Value Logistics Fast One 2017

[khayale]

Dropped back to the cl to race with a mates brother I hadn't seen in 10 years plus. We rode together all the way,was brilliant.

Am glad I did as i probably would of been in the carnage at the finish line in bl apprently a nasty crash at the line.

 

The potholes were really bad in some places. I tried not to sit directly behind someone where ever possible . It at least gave you a split second to react. Missed a few big ones by pure luck,thankfully my new wheels got away unscathed.

 

Had a good race near the front of the group all the way. Decided to try and out run the guys from a 1km out....whahahaha what a noob . Soon got collared a few hundred meters from the line,but was fun,big fun.

 

Also didn't want to get caught up in the last few hundred meters carnage which I could see happening as it was a little tight for room. I think me going earlier split the group up a bit as they had to chase from earlier than they wanted.

 

Throughly enjoyed the race and didnt have to give myself a talking to once ,which makes the race way more fun

Potholes aside was a well organized race. Parking in & out was a breeze.

 

Didn't see a crash in cl the whole race.

CL was surprisingly well organised. First 5kms people were silent until there was a near crash, then people started calling out all obstacles for the rest of the race. 

 

The last 10kms the pace picked up and it got quite gnarly. Pretty sure we passed AL and BL riders that had crashed earlier - again another eye opener to be more alert.

 

The roads were *** but by virtue of the group I enjoyed it. Speedy recovery to those that crashed.

[s14phoenix]

I have to echo what was said earlier about a pothole crew on maybe Friday afternoon or Saturday morning to drive the route and fill holes - bit of concrete or cement or even just sand would be a good idea... considering the size of the craters the sand may have prevented breakage and accidents at least.

 

The cycling community could establish a team to meet and do this perhaps BUT I feel we pay for entries and thus expect safe general conditions. (we cant help for the boxes in the groups but at least the surface)

[Spinnekop]

That'd be me.  I'm OK.    Hurts, though.

oi.....heard it was a pothole?

 

Anyway.  Speedy recovery ou maat. 

[WR 1.0]

CL was surprisingly well organised. First 5kms people were silent until there was a near crash, then people started calling out all obstacles for the rest of the race.

 

The last 10kms the pace picked up and it got quite gnarly. Pretty sure we passed AL and BL riders that had crashed earlier - again another eye opener to be more alert.

 

The roads were *** but by virtue of the group I enjoyed it. Speedy recovery to those that crashed.

Don't forget the guys that was crossing the white line riding into the incoming traffic and then forcing their way into the bunch when a car approaches. One club had a few riders doing this

[Pikey]

Don't forget the guys that was crossing the white line riding into the incoming traffic and then forcing their way into the bunch when a car approaches. One club had a few riders doing this

yea one car in particular showed amazing patience .

[Cyclewizz]

I never did the race yesterday. Came down at this race a few years ago and figured that I should rather skip it. From what I've read I think that I made the right decision.

 

You guys were lucky that it didn't rain yesterday morning because if it had rained the pot holes would have been impossible to see. 

Also feel that the organisers should put some real effort in to fix the pot holes but as we all know it's become all about collecting as much money as possible and just blame the bad road conditions on the municipality. 

[djvr]

I did the race from FL (social riders)  Unlike the guys racing for places, we had a very pleasant ride. The front of the FL bunch raced off and we formed a bunch (plus minus 10 - 15 riders) that stayed together to the finish line. No near misses or incidents. The poor girl standing in the pothole was really stupid. Riding at the front of the bunch or within the first 5 wheels helped me to negotiate the potholes. Finished in 3 hours. Not to bad for an old toppie  

[Frosty]

Where was this woman standing in the pothole?
On the right turn after the reserve?

[Frosty]

After yesterday's race, I've replied to someone that complained about the treatment they received at the CCMNC in November. Besides the personal experience, which put them in a negative mood at the time, they questioned the safety of the race on open roads. I asked them how they felt after yesterday's event - how did it compare (pot holes, road rangers, marshaling, open roads to traffic, etc.).

 

Included in that email was the secretary general for CyclingSA (the complainant had sent the same email to every possible contact in cycling). The very quick reply from CSA today mentioned that the commissaires report for yesterday will be reviewed. I'm not 100% sure if they take notice of the potholes (the race day officials). Let's see.

[26er]

After yesterday's race, I've replied to someone that complained about the treatment they received at the CCMNC in November. Besides the personal experience, which put them in a negative mood at the time, they questioned the safety of the race on open roads. I asked them how they felt after yesterday's event - how did it compare (pot holes, road rangers, marshaling, open roads to traffic, etc.).

 

Included in that email was the secretary general for CyclingSA (the complainant had sent the same email to every possible contact in cycling). The very quick reply from CSA today mentioned that the commissaires report for yesterday will be reviewed. I'm not 100% sure if they take notice of the potholes (the race day officials). Let's see.

 

Well done Gerald!

[26er]

Where was this woman standing in the pothole?

On the right turn after the reserve?

As you turn left off the Vereeniging/Vaaldam road

[Prozac]

Who else here saw the bike skills of the oke going into the field in AL batch?

We were going down a hill at about 60+ and he went in,straight towards a fence..

The whole bunch just stopped pedaling and watched this..looking like a motorcross racer..

He luckily managed to keep the bike up..

 that was skill  !!!  well done to the oke keeping it up !

[Frosty]

As you turn left off the Vereeniging/Vaaldam road

Thansk - can't say I noticed her there.

[Frosty]

Who else here saw the bike skills of the oke going into the field in AL batch?

We were going down a hill at about 60+ and he went in,straight towards a fence..

The whole bunch just stopped pedaling and watched this..looking like a motorcross racer..

He luckily managed to keep the bike up..

Maybe he watched too much of those cyclocross world champs repeats on Supersport lately

Fellow GW. We took the lead going down that big hill and all of a sudden he veered off the road. Speaking to him afterwards, he blames the motorcycle official whizzing past too close to him. In a spectacular evading move, he ducks left, but he says that at that speed he couldn't regain his control and could only drift into the veld. 

 

He didn't fall off. He only finished a few minutes after the winner. 

 

Nexct year he said he's going to do it on his MTB anyway     

How he went over that ditch, then over the bump and missed the barbwire fence 40m off the road still amazes me and he was not going slow.

 

And he just kept on going with a huge smile on his face as the people cheered his bike handing skills. 

Watching him heading for that fence I had visions of the Johnny Hoogerland crash in the tour de France when he got bumped off the road by a car and tangled in a barbed wire fence.

 

Brilliant skills to keep that upright though

He entered this race before his licence was approved and decided to stay in AL instead of trying to get a reseed into VB. I still told him that he missed a great opportunity to finish with the (VB) bunch.

 that was skill  !!!  well done to the oke keeping it up !

Here he is... at the start line of Gauteng Champs last week

[Lostee]

I doubt I will do this one again. Potholes, crashes and big bunches. Now I am without a bike. Had to run to the finish from the crash that was in BL after being dropped by AL and working with a few guys till B caught us close to the end.

 

Marshalls were there, but at such speeds we need road markings and ALERTS from any guy who comes to do some work in front.

[gerryonimo]

I never did the race yesterday. Came down at this race a few years ago and figured that I should rather skip it. From what I've read I think that I made the right decision.

 

You guys were lucky that it didn't rain yesterday morning because if it had rained the pot holes would have been impossible to see. 

Also feel that the organisers should put some real effort in to fix the pot holes but as we all know it's become all about collecting as much money as possible and just blame the bad road conditions on the municipality.

I was one of the unlucky riders that hit a pothole at high speed. The pothole was impossible to avoid when riding in a bunch and the rider in front of you rides straight through it too! Punctured front and back, the guy in front of me was riding with tubbies so his race was over!

Thanks to the 3 social riders riding past that stopped and gave me a tube for my back wheel and a bomb, I only carry 1 spare tube and bomb when racing, I was able to change the tube and finish the race. Some of the potholes where marked and visible at racing speed but I feel not enough was done to repair the potholes in some parts of the race! Surely the organisers can ride the route the day before with a road repair crew and fill the potholes. Hope they do something for the R4S seeing as they use a lot of the same road!