[Event] Tour Of Good Hope 2017

[Pure Savage]

You talking about the Aussie who now wants better wheels too?

Yes. 

[Pure Savage]

Don't know why, but it made think of South Parks "Operation Human Shield", this was ASGs version.

Whenever ASG apologize for anything it makes me think of the South Park episode when the BP execs apologize for the oil spill by making a video that says, "we're sorry" over and over and over again.

[Patchelicious]

Whenever ASG apologize for anything it makes me think of the South Park episode when the BP execs apologize for the oil spill by making a video that says, "we're sorry" over and over and over again.

Hahaha it does, except Wynand never actually apologizes, it's always CSA, MobiTiming, god, the weather or Tom Cruise's fault, and he is happy to point that out under the guise of "clarification" or "here are the facts".... go read last years thread again only after a massive fight did they actually sort of apologize. And it was one of those "well I'm sorry if you were offended by my comments" type apologies.

 

Totes whatevs, I'm not racing this year so I am actually just a being snarky from the side....

[Sparki 1]

feeling sorry for the riders. let's just hope the wind settles before CTCT else we also risk the race being called off.

[Pure Savage]

Hahaha it does, except Wynand never actually apologizes, it's always CSA, MobiTiming, god, the weather or Tom Cruise's fault, and he is happy to point that out under the guise of "clarification" or "here are the facts".... go read last years thread again only after a massive fight did they actually sort of apologize. And it was one of those "well I'm sorry if you were offended by my comments" type apologies.

 

Totes whatevs, I'm not racing this year so I am actually just a being snarky from the side....

You? Snarky? Never....

[Skubarra]

Wait for first crash then call it off....

 

That sentence feels weird.

 

Think it was a very hard call for the organisors to make. Wind was very bad at the starting point (but arguably ridable). As I understand it was the extreme winds on the pass that caused the cancellation and the riders never even got there (the crash was still in the neutral zone).

 

Saw a lot of smiles and relief all around when the stage was cancelled, I certainly didn't shed a tear (and yesterdays tough stage that is still in my legs had nothing to do with it  )

[Slowbee]

Will they still allow racing/riding on Sunday even if the wind is the same ? Or does full road closure make a difference ?

['Dale]

Any reason why rerouting and, for example, creating a circuit race with crosswinds turned on as an alternative

 

Sounds feasible

Serve the client well?

[Frosty]

Think it was a very hard call for the organisors to make. Wind was very bad at the starting point (but arguably ridable). As I understand it was the extreme winds on the pass that caused the cancellation and the riders never even got there (the crash was still in the neutral zone).

 

Saw a lot of smiles and relief all around when the stage was cancelled, I certainly didn't shed a tear (and yesterdays tough stage that is still in my legs had nothing to do with it  )

According to the report, it was the race commissaire that decided to stop the race and cancel the stage - after consulting his team and the organiser.

 

For that, the organiser has to comply - it's in the rules (how ironic).

[Skubarra]

According to the report, it was the race commissaire that decided to stop the race and cancel the stage - after consulting his team and the organiser.

 

For that, the organiser has to comply - it's in the rules (how ironic).

 

Ok, that makes sense. While we were waiting in the starting chute the word that was passed down was that they (not sure who they are) were debating on whether the race should go ahead or not. Then the start (for the rest of us) was delayed by an hour to see if the wind gets better and then the message got out that it was cancelled. 

 

Hoping the conditions are better tomorrow.!

[Frosty]

Ok, that makes sense. While we were waiting in the starting chute the word that was passed down was that they (not sure who they are) were debating on whether the race should go ahead or not. Then the start (for the rest of us) was delayed by an hour to see if the wind gets better and then the message got out that it was cancelled. 

 

Hoping the conditions are better tomorrow.!

I have a spy at the race, helping out as a marshal/sector controller.

[Slowbee]

sorry to ask again guys - but if the wind is "even more blowing" eish eeengleesh, will they call the race for the top guns again ?

[riaz]

While I have been mostly impressed with the organisation I do have a major gripe.

There is no water handed out to rides at the water points, meaning unsupported

riders have to stop or dehydrate. And stopping is not really an option if you are 

racing. 

Had no backup last year and felt ur pain. Supported a friend in the open category yesterday and tried to give as much guys as we could water and cold towels on du toits

[gummibear]

The LOOK that was stolen.Apparently an Argon 18 stolen the day before.Both bikes are pretty small.

 

[Cal Naughton Jr.]

Today my husband (Open category) and at least one other from Johanesburg were kicked out of the race at the start line of the time trail after riding stage 1.  The reason given - "can't ride with disc brakes, those are the rules".   This was not made clear anywhere on the website. The  bicycle he is riding came stock standard with disc brakes and he has ridden 2 previous tours with the same bike. Personally i think the information should have been highlighted and not assumed.R5000 and 5 months of training for this event down the tubes.  There are just way too many rules and regulations and politics  governing sport for it to be fun for the amateur anymore.

That's strange. Could've sworn I saw a Team ASG rider in the elite bunch using disc breaks on every stage (except the final stage). And might I add, he did so without penalty.

[Skubarra]

My thoughts - I know ASG is low on brownie points among many hubbers and pros and a number of pot shots were taken on social media this week when things went wrong. But my overall impression of this week is that they are learning from mistakes of the past and this race was a big improvement on the past offerings.

 

I thought the organising was good, we were riding mid-bunch among the amateurs for most of the week and there were almost always marshals & lead-bikes around. The waterpoints at the finishes were well stocked with ice, coke even wet towels etc and on the finish line of the last day there were even free beer (and I had to dig deep when the finish line weren't halfway up Paarl mountain as in the pre race statements  )

 

The pace at the front of the amateur teams was crazy fast, I think on most days only the elite men category was faster than the quickest amateur teams. The word out there was that the standard in the amateur bunch was much higher than last year (maybe helped by Pure Savage and Genasys not pitching  )

 

Highlight for me was cycling up Du Toitskloof pass, not something I would really attempt on my own. Disappointment was Day 4 & Bainskloof being cancelled (although on the morning I was relieved) and some of the mid-bunch teams were  "somewhat unfriendly" and "ultra-competitive" for reasons that were lost on me.

 

I can certainly see myself doing this event again, even on my own (although its more fun in a team). I am also fairly certain this event will continue to grow

 

Don't want to go into the negatives, they have been mentioned anyway. One thing I'll say is that all the UCI & CSA rules & red tape is overkill for us amateurs, I wish there was a way to split the event (although I doubt it), guess it is the same with the Cape Epic.

Edited March 11, 2017 by Skubarra