Cape Town Cycle Tour will go ahead, detour route now 47km

[VicanZA]

on CNN.

[GLuvsMtb]

I am a Capetonian and have seen many fires.. And all the emotions that come with it. Bit the bottom is that it's, good for the fynbos and the wine farms and properties are insured.. And if you live in a fire zone get out. You know you're in a fire zone as this happens every year

 

It's, always houtbay, silver mine, across to glencairn and Muizenberg basically the tail of the mountain .. Plus some of the wine farms..

So since Chappies, Franschoek Pass and Sir Lowries Pass all have rock slides every year do we just close the roads? It costs money to keep these open.

 

People have been living in the South Peninsula for much longer than other areas. Muizenberg was established in 1747. They have been active conservationists for generations. The most 'convenient' scenario is to rip out the Fynbos and have landscaped green belts on the urban edge, but these people understand that this would impact on our national heritage.

[Thomo]

There are various alternative routes already mentioned which all could have worked well.

I also think of the possible addition of De Waal Dr and Kloof Nek (past the cable way) to the 47km, taking the ride to Camps Bay, Sea Point and the end @ Green Point.

 

I said from the start that alternative road closures would be unlikely, so it is what it is ...

 

That said, given the change, why not do away with racing/timing and make it a real funride in memory of all that has happened this week and not forgeting those who have died on the roads leading up to the CTCT.

Edited March 5, 2015 by Thomo

[Rhodent]

I started this thread determined to read all 300 odd comments before posting, but I will admit that I have failed miserably. That said, the growing anger and resentment I have towards the majority of the people posting here has already grown to the point that any further reading will only result in me losing my own cool, which will ultimately not aid anyone's case.

 

To all the people who are bitching and moaning about their precious cycling race being shortened - You are disgusting, pathetic, selfish w@nkers who obviously have ZERO regard for what the Cape Peninsula and its inhabitants have been through in the last few days. 

 

If you had even taken the time to read the press release, rather than sh!t your pants about your damn seeding, you would realise that the organisers had little alternative - both Chappies and Ou Kaapse weg were not an option. Constantia Nek you say? Same problem! 

 

If you are one of the individuals who read the release, but then threw a tantrum because of the fact that there are OTHER ROADS to ride on - I have one question - ARE YOU THAT STUPID?

 

DO you really think that your precious day out in the saddle is reason enough to shut down National Roads, Tourist Attractions and/or cut off CT from other areas by jamming 35000 bicycles onto a road out of town? Did you even pause to consider the logistics and infrastructure involved in doing something like that!!  And before you throw out the fact that they already close a major road for the day, remember to count yourself lucky that we still get that privilege. And DON'T assume that you can abuse it and claim ownership of any road you now please. That attitude epitomises everything that is wrong with cyclists - im guessing the same people who cried over this are the ones that ride 3 abreast and jump robots. 

 

THANK YOU to those of you that are getting behind this race, and supporting the organisers, despite the disappointment. YOU are the type of people who we want in our city and our sport.

 

Those of you who have said you not coming anymore, or wont race on principle, THANK YOU for not disgracing us with your presence. 

 

For those of you moaning about money - i'm sorry. I know there is a financial burden here. Hopefully, as some people have mentioned, the Trust will be able to pass some sort of financial assistance on to the fire effort. And hopefully there may be an option for you guys to get a discount or something next year.

 

But when you consider financial burden - before throwing too many toys out the cot, please remember the millions of rands of damage caused by these fires. Yes, there is insurance in some cases. But not all. The aircraft waterbombing the fires have already racked up expenses of over 2 million rand. I hate to think of the expenses that the SPCA will endure as the search for and try to rehabilitate injured wildlife. 

 

The VOLUNTEER firefighters don't get paid - but that doesn't mean their organisations run for free!

 

I started this post angry yet I am now nothing more than disappointed. I am actually shocked that there are such selfish people in this world. 

 

I really hope i'm not on the start line on sunday. I really do. Because I am sitting glued to my phone waiting for the moment the SPCA gets the go ahead to enter the fire zone and start searching for injured wildlife. They will need volunteers. And i would much rather share the mountain with people looking to good and animals that may need help, than share the road with a bunch of self serving individuals who will spend 47km moaning about their seeding or the cost of their T-shirt.

[wessie12]

Why... It's their job. That's the career path that they choose.. Volunteer firemen.. Like volunteer police and paramedics.. It's what they signed up for and this is hero hour for them and they thrive on it ..

 

And I'm am so tired of hearing the same houses getting burnt down every few years because of the fire. And the guy who saved his house a few years back and now who's house burnt down because he put a thatched roof on in a fire zone.. Well what did you expect mate.. I don't stand on the middle of the road and not expect to be hit by a car..

 

This is not the first time that there have been massive, fires, in ct and won't be the last... Plus its good for the finebos anyway.

jy kan maklik die domste ou wees in die land

[VicanZA]

As much of a disaster as this is, it's also a missed operunity by the organizers.

[gmh]

For me personally I can accept the decision and enjoy a 47km ride. I think it should be turned into a mass ride, no long queing in a start shute, just pitch up between 6am - 10am and enjoy the ride with friends and fellow cyslists, although not sure if this is practical? What I would like to see is that the organisers respect the dedication and sacrifices that the cyclists made for training for this event. Some have even lost their lives while training. Maybe when everything is settled, there can be efforts to add another race to the calender with a greatly reduced entry fee, just to give back something to us cyclists??? 

[Balkan_Rider]

I think the race should have just been cancelled altogether.

 

No point in wasting money on infrastructure and paying people to support a 47km race for 35000. Take the money from entries and donations and support the City of Cape Town and all the brave men and woman fighting the fires. 

 

Next year the Cycle Tour committee can offer entries to all who have entered this year at 50% of the costs - or some reasonable discount. 

 

We are all still coming to Cape Town - we will cycle on the weekend - and we will support the city of Cape Town.

[Gen]

While coming in to work today, I was thinking about all of this.

 

If the majority of cyclist are upset about how they have been inconvenienced and how their weekend is now a waste of money (money you would've spent regardless of how far you ride on Sunday) it right there shows what is wrong with society and how selfish people really are.

 

If you are so upset about not riding your goal time, then go find another route in the area and uploaded to Strava  .. people can be really small minded at times.

[Mo2010]

For those guys planning a ride on Saturday, why not take a ride out to Wynberg and watch out future champions do their thing at the Junior tour. Not to sure if you'll be able to grab a beer or two there as I don't drink. But there will be a Spur tent. Enjoy the weekend guys. See you at the start line on Sunday.

[DIPSLICK]

maybe because i am not riding i see most of your opinions

firstly to the guys actually doing anything about the fires GOOD JOB

to the guys who have paid the money and feel robbed YES/NO    yes its *** because you have trained and huge expenses for us JHB riders,,,,,, no because you going to cape town now for a well deserved break,,more time in the beer tent as a few said its not like any of us want cape town burning down we had no control over it,

to slowbee, im going to say TOO SOON   when the fires settle(sorry) the race organizer and most of the hubbers will/should agree the worlds biggest race should have a plan b for any event issues, IMHO if the race is as beeeeg as it is its not too much to ask that they have plan b,,,,so ja emotions running a bit high to chirp NOW

i will put money on it that other races half the size and budget will have a plan b

 

PEOPLE ALL I KNOW IS THAT BEER TENT WILL RUN DRY THIS YEAR WITH SOOOOO MANY PEOPLE DOING SUB 3s 

 

DAM I WISH I WAS RIDING THIS YEAR

[lerouc]

From their FB page:

 

Riders will not be able to ride the Cape Town Cycle Tour twice this year due to the change in route.

[Cassie]

Arrogant ? Intolerant ? Please explain why you see those in my comments Davem?

 

More a case of I expected more of the cycle tour trust ?

hey Slowman!  You've always been a sound, reasonalble voice of reason... amids some very heated debates ...this time?...eish!  Me thinks you are emotional and haven't thought it through properly? 

 

Do you not for one minute think that the tour organisers would have done EVERYTHING within their powers to save the race? KNOWING what is at stake? 

 

What would your response have been if they simply called it off? That would have been a "cop out"...

 

It's only a timed funride at best, in any event...

[Red Zone]

I think they should have just canned it, there is going to be chaos out there with guys sprinting the "full" distance, others reseeding themselves to ride with mates, others doing a slow ride for solidarity, two and three lappers etc...everyone that I speak to seems to have a different idea for Sunday.

 

To cram 35 000 riders onto 47 km of road is a bad idea. I think the freeway is going to be a war zone with crashes. I wont be riding, rather go for a long run. I  just wish that some of my entry fee could be transferred to the volunteer wildfire services

[Red Zone]

The irony is that the Two Oceans is now longer than the Argus, the runners are going to have bragging rights for sure this year. 

[ChrisN]

Haven't read thru all the comments so this may have been covered but I can just imagine the chaos as thousands of cyclists after completing their mini tour head off to ride up the coast to Hout Bay.

 

 

That is exactly what I thought. You will now have thousands of cyclists on various roads after the event.. More bad news for emergency workers