[Event] Bestmed Tour Of Good Hope

[Patchelicious]

I really enjoyed the event and racing with Team FRIB. We had some pretty awful luck with mechanicals, illness and especially with Edgar crashing out on Stage 3. We got better towards the end and finished with the stage win we had been looking for (Jules you legend).

 

The vibe in the amateur team bunch was great and there were no silly crashes that I saw.

 

Goody bag was worth a lot more than the entry fee I reckon - impressive!

 

All those positives BUT the timing was pathetic. I will not return next year if Great-Time does, that is for sure.

I must say that you guys showed such great team spirit when that unfortunate crash happened, the fact that your whole team stopped to help a buddie was so great to see. Much respect! I hope he heals up soon.

 

You guys really came out to play on Day 4 and Day 5 after that!! It was damn sore trying to cover all your attacks!!

[JarradVZ]

I must say that you guys showed such great team spirit when that unfortunate crash happened, the fact that your whole team stopped to help a buddie was so great to see. Much respect! I hope he heals up soon.

 

You guys really came out to play on Day 4 and Day 5 after that!! It was damn sore trying to cover all your attacks!!

Thanks, yeah we were determined to give it a good go!

 

Who were you riding for?

[Patchelicious]

Thanks, yeah we were determined to give it a good go!

 

Who were you riding for?

These clowns...

 

https://mobile.twitter.com/team_genasys/status/706190923282128900

[Pure Savage]

I must say that you guys showed such great team spirit when that unfortunate crash happened, the fact that your whole team stopped to help a buddie was so great to see. Much respect! I hope he heals up soon.

 

You guys really came out to play on Day 4 and Day 5 after that!! It was damn sore trying to cover all your attacks!!

Wait, you guys chased down attacks?

[Pure Savage]

Dear ASG, today at the cycle tour, my wife and friends were able to see my time splits live. I also got my correct time 14 seconds after crossing line. That's how you time an event.

 

No excuses, no csa stop watch.

 

Racetec make it happen

[SL7]

Timkeeping is crucial for a race. It's a race. Yes everything was great and should be great. But stuff up the time keeping and you have flop. Sort it out.

[Guest Lancesball]

Dear ASG, today at the cycle tour, my wife and friends were able to see my time splits live. I also got my correct time 14 seconds after crossing line. That's how you time an event.

 

No excuses, no csa stop watch.

 

Racetec make it happen

 

 

For 30 000+ riders. 

[Bianchisti]

Are we going to see results or we put this one down and blame Mbeki? One of those "BEE/AA" type issues.

[Patchelicious]

Are we going to see results or we put this one down and blame Mbeki? One of those "BEE/AA" type issues.

Not a chance, I'm on their case.

 

There are more results out, but none of the corrections I have sent through are there. So still very incorrect.

[IMan777]

I rode in the Men's Open Seeded category and I loved it.

 

The race was well organised. The routes were hard and tough. The support on the routes were great. The race village and catering was really great and the Goodie Box was amazing....I actually made a profit doing the race if you take into account the value of the Goodie Box... 

 

Yes, my times were and still are completely wrong but I was never in the running for any overall prices but I do agree it is a race and the Time keeping is important. i do however believe that the blame should go to Great Time and there crappy system.

 

I will definitely be back in 2017!

THANKS ASG for a GREAT week of CYCLING!

[Ryinc]

I have had a bit of time to reflect on this years TOGH - i was one of patch's teamies, which was really a lot of fun.

 

This is my second tour and really think ASG stepped it up this year - well done to them. Although the entry was about double last years, there was really good value for money this time around.

 

I think the day 1 change was a blessing as it just made the tour that much easier for the average joe like myself. That first day the heat was brutal and i think the rest of the tour would been much tough after a long first day in thar heat. My suggestion would be that if 4 passes route is back in in 2017, then rather sub it for one of the day 3 or day 4 rides next year.

 

My thoughts on minor improvements:

1. Working with csa to make registration quicker.

2. Waterpoints much better this year. However at the end, in the boland heat, i don't think it is possible to have enough water and ice. I would say you need to work on 2-3 litres per person at least.

3. Racing down franschhoek pass between the cars was nerve wrecking, it would be great to try get the roads down the pass quiter if possible.

 

The obvious problem was timing. This event is the closest that an amateur feels like a pro. So to have non-funtioning timing, absolutely spoiled that feeling. It was really not ideal that each day we were trying to do our own estimates of where we lay as a team. How much more fun would it have been if after every stage, the open seeded/open team prizes took place immediately and tactics etc discussed about the next day. Sponsors of the teams would also be grateful. After the total and utter timing debacle last year, i think we are owed more than an apology that this element was not tip top this year - the lesson should have been learnt last year. Its pretty unacceptable to not have it slick this year. What made matters worse was riders being accussed of not using timimg chips or installing them incorrectly etc, commentator announcing results that are known to be under wuestion etc. Hopefully ASG will sort it all out and all winners etc will be properly announced - but the joy will have been sucked out of it, and to be honest nobody really cares a week later.

 

So in summary, a superb event overall, let down, by a small but important aspect. Well done to ASG nevertheless for making it happen and getting most aspects right. This event really has potential though to grow into a signature and oversubscribed event provided more focus is placed on some basics.

[Napalm]

I'm just curious about the timing. This is not the first time ASG messed up the timing on one of their events.  They were going to use Racetec, who as mentioned by Pure Savage did an awesome job at the Argus.  Seeing as Racetec has such a close relationship with the Argus, why would they risk messing up that relationship by doing a event a week before the biggest event of the year?  The only conclusion I can reach, is that they never intended to actually use them, and just used their good name as an advertising tool. 

 

A company like Racetec would probably charge R100-150k for such event. Disregarding sponsorships, they have a budget of roughly R2,5 mill (700 riders x R3500) - so the money was definitely there.

 

Why go with a manual system?  Then....since this was a CSA sanctioned event, will the owners of the manual system be prohibited from future events as required by the CSA constitution?

[Pure Savage]

I'm just curious about the timing. This is not the first time ASG messed up the timing on one of their events.  They were going to use Racetec, who as mentioned by Pure Savage did an awesome job at the Argus.  Seeing as Racetec has such a close relationship with the Argus, why would they risk messing up that relationship by doing a event a week before the biggest event of the year?  The only conclusion I can reach, is that they never intended to actually use them, and just used their good name as an advertising tool. 

 

A company like Racetec would probably charge R100-150k for such event. Disregarding sponsorships, they have a budget of roughly R2,5 mill (700 riders x R3500) - so the money was definitely there.

 

Why go with a manual system?  Then....since this was a CSA sanctioned event, will the owners of the manual system be prohibited from future events as required by the CSA constitution?

It was not a manual system just a poor electronic one, it users "newer" technology chips than racetec and therefore does not have mats, but if more than 4 people cross the line near each other it does not read the chips. 

 

I have no idea what people were doing with stop watches and paper at one stage. 

 

I also have a feeling it would be a bit of a push for racetec to time a race in the week of the expo registration, but I am sure if ASG wanted to make it happen they would.

[Shebeen]

It was not a manual system just a poor electronic one, it users "newer" technology chips than racetec and therefore does not have mats, but if more than 4 people cross the line near each other it does not read the chips. 

 

I have no idea what people were doing with stop watches and paper at one stage. 

 

I also have a feeling it would be a bit of a push for racetec to time a race in the week of the expo registration, but I am sure if ASG wanted to make it happen they would.

 

ah, ok - i thought the issues were database related not hardware - then it's probably just as much an issue for the timing manufacturer - http://www.mobii.com/timing/

smart dudes, they will already be on it.

 

 

racetec could definitely do both.

 

all the timing mats for argus only go up on sunday morning anyway, so lots of time.

[Pure Savage]

ah, ok - i thought the issues were database related not hardware - then it's probably just as much an issue for the timing manufacturer - http://www.mobii.com/timing/

smart dudes, they will already be on it.

 

 

racetec could definitely do both.

 

all the timing mats for argus only go up on sunday morning anyway, so lots of time.

Was thinking about the staff, but ja could probably do it. The racetec guys have to sit at the expo listening to stories about re seeding etc. 

[Patchelicious]

ah, ok - i thought the issues were database related not hardware - then it's probably just as much an issue for the timing manufacturer - http://www.mobii.com/timing/

smart dudes, they will already be on it.

 

 

racetec could definitely do both.

 

all the timing mats for argus only go up on sunday morning anyway, so lots of time.

Both and then a bit more.

 

I have been close to the guys and trying to help them sort it out. (Great Timing, CSA and ASG)

 

One some days the times were not picked up (hardware), other the times were picked up but not registered against the right name (DB), others it was a factor of the data not getting from Mobii to the CSA tannies, others where the tannies did incorrect calculations because there was confusion about 4th rider across vs times of top 4 riders etc....