buchanan

Yeah agree...why did they shorten and emasculate the route like that?

I think you miss the point rather spectacularly.

I agree. A few of of these self appointed 'elite riders' (Are they really that 'elite'?) think their right to ride the perfect echelon includes taking up both lanes and the yellow shoulders of a major road. Anyone who disagrees is not pro enough to understand and has apparently never been there. I was in % yesterday (hardly a novice group) and have ridden with pro riders in the past and understand all about cross winds and echelon formations. The commissaire yesterday felt forced to take drastic and dangerous action himself with respect to %. Will the elites moan when they no longer have permission to race on public roads, because of incidents like yesterday and last year's 99er on the N7?

LMAO, I don't know why you get that feeling? Only you know why. Who said anything about single file? How about just one whole lane? What exactly haven't I contributed? Why do I get the feeling we are speaking to some dude with a really low IQ?

And you are obviously above the laws of the road, cause you are that good?

I have raced in an elite bunch, yes. Stupid of so called "elite" cyclists to think they own both lanes of a major road. Are they full time pros? Some of the comments above show more evidence of this stupidity. Especially Sidmouth's. But I guess it will take drastic action for these super elite pros to admit any responsibility.

It's called common sense. Common sense that riding into oncoming traffic is a bad idea. Every rider should try to have it.

Yes very stupid to echelon into oncoming traffic. Same thing was happening in %. I guess why the commissaire took such extreme action himself. But I think too many racers unfortunately don't have brains.

Unless that right hand lane was closed to oncoming traffic, then that is super dumb of those $ riders. Suicidal in fact.

I think overall it was a pleasant morning out on the bike. Did not come away with negative feelings, despite some imperfections with the venue/organization, traffic queue entering Val de Vie etc. I was in % group and agree that marshalling was perhaps a little dicey, with the race commissaire pulling his vehicle to a halt in front of a speeding bunch - twice. But riders also need to wake up and take more responsibility when it comes to things like crossing the centre line and riding in the wrong lane. It's the reason why the 99er has been banned from using the N7 again after last year's race. Seems too many racers feel their own personal quest for 250th place, or whatever, is worth risking a head on with a truck coming the other way.

I guess that's why everyone races through the neutral zone like bats out of hell...they know the timers have already started, despite what the announcer said.

I go through the ads regularly and am always amazed that so many sellers seem to ask almost full retail price for their 2nd hand stuff. No warranty, it's used, yet they think it's worth almost what it would sell for new in the shop. They're dreaming.

I wonder if that was my girlfriend Blonde lady, white top? She was riding amongst the 1J &1K's and did 3:14. Apparently rode strong on Chappies and Suikerbossie.

Phenomenal ride two hands. Hats off to you and your partner. I was in 1B and you guys caught my particular grouping in the Sunnydale area. When I glanced over to the right, I noticed a handful of 1D's coming through. I didn't realize at the time that the real heroes were the two 1E guys who instigated the carnage! On a side note, we met a few years ago before the Mont Ventoux stage of the Tour de France (2013). I was with our mutual friend, Roy. We went for a ride and a beer then watched the stage up on the mountain the following day. I recall you had ridden up the Mont Ventoux three times the same day a couple of days before!

If that does happen I fear that the status of the race will be forever diminished. No longer something to train hard toward and make the season's main goal. Just a once great event that you enter for old time's sake, with the realization that it has become very vulnerable to disruption.

Not a good look for the CTCT... I am sure it will be sorted out in time and all the numbers printed by hook or by crook. But many people, especially those coming from afar (N. Suburbs, Stellenbosch, etc.) will be mightily inconvenienced by this. This is not a minor glitch.

I managed to get my number after 30 minutes wait in at that point a very short queue - but I was one of the first ones in at 9:30. The printers were printing multiples of the same number...printing numbers completely skew...then taking ages to print for other entrants. I felt really sorry for the helpful young ladies, in the firing line, trying to operate the malfunctioning printers. I just hope they can sort this out in the remaining two days. Seems a risky idea to try on the spot printing for so many thousands of numbers. The old system worked perfectly.

Looks identical to the Stellenbosch Tour (just different starting points along the route) and One Tonner middle distance. I'm craving some variety to the Western Cape race routes.

I clicked on a thread about the 2018 CTCT and instead read pages of inane rambling about everything but the 2018 CTCT. Is it possible to get back on topic? Perhaps start different threads to discuss other stuff?

First weekend of April would be a much better time to hold the race. Significantly reduced chance of strong winds in April compared with early March.