Medihelp Stellenbosch Cycle Tour 2016

[Americo]

Is anyone going to the race from Sea Point area and willing to give me a lift?

 

I could take care of the petrol

[milky4130]

A year ago when my fiancé first started out she couldn't make it to the top of Chappies.

 

Fast forward 1 year. We've done big days out in the Alps and are planning our 2nd trip there together. We regularly do 60+ km and anything over 50 she's definaltey stronger than me.

 

This weekend will be our first race together. Bunch riding and road closure is going to be a whole new thing for us.

 

I think this weekend will be the first of many.

what road closure?

[-Az-]

Good luck to all and please stay safe.

[Organic]

Is this really the profile? I honestly can't remember hills like they are showing here after the 60km mark.

PS0960.jpg

 

 

Those hills after 60 km are nowhere near that big.  They may feel that big if you've run out of water and are starting to feel really tired though (speaking from experience).  Last year the distance turned out to be a bit shorter than advertised too - not that I was complaining.

[dev null]

Weather set to be excellent for a great race. Good luck.

[fandacious]

Sjoe.

 

I havent race in over 2 years. Started in 2C. Made the break up hels and caught 2b/2a on the way down. picked up stragglers from 1d/c/b as we went

 

It feels like the bunches started too close together. Between paarl and wellington we were one MASSIVE bunch. The rollers managed to thin things out about

 

made another break 10km from the finish up the last 2 hills.

 

Managed to finish in 245.

 

but yoh - hels is NOT fun on cold legs, and even less fun after not racing for more than 2 years.

 

Thanks to whoever organized the weather

 

['Dale]

Welcome back to the fun world of lactic acid, fand' ????????

[Pure Savage]

Memo to self, do not be late for start [emoji58]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

['Dale]

Memo to self, do not be late for start [emoji58]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Aaarggggh ????

What happened?

[mikkelz]

That was fun! First road race since the Argus last year.

 

But ***k me, those groups were WAY too big. Started in 2F and had a whole mix of 2B,C,D and E for most of the way. No idea how big the bunches were? 50? 100? 150 riders?

 

I saw one motor bike marshal early on and that was it.

 

There was oncoming traffic driving in the yellow lane, traffic going in our direction on the other side of the road. Absolute chaos.

 

The organisers need to seriously look into this (as has been mentioned previously in the thread).

[carbon29er]

Province needs to step in and force road closures.

 

It's all very well taking the glory that the Argus brings the Western Cape, the payback needs to be supporting the bigger smaller races, The Stellenbosch Tour and the 99er are 2 that really need support from above.

[Cippo]

Saw lots of riders veering to close to middle line with traffic travelling in opposite direction. One rider got clipped by bakkie travelling in opposite direction flinging him back into bunch.

['Dale]

Saw lots of riders veering to close to middle line with traffic travelling in opposite direction. One rider got clipped by bakkie travelling in opposite direction flinging him back into bunch.

Whaaaat

That's hectic ⚠️

[dev null]

OK, that was fun, until I got a cramp where I never expected: my calf muscle. That was a first. Managed it from Blou Meul until the end, coming in at 3h46, almost 40 minutes faster than last year. I dropped most of my 3K bunch up Hels, and then picked up the stragglers from 3J, where I pulled them a bit to form a group. By the turn-off to Paarl we were a nice big bunch of mixed riders from 3F - 3K.

 

My son told me his hands were sort of OK after his crash last week, so he started in 1A, but was in 1C by the time he crested Hels. He told me those people in 1A end 1B are crazy sprinting from the start up Hels. He stayed in 1C for 60km when he started getting cramps for the very first time in his life. I told him that his muscles have developed much more since last year, and so he just have to do longer training rides. He is now at that age where he is ready to up his game. He came in at 3h13, but he reckon he could have done a sub 3 if it were not for the cramps.

[NixM]

There was oncoming traffic driving in the yellow lane, traffic going in our direction on the other side of the road. Absolute chaos.

 

The organisers need to seriously look into this (as has been mentioned previously in the thread).

Could not agree more. Someone is going to get seriously hurt. There just simply isn't enough space on some of those roads for 150+ peloton with oncoming traffic.

[jamiecanter]

Started in 2A and was going well until I broke two spokes in my rear wheel and a puncture late on ????. The bunches on the road were huge and at one stage in the the bunch behind overtook us. Full road closure should definitely be looked at for next year. Decent vibe as always and a bit thanks to the marshals and volunteers.Also I'm still appalled by the reckless driving by my fellow cyclists on the way to the venue. There's no need to drive way over the speed limit.