Cadre

Correction, "se Muff af..." has never been part of the expression. Don't know where you get that from. You are right, the days when the Bluff was Rough and Tough are long gone. We have all settled into Careers and Families, most have relocated, others emigrated. The Heyday of the "Ruff and Tuff" tag was during the Border war around the 70's and early 80's. Grosvenor Boys High school was the epicenter for copious supply of hardy boys. Dirkie Uys and Grosvenor annual rugby clash was called the BOER WAR and sideline fights of opposing parents were guaranteed. I got drilled by a left hook myself..and it was a woman who hit me for no reason. I was just standing at my Inside Centre position, before the ref blew the whistle for the start of the game in '82. We have moved on. Judges, pilots, doctors, preachers etc. and many are still living on the Bluff and we are still getting together. Jakes "Rooibaard" Oosthuizen was a S/Sgt from the Bluff, phenomenal soldier. He would bite your ears till blood flows on the parade ground if you complained about 5SAI in Ladysmith. With his beard full of blood, he would continue training Infantry soldiers the rest of the day. "Ek sal 'n koei se Po@s oor jou kop trek laat 'n bul jou brains uitnaa@." was his trademark saying. Bluff oke per definition.. There many older characters left on the Bluff, but those youngsters claiming allegiance to the old habits, occasional deranged norms of yesteryear and sometimes questionable values of those days are talking nonsense. Just softie Millennials these days.

"Cost" were pointed out. Over the years I have built up a good friendship with management at the Intersite Road Branch in Durban...so yesterday we engaged in all kinds of small talk whilst the staff were fitting a new cassette and chain on the bike. On a question of when they are leaving for Greenpoint, Reesa dropped the bomb and said that the combined escalation in cost has rendered the exercise futile. He did not single out any single cost but remarked on the overall basket of expenses. I was left saddened as, to me, the Solomons stand is as synonmous with CTCT as is Beetroot salad with Christmas Lunch.

Learnt yesterday that one of the most popular exhibititors at CTCT won't be displaying at Greenpoint Stadium this year. Solomons, also my LBS, cited some all too familiar reasons why they won't pitch this year. Always made a point of dropping by to say Hi to the blokes from Durban. They will be missed.

Worth the trip from Durban. No complaints whatsoever. A small improvement might be a Portaloo or six right next to the start. Otherwise a lekka day out. We are safely home in Durban.I will be back next year.

On Dad!!! Wheelchair in March and crutches for another two months and then extensive physio and acupuncture after I badly ripped my Right Leg Abductor muscle in a massive wipe-out and a bus stopping inches away from my face, and that at 4am on a Wednesday morning. Very grateful to be alive and given another chance. Feeling strong enough for the 110km. Bring it on.

I have not left Cape Town with a positive feeling.....for two years running Third time lucky, I hope?

Dear CTCT, Please give me the template for download on your website. Leave a space to enable printing. I will insert name and number that matches my hidden racetec chip number (to negate the cheat). I will print the number and provide my own safety pins. Those unable to print themselves will have to queue at the stadium. Sorry. I will tick the box where you ask if I am participating, should you need to know. If I feel like picking up the racepack I will do so...or not.

It gets worse on Race Day. Einstein in 2G (2015) decides to stop deadstill on a fast downhill, on the very righthand side of the road which is meant for the faster blokes to overtake. There he proceeded to enjoy a GU sachet of personal taste. A high speed collision resulted which I can still see in my minds eye. Visions of a summersault, bike in hand, onto a tarred pavement, tends to stick in ones mind. The bloke broke a hip and destroyed a very expensive bike. Einstein seemed to be mostly unaffected with serious injury.

So glad I can ride with the others on the 11th of March.

Narrghh...not worried about any of that....Demonstrations, wind, roadworks, earthquakes, falling rocks and cheap see-through bibs... you name it. All of little concern this year. I will ride around and through adversity. Infact, I want to write my race report right now... "All was good, and you guessed right, I was the heavy breather in 2D".

Could anyone from Durban, flying to CT on Mango, part with info on bike transport arrangements, please. In the past we had to take the bike to KING SHAKA Cargo Terminal a few days before. Bidvest used to fly the bikes down a few days before and back a few days after the race. I haven't heard a thing yet. No email yet and also no special notice on the website either. The lady at Mango Customer Service says there might be an alternative arrangement this year, but cannot say for sure. Nor can she say when an announcement will be made. Input will be mostly welcomed. Thanks.

Hell no. Then rather along the R44 from Gordons to Kleinmond and back via some other way. Must have scenery. Stellies to Wellies to Stellies is as monotonous as white rice. And Klapmuts is not exactly on the same par as Suikerbossie when it comes to a braai/breakfast next to the road by some well lubricated Clever Chirp who tunes you "Hey boet, careful ek sê, this hill goes UP!".

First lot of comments on FB already shoot from the hip. This could get very violent given people's reaction to all things ......I demand..... and I was there..... and my money.... and preferential treatment ...and... (Its like a live sequel).

If you were a betting person. These are the odds for the Outright winner. Riveting race awaits. Sagan, Peter3.65Gaviria, Fernando4.00Kristoff, Alexander10.50Demare, Arnoud10.50Degenkolb, John10.75Bouhanni, Nacer13.25Cavendish, Mark15.00Matthews, Michael15.25Colbrelli, Sonny19.00Van Avermaet, Greg20.00Ewan, Caleb23.00Alaphilippe, Julian28.00Swift, Ben31.00Greipel, Andre33.00

My sentiments exactly. I need a guaranteed start at any race that I entered. CTCancelledTours can not do so. I've said it before. My trust in the Brand is gone, given two misses and one hit over the last three events at CTCT. Adverse conditions I understand. Politics, I don't. It is a sport with k@k rules. I'd much rather settle for a trek to Carnival one weekend and Tour Durban (home) the next. Keep the goodie bag. I have enough bottles and sunscreen. I need to ride and enjoy the value of my entry fee, and my effort to get me and the missus there cost me money as well. I will even shut up if I am not entirely happy with you channeling my entry fee to your charity of choice and not mine. Your race, your call. Just let me ride and I'm happy. I will never be held to ransom by a lottery to enter, let alone a lottery of getting a start once I'm there. No other race that I have participated in has ever done this to me. Like my neighbour says. I've stopped playing Lotto because I can no longer afford to lose Four Million every weekend.

Irrespective of the conditions, politics, events on the day and decisions taken.. I have lost trust in the Brand. 150 km's ridden for R1500 entry fee over 3 events....not very Ayoba and that is the least of my gripe. I agree, sh%te happens, but two misses and one hit over 3 years... bad investment. It's a lottery to enter and and even bigger lottery whether you will ride or not, given the last 3 outings. Keep the money. I am not a lesser mortal for not doing the event in future. I am not keen to arrive on a whim hoping to get a start nor a half-loaf 47km time trial event. A Cancellation is outright K@K. Nah, the trust is no more. Too much water gone under the bridge. Still, it was a good decision to stop the event yesterday. Disappointing, but the right one.

Up Suikerbossie there are 'Angels' who give any struggler a push up the hill. In return the "angel' will ask for sweets. I suggest you give the young boy some sweets. If you don't he will swipe (steal) them from your pocket and run back downhill like hell. Off course it is a big laugh, but ... you have been warned. Happened to me on my very first Argus and I am still laughing about it. Also, on the same Suikerbossie, chances are you will come across some 'well lubricated' folk having a braai on the side of the road. Be nice and have a sip. It will get you up and over with gusto. Best advise overall.... The aim of the exercise is to enjoy the day. We never know if we will have the same privilege again next year. Good luck. Bring your sense of humour along. you will need it.

Duane_Bosch. If ever you have recieved bad advise, here goes. Rule of Thumb... Medical treatment won't help much in such a short time-frame. Forget that and save on that expense for now. Bikefit: That involves Dragma (Greek for money). Don't. Save the money. Don't go out, just rest. that will save you ever more Dragma. However,... on the morning of the race, you use all that saved up money and get smashed on your favourite tipple. There are already an abundance of erratic, non-conforming, badly dressed cyclists with comical faces doing the race that One more of them won't make any difference... Seriously. Take your camera and voice recorder with you, snap fodies and make melodramatic comments for the book you will publish post Argus. Then you use that money for medical treatment.

When: 18 August 2017 - 20 September 2017 ???? Would that be 18-20 August? Did this event in the 90's. Absolute jol. The organisers got it right and provided plentiful. However, I got smashed at the brewery in Nottingham Road and ended up in a ditch flying downhill to Midmar Dam. Will definitely consider it this year.

I work for a company that pays SAPO around R250K a month for courier services. When the big boss and I ordered cycling related stuff from overseas and the parcel got stuck at JIMC in a container, where it still is lying dormant one month post arrival in SA ,(backlog is the excuse) all hell broke loose. The boss is so peeved off he seriously considering terminating our company's SAPO arrangement as of tomorrow seeing that this is our financial year end. Guess some SAPO employees will have have to source money for their kid's school fees from elsewhere. There has been no reason given for the root cause of the backlog. "Laziness", however, does spring to mind.

http://results.pedalpower.org.za/findme.aspx?ss=1 Try this one.

Thing is I posted better times for all my races in 2016. Yet they demoted me by one group. OK, the Beta's were different, but still... However I will not asked to be reseeded for a FUN EVENT, what's the point? Also, there is the matter of that hot girl form EL at Value Logistics that is seeded in the same group as me....... again.

Looks like the ZAR350 is before midnight tonight. ENTRIES ARE NOW OPEN Get your entry in early and take advantage of our early bird discounts. Early bird entries are valid until 1st Feb 2017. Event 45km Fun Ride 55km Cyclocross 105km Classic Road Road Early Bird R175 R225 R350 Normal Entry Fee R200 R250 R400 Late Entry Fee R250 R300 R450

I e-mailed cycle events to ask if my results for Value Logistics will be utilized for the Argus. This was the response. (In case anyone wondered). Good day, Thank you for your email. As seen on the Cycle Tour website. The seeding for the Cycle Tour of 2017 has already been done. All your events for this year will be used for the 2018 event. For any other queries please do not hesitate to ask. Regards Eunice Allison Cycle Events

Cool idea. Much prefer these over the plastic shopping bags from previous years. Similar ones were dished out at 947, (in red).