By all accounts a really well organised event. Have had very little negative feedback. Perhaps more Vets would have ridden if you only needed to take off Friday afternoon. I think that you should include the Vets, but like this year, make them race with the elite's, just perhaps a little separate prize money, BUT only if there are enough vets entered to justify the extra prize money. So if you want to beat the rest of the Vets, you must be able to hang on with the top Elites, or get into a break with them. And i can already hear some grumbles about Vets helping to chase down breaks, well that would be great for the overall racing. more riders, more teams, more competition, hopefully helping to improve the standard of racing in the Western Cape. The only complaint I heard (and it was mostly tongue in cheek, was that they should have advertised the Saturday afternoon kermesse for non tour riders a bit better, the turnout in that event was unfortunately very poor). The biggest highlight for me, is that hopefully we have finally put to rest the stigma around prize money and the "TOUR DE BOLAND". According to Chris Willemse, prize money was proptly handed over after every stage. And here's my suggestion for a nice Giro preparation stage. How about a stage from Wellington, over Bainskloof, then past the Calabash bush pub, right onto the Wolseley / Worcester road (sorry can't recall the R??ame), then right into Slanghoek, towards Rawsonville and then over du Toitskloof, finishing somewhere in Paarl, even if its at the bottom of Du Toitskloof to avoid any disruption to traffic. (the rest of the route has little traffic, apart from the piece on the R??, but that's only a few km's, and then the section on the N1 till you take the old pass) Just a thaught, use it.. don't use it...
