Cape Town Cycle Tour and the CSA Forbidden Races Rule

[Spinnekop]

So next up is going to be the following events that had previous issues with CSA sanctioning in the past (Don't know about this year):

 

• Sani2C
• Joberg2C
• Wendnesday Killarney crits ?
• Kremetart

[GoLefty!!]

has it been confirmed they are not coming? Because it looks cheap enough tot take the fine and onemonth ban

[Ferret69]

One Month ban from Argus would Pull all the Epic Riders who take the risk off the Start Line....

[Edgar]

Reading this thread provides some insight into why we are in this situation in my view.

 

Most of the comments are pro one side or the other and those loyalties allow each of the sides the opportunity to behave like this.

 

Ultimately they should both be doing what is best for their clients/stakeholders. Us the cyclists.

If we could put aside our feelings in this debate and provide a majority voice to both parties, we should be able to tell them to both get stuffed.

 

Without the cyclists neither has a reason to exist and and would cease to exist. How do we get CTCT and CSA to realise this?

[HappyMartin]

has it been confirmed they are not coming? Because it looks cheap enough tot take the fine and onemonth ban

Miss Paris Nice to do the CTCT? Ummm. That would be a strange career decision I think

[Bspoke]

Nothing new there, 30+++ years ago SACF "jackets" on the finish line taking numbers if you rode the Argus and not the local licenced race the same day.

Subsequent penalty were applied.

The irons were removed after extended penance had been extracted.

Lets face it there are riders and jackets,whom are probably inadequate competitors, with a grudge.!!!

[Cargyrl]

Ride the CTCT, it is a tour, as is touring and not a race, enjoy it with your family, riding, braaiing and in general enjoying Capetown. 

 

Racing should have been taking out of this event a long long time ago. There is much value for PPA and the CTCT trust to keep the event, due to the 1000's of funriders (also in keeping with their focus ... to make money ... with funrides/ers).

 

Not so much value for the racers, another notch on a belt, the good ones win all the events during the year anyway, the better ones race overseas. Due to the fact PPA and CSA not working together, WP cyclists have really suffered, due to quality and quantity of races being organised. It detracts form the sport of cycling.

 

Greed, ego's ... nuff said

[GoLefty!!]

but you didn't say anything....

[DJR]

My experience has been very similar... and this is the point for me: you cannot have a fun ride of more than 20km without being forced to get CSA sanctioning. And that means you have to PAY to have their commissaires at your event - petrol, accommodation, daily fee. This is besides also having to pay an annual club affiliation fee to the provincial body, and carry your own event insurance. Cycling clubs organising events are CSA's cash cows but get VERY little in return. CSA takes it's day licenses which we collect from the 90% of 'fun' riders who do our events but there's not much that comes back to either the club or those riders.

CSA is a different animal from the PPA and we need both, nationally. They should be working together - and the agreement that paved the way for a unified cycling body foresaw this - but SOMEBODY decided to go after PPA's money and shoulder them out of CSA altogether. Have a look at CSA's finances and you'll see something is not right there.

From my little pothole, I dearly wish we could have one authority that could look to growing cycling in all it's forms across the country, not just looking at elites. And could do at least a little towards improving road safety and the conditions under which everyone cycles.

 

I can tell you about at least 2 small town cycling events that were killed off by CSA and their heavy handed one size fits all approach re. affiliation, sanctioning and money. Terribly sad, because in one case it killed off a lovely little platteland race that used to raise a bit of money for a disadvantaged local school. In the other case it killed off a little race that drew in tourists as part of a small town festival that benefited a whole community, shopkeepers, stall-holders, b&b owners....,

 

The only difference between what CSA did to them and what they tried to do to the PPA and the Cape Town Cycle Tour, is that the PPA stood up to them, fought their case and won it in a free and fair court according to the laws of this country. The little guys just stopped organizing their events because it was impossible financially and too risky to go it alone. But it was still a sad loss to cyclists.

 

I also wish for these 2 organizations to work together for the benefit of ALL cyclists, but I don't see it happening until a FAIR arrangement is reached. Fair to EVERYBODY. 

[carbon29er]

Tell me again - why is it important that the Pro's ride this? We are frequently reminded that is a easy race and that is really a fun ride. How many paying customers will stay away if the Pro's don't ride?

 

 

It is not just "Pro" riders.....It is all the licensed categories.  There is a difference.

But you most likely do not care.

Me, of one, fall under this where I have fun racing with my peers and to do so I need to license but now I am not allowed to ride a race/funride because CSA and CTCT does not see eye to eye with regards to money?

 

Sorry....not on for me

The Pros are important as this is the biggest race of the year locally and the sponsors of both the pro teams and the event itself need the exposure to continue being involved in the sport.  Take away the press exposure the teams get and their money isn't as well spent. Why should CTCT pay a tax to CSA to ensure this exposure of CSA licensed pro teams?

 

Now without the pros racing the event will survive but it is great to be able to host genuine world class riders such as Mark Cavendish. Who was invited when the event was sanctioned.

 

The argument over sanctioning relates to the top 200 riders in the pro teams and the top women like the SA Champ Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio, not the other licence holders riding in vets.  And certainly not in the other 34,000 fun riders.

[Fly2High]

Reading this thread provides some insight into why we are in this situation in my view.

 

Most of the comments are pro one side or the other and those loyalties allow each of the sides the opportunity to behave like this.

 

Ultimately they should both be doing what is best for their clients/stakeholders. Us the cyclists.

If we could put aside our feelings in this debate and provide a majority voice to both parties, we should be able to tell them to both get stuffed.

 

Without the cyclists neither has a reason to exist and and would cease to exist. How do we get CTCT and CSA to realise this?

I wish I knew whom the clients of the PPA are .. not cyclists the way they behave..  and I do not believe we can seperate PPA and CTCT.. Half PPA execs on CTCT

[Patchelicious]

Storm in Teacup.

[eddy]

Ride the CTCT, it is a tour, as is touring and not a race, enjoy it with your family, riding, braaiing and in general enjoying Capetown. 

 

Racing should have been taking out of this event a long long time ago. There is much value for PPA and the CTCT trust to keep the event, due to the 1000's of funriders

So a "race" of 150 people starting at say 06:15 with a commissaire, little numbers on your bike, drug testing etc. and a completely separate event called the "Cycle Tour" starting at 06h30 with no prize money, no commissaire,no 6.8kg limit, with riders seeded according to their abilities would need sanctioning for the race (which CSA would obviously give in the interests of cycling) but not for the tour ?

[gogo@]

I can tell you about at least 2 small town cycling events that were killed off by CSA and their heavy handed one size fits all approach re. affiliation, sanctioning and money. Terribly sad, because in one case it killed off a lovely little platteland race that used to raise a bit of money for a disadvantaged local school. In the other case it killed off a little race that drew in tourists as part of a small town festival that benefited a whole community, shopkeepers, stall-holders, b&b owners....,

 

The only difference between what CSA did to them and what they tried to do to the PPA and the Cape Town Cycle Tour, is that the PPA stood up to them, fought their case and won it in a free and fair court according to the laws of this country. The little guys just stopped organizing their events because it was impossible financially and too risky to go it alone. But it was still a sad loss to cyclists.

 

I also wish for these 2 organizations to work together for the benefit of ALL cyclists, but I don't see it happening until a FAIR arrangement is reached. Fair to EVERYBODY.

CSA has told us that they have got the police to close down events (which had done all their permissions and paperwork other than sanctioning) on the start-line. So even if they deter the licensed riders from participating, they will still shut the thing down.

We are not alone in SA - this is an international problem.

[ShortLegs]

Pop quiz peeps...... go run a 1/2, full or utlra marathon.

 

Guess who part of your entry fee is submitted to?

[dev null]

So, I know have to go and tell my 15 year old son that he will not be able to ride the CTCT next year, nor any of the other PPA road races if he wants to do the XCO MTB series and be in contention to do the Nationals.

 

I mean, can anybody tell me which road races held in the Western Cape are sanctioned by CSA, because I see only those organised by the PPA.

 

He might as well sell his roadie then, and please, PPA and CSA, how is this called the promotion of cycling under our youth?