Bestmed Capital Classic

[HappyMartin]

So I ended up doing about 20km only due to a mechanical but I have some concerns.

 

We were told road closure and at the start were riding alongside taxis and then had traffic cones separating us from vehicles speeding along a freeway at 120kmh for pretty much the rest of the race.

 

The traffic cone thing doesn't work in my opinion as we were dodging them where cars had hit them and bounced them into the cycling lane.

 

I would love to see this race work and imagined myself riding past the Union Buildings as in the promotional picture. I know I missed a lot of the race but don't think it went anywhere near the Union Buildings. It didn't feel like a Pretoria race at all.

 

Big thank you though to the good organizing. To the doctor that stopped to ask if I was OK and to the ambulance that insisted on moving me to the next water point. A,aging how helpful and friendly these people are giving up their weekends for us. Remarkable people.

 

I will do the race again and I hope it evolves into a lovely race. The heart and spirit from the marshals and organizers is there. All we need is a better route in my opinion. Best of luck and every success in the future.

[Dgas]

So I ended up doing about 20km only due to a mechanical but I have some concerns.

We were told road closure and at the start were riding alongside taxis and then had traffic cones separating us from vehicles speeding along a freeway at 120kmh for pretty much the rest of the race.

The traffic cone thing doesn't work in my opinion as we were dodging them where cars had hit them and bounced them into the cycling lane.

I would love to see this race work and imagined myself riding past the Union Buildings as in the promotional picture. I know I missed a lot of the race but don't think it went anywhere near the Union Buildings. It didn't feel like a Pretoria race at all.

Big thank you though to the good organizing. To the doctor that stopped to ask if I was OK and to the ambulance that insisted on moving me to the next water point. A,aging how helpful and friendly these people are giving up their weekends for us. Remarkable people.

I will do the race again and I hope it evolves into a lovely race. The heart and spirit from the marshals and organizers is there. All we need is a better route in my opinion. Best of luck and every success in the future.

Started in C. I thought the organization was really good. Before the race I was a bit concerned about the highway but we had a motorbike in front of us most of the time,so no issues on the highway at all. Things did get a bit hairy once we came back off the highway and into Pretoria, dodging through cars, robots etc. Overall the race was a lot more enjoyable then I expected. Will definetly do this one again.

[ridr]

Started with a friend in AL. Nice change from vets. First race I've actually enjoyed in a long time.

[WR 1.0]

Nice meeting you today bmw1za, thanks for the pulls on the downhill. Hollard kit

[bmw1za]

Nice meeting you today bmw1za, thanks for the pulls on the downhill. Hollard kit

Great meeting you too, thanks for assisting me as well. Kudos

[Li Mu Bai]

So I ended up doing about 20km only due to a mechanical but I have some concerns

 

Snip

Best of luck and every success in the future.

A tough ride, the route is unforgiving in terms of long sustained rolling climbs and constant pedaling required. It definitely doesn't work though having cones separating the riders and cars. There just wasn't any space, especially on the larger groups. The cars blasting past us on the left, dodging broken cones and no verge to bail in is uncomfortable. I saw one youngster go down next to the white line after someone in front of him dropped a bottle, and thought to myself how easy is was in that moment to also be hit by a car speeding past as you roll on the tar. Crazy. Thanks to the marshals trying their best

In my opinion, it had nothing to do with Pretoria, besides the 5km in and out of centurion. I hope this changes.

Organization was good despite ASG being too cheap to put safety pins in the race number envelope.

[RastaMan]

To wrap up the race

 

I do like the idea of racing in PTA but then make the race there

• R310 for an entry is expensive but ppl will pay it but when you are paying that cash out and back routes are not cool, when your entry is R100 like at the Vortex then out & back is acceptable.
• Toilets at parking was crap 7 toilets for what 1500 cyclists?
• Cones with cars going at 120km an hour and big bunches is really a K@k idea
• Really dbl check you elevation stats don't promise a 800 m elevation race which is almost considered flat and then give a 1150 meter race which is that of the old 94.7
• Make the end less confusing the actual winner of yesterdays race was not the real winner the first 2 was led into the wrong lane by the lead out vehicle
• Better waterpoints I heard complaints from the slower riders that stopped at all three water points and there was no water, really? for that entry free you could have given everyone a bottled powerade

 

I would only do it again if its some sort of circle route, and if you include the highway its fine but then only a part of it and not out and back, and enforce road closure on the highway if you decide to use it

[Scalpel]

I had safety pins in my brown envelope!!

[Lurch the stalker]

I had safety pins in my brown envelope!!

You must have gotten the only ones...

[Li Mu Bai]

Scalpel, you were very fortunate indeed ????

[Sharkie 2]

To wrap up the race

 

I do like the idea of racing in PTA but then make the race there

• R310 for an entry is expensive but ppl will pay it but when you are paying that cash out and back routes are not cool, when your entry is R100 like at the Vortex then out & back is acceptable.
• Toilets at parking was crap 7 toilets for what 1500 cyclists?
• Cones with cars going at 120km an hour and big bunches is really a K@k idea
• Really dbl check you elevation stats don't promise a 800 m elevation race which is almost considered flat and then give a 1150 meter race which is that of the old 94.7
• Make the end less confusing the actual winner of yesterdays race was not the real winner the first 2 was led into the wrong lane by the lead out vehicle
• Better waterpoints I heard complaints from the slower riders that stopped at all three water points and there was no water, really? for that entry free you could have given everyone a bottled powerade

 

I would only do it again if its some sort of circle route, and if you include the highway its fine but then only a part of it and not out and back, and enforce road closure on the highway if you decide to use it

They did announce various points at the start that the finish is contra flow and there were arrows painted on the tar, but ja the elites fly in not looking (if you are in contention for the win then you need to know the route)

Would actually be nice if they take us out on the old Krugersdorp road and back on the higway

[Scalpel]

Scalpel, you were very fortunate indeed

 

It seems to me that I was quite fortunate to have secured some safety pins!!

[WR 1.0]

It seems to me that I was quite fortunate to have secured some safety pins!!

When I collected there was a bag of pins and the lady gave me some

[Meerkat82]

To wrap up the race

 

I do like the idea of racing in PTA but then make the race there

• R310 for an entry is expensive but ppl will pay it but when you are paying that cash out and back routes are not cool, when your entry is R100 like at the Vortex then out & back is acceptable.
• Toilets at parking was crap 7 toilets for what 1500 cyclists?
• Cones with cars going at 120km an hour and big bunches is really a K@k idea
• Really dbl check you elevation stats don't promise a 800 m elevation race which is almost considered flat and then give a 1150 meter race which is that of the old 94.7
• Make the end less confusing the actual winner of yesterdays race was not the real winner the first 2 was led into the wrong lane by the lead out vehicle
• Better waterpoints I heard complaints from the slower riders that stopped at all three water points and there was no water, really? for that entry free you could have given everyone a bottled powerade

 

I would only do it again if its some sort of circle route, and if you include the highway its fine but then only a part of it and not out and back, and enforce road closure on the highway if you decide to use it

 

 

so we entered on Saturday. late entry was R350 

Only start was IL, did start with HL as IL was a small group.

 

The sun was unforgiving and I also longed for Pretoria streets - Jacarandas and shade.

 

No water at 2nd last water point - pathetic. water points in the sun, so everything is hot.

The race was very tough.

 

I think they can beter it  A LOT.

Not even a Coke at the finish line... oi

[Marc_21]

Hi guys, just wanted your opinions, my sister and her husband did this as their first race together (her first race ever) and with 15km to go they were pulled off because apparently that water point had a cut off time which no one knew about and they had an hour and 20 minutes to go till the final cut off. Having averaged just over 20km/h for the race they should have managed that easily!! If they had known about the earlier cut off times they would have pushed a bit harder! I really don't feel that the race organizers were fair with this at all! Especially for first time riders who want to get into racing! It took the buses an hour to pick them up and then drop them off at the finish line and when they got to the finish line it was already packed up with 10 minutes to go before the final cut off!? Something sounds dodgy here!?

[Spinnekop]

To wrap up the race

 

I do like the idea of racing in PTA but then make the race there

• R310 for an entry is expensive but ppl will pay it but when you are paying that cash out and back routes are not cool, when your entry is R100 like at the Vortex then out & back is acceptable.
• Toilets at parking was crap 7 toilets for what 1500 cyclists?
• Cones with cars going at 120km an hour and big bunches is really a K@k idea
• Really dbl check you elevation stats don't promise a 800 m elevation race which is almost considered flat and then give a 1150 meter race which is that of the old 94.7
• Make the end less confusing the actual winner of yesterdays race was not the real winner the first 2 was led into the wrong lane by the lead out vehicle
• Better waterpoints I heard complaints from the slower riders that stopped at all three water points and there was no water, really? for that entry free you could have given everyone a bottled powerade

 

I would only do it again if its some sort of circle route, and if you include the highway its fine but then only a part of it and not out and back, and enforce road closure on the highway if you decide to use it

Good summary.

 

• Expensive
• Not enough toilets
• Cone pieces everywhere.  Lots of crashes.  Cars overtaking in the cyclist lanes despite the cones
• Boring route
• Not a Pretoria race