%20Pick%20n%20Pay%20Cycle%20Tour%20%28109km%29 Results For: Sun 10/03/2013 Cape Argus
        22. http://www.cycletour.co.za/index.php/news/nolan-hoffman-wins-gold-in-2014-cape-argus-pick-n-pay-momentum-cycle-tour Cycletour website.
        23. Web site: Campbell-Gillies. Victoria. CAPE TOWN CYCLE TOUR 'DRASTICALLY SHORTENED' DUE TO FIRES. EWN. 8 December 2015.
        24. Capetowncycletour.com: Clint Hendricks claims 2016 Cape Town Cycle Tour 6 March 2016
        25. Web site: Safety is our first priority – CT Cycle Tour director . 12 March 2017 . Sport24 . Cape Town.
        26. Web site: Results.
        27. Web site: Hoffman, le Court win Cape Town Cycle Tour.
        28. Web site: Women's Elite Invitational Race | Cape Town Cycle Tour.
        29. Web site: Cape Town Cycle Tour results: New Zealander Sam Gaze sprints to victory – in the Bunch.
        30. Web site: Cape Town Cycle Tour results: Travis Barrett sprints to victory – in the Bunch.
        31. Web site: 'THE HOF' MAKES IT FOUR WINS AS THE WEATHER GODS CELEBRATE POSTPONED 2021 CAPE TOWN CYCLE TOUR. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20211103150243/https://www.capetowncycletour.com/blog/the-hof-makes-it-four-wins-as-the-weather-gods-celebrate-postponed-2021-cape-town-cycle-tour/ . 3 November 2021 .
        32. Web site: Win Number Three For Le Court De Billot While Pritzen Takes Maiden Men's Title. 13 March 2022 .
        33. Web site: 2023-03-13 . 2023 Cape Town Cycle Tour Category Winners - Cape Town Cycle TourCape Town Cycle Tour . 2024-01-04 . en-ZA.
        34. Web site: 2024-02-19 . Live Results - Cape Town Cycle TourCape Town Cycle Tour . 2024-05-08 . en-ZA.