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[Event] 2017 Cape Town Cycle Tour - Argus


Bianchisti

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The wind is only an issue till Smits and even then there are a few "protected" stretches. Then if its blowing the first part chappies and suikerbossie are easier. If its blowing hard chappies is ***. In my experience that is.

 

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Nope

 

In a Southeaster you have a headwind all the way from the start to the turn of Smitswinkels. Then it helps you up the last part of Smitswinkels and to as far as Ocean View. From there to Sunvalley you have it 45 degrees from the front on your right shoulder. Then you have it in your back till Noordhoek and it helps getting up Little Chappies. It does not help you at all going up Chappies proper as that is sheltered in a Southeaster. Going down Chappies it slows you down because it is an unpredictable gusting side wind that will blow you off the road if you go full tilt. It helps nothing going up Suikerbossie because that is sheltered. From there past the 12 Apostles to the finish it slows you down again as a gusty side wind. (At Oudekraal, in 2009, it was so bad that they had to marshal the later riders to get off and walk a few hundred metres for fear of them getting blown sideways and off the road.)

 

So, long story short: The Southeaster does not help you nearly enough to make up for the punishment that it dishes out. For the 3 hour crowd, it can easily add 10 or 15 minutes. For the 4 hour riders, it can add up to a half hour. For the 5 hour guys, even more.

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I'm concerned about the sand at Hout Bay circle ...but I'm sure the tour guys will have that sorted. ..????

Shame met a oke who took a tumble there on Sat. Chatted to him while he waited for his rescue vehicle. Hope he can still ride the CTCT. Hurt his shoulder pretty bad.

 

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I'm concerned about the sand at Hout Bay circle ...but I'm sure the tour guys will have that sorted. ..

It is just amazing how that whole huge dune has "walked" all the way from the beach, a 100 m away, in the last few years. It is firmly on its way to cross the road and walk over the houses on the other side. I don't see anyone stopping it. :eek: 

 

Yes, they will sweep it the night before, but if the wind blows overnight, I, for one, will be picking my line carefully around the circle there.  

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It is just amazing how that whole huge dune has "walked" all the way from the beach, a 100 m away, in the last few years. It is firmly on its way to cross the road and walk over the houses on the other side. I don't see anyone stopping it. :eek:

 

Yes, they will sweep it the night before, but if the wind blows overnight, I, for one, will be picking my line carefully around the circle there.

post-58906-14876187068588.jpg

I took this pic , I think it was 2 years ago. It was probably a day or 2 before the race.

 

Edit: I see now I took it in 2013.

 

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Edited by Long Wheel Base
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attachicon.gifHout Bay-20130306-00009.jpg

I took this pic , I think it was 2 years ago. It was probably a day or 2 before the race.

 

Edit: I see now I took it in 2013.

 

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The dune has now covered those buildings completely and is at least twice as high and advanced to the place the picture was taken from.

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The dune has now covered those buildings completely and is at least twice as high and advanced to the place the picture was taken from.

Yeah The bus stop is also gone now. The natural movement of sand is for the sand to blow up the valley and end up in Sandy Bay but the houses and development have stopped that.

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Yeah The bus stop is also gone now. The natural movement of sand is for the sand to blow up the valley and end up in Sandy Bay but the houses and development have stopped that.

That's exactly right. I live on that "dune" if you look at the photos in the HB museum it used to be one big dune from the beach to the top of Sandy Bay's neck, from where there's a bit of vegetation

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Nope

 

In a Southeaster you have a headwind all the way from the start to the turn of Smitswinkels. Then it helps you up the last part of Smitswinkels and to as far as Ocean View. From there to Sunvalley you have it 45 degrees from the front on your right shoulder. Then you have it in your back till Noordhoek and it helps getting up Little Chappies. It does not help you at all going up Chappies proper as that is sheltered in a Southeaster. Going down Chappies it slows you down because it is an unpredictable gusting side wind that will blow you off the road if you go full tilt. It helps nothing going up Suikerbossie because that is sheltered. From there past the 12 Apostles to the finish it slows you down again as a gusty side wind. (At Oudekraal, in 2009, it was so bad that they had to marshal the later riders to get off and walk a few hundred metres for fear of them getting blown sideways and off the road.)

 

So, long story short: The Southeaster does not help you nearly enough to make up for the punishment that it dishes out. For the 3 hour crowd, it can easily add 10 or 15 minutes. For the 4 hour riders, it can add up to a half hour. For the 5 hour guys, even more.

+1 on Oudekraal to Bakoven. The only mitigant is that on race day you can ride next to the right hand shoulder as you have road closure

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To all the ou manne, what's the best way to get in from the Northern 'burbs the morning of the Argust? Where does one attempt to park?

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That's exactly right. I live on that "dune" if you look at the photos in the HB museum it used to be one big dune from the beach to the top of Sandy Bay's neck, from where there's a bit of vegetation

The could have build one serious Sandboarding track in those days  :thumbup:

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To all the ou manne, what's the best way to get in from the Northern 'burbs the morning of the Argust? Where does one attempt to park?

 

We have been parking at the CTICC, feels a bit safer and easy to get on and off the N1

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The dune has now covered those buildings completely and is at least twice as high and advanced to the place the picture was taken from.

 

Is there a reason the city does not transport the sand away? or keeping it natural?

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