[Event] Cape Town Cycle Tour 2018

[Rouxenator]

So perhaps its time to stop the 'race' and turn and it into a funride"

Everything is a fun ride to me. 

 

What the sad events of this weekend has shown us that we should never be lulled into thinking there is no danger involved with cycling. Always keep that in mind and don't ride outside your comfort zone. 

[3wings]

Fully agree with you on this, which was one of the reasons I sent a message to CapeTalk about it this morning when they mentioned only the two deaths.  For me the marshalls are an integral part of the race, without the riders there may not be a need for them to stand there, but without them the race will not be allowed (or as safe). 

 

For as far as reasonably possible they deserve more respect for what they do.  

 

Gotta acknowledge LeoKnight for bringing this up - someone needed to - because the Marshal's friend alerted us all to his sad passing on The Hub last evening.

So it cannot possibly have escaped Bellairs' radar - or that of his officials.

So why the disrespectful silence ?

Someone, somewhere, perhaps made a decision that three deaths in one day was just TOO MUCH BAD NEWS.

And however hard that reality may have been for the organiser's to swallow - it was a very bad decision.

That marshal obviously cared about the overall wellbeing of us, the cyclists, and of course about the safety and smooth running of the event itself.

For him to lose his life trying to keep us out of harm's way is therefore tragic beyond words....

[porqui]

Probably going to get flamed for this, but two trauma related deaths is too many, heart attacks are another story altogether, equally as sad, but I'd like to focus on the avoidable trauma deaths.

 

At this stage both appear to involve speed in fast downhill sections - Blue Route/ Wynberg Hill and descent past Llandudno, the point is that bunches/ cyclists with varied levels of skill, most at max threshold and max of their skills is not a good formula.

 

So perhaps its time to stop the 'race' and turn and it into a funride - the field size cannot in my view cope with the race element - its a recipe for tragedy and the responsibility for doing something sits with the organisers.

 

 

My 2 cents. 

 

Why not just flatten the hills ???

[Starchboy]

I've always seen it as a funride, but i also think its human nature to try and go round something like the CTCT route as fast as possible. I doubt it will be possible to stop that, especially when the weather plays along.

[Schmorglebot]

Racing out of 1E we had 1 crash that I know of, turning left onto the M6. For the most part the group was well behaved except for a couple people being a little over eager on the brakes.

 

It was my maiden CTCT so I was slightly cautious due to the large bunches For my own safety I broke away before the longer descents, which I actually find to be faster as you can use the whole road, pick your line, and not worry about crossing someone (chappies was particularly fun).

 

All in all it was a great experience, the gees from the supporters was awesome compared to other events I've done, and I got my sub 3 so the pressure is off for future CTCT's.

 

Was seriously stunned to hear about the fatalities though. So sad to think that while I was celebrating my race other's families were in mourning. My condolences to them

[tubed]

Why not just flatten the hills ???

useful contribution to a serious issue

[SeanMort]

The problems always seems to be the 1 - 2 bunches. And today I saw something I never saw before. Little groups forming around a tandem, riding at incredible speeds. Some of them with youngters as stokers.

 

Bunches from 3 onwards are just as big, and I have seen none of these issues riding in 3D today. If there were, please tell.

 

It's positively insane as to how the organiser's come to a decision to seed only the top 30 tandems into # group ?? I really don't understand the rationale as to how this happens. Why not put the top 60/70 - 100 tandems into this one group, like practically every other race in SA, and then the rest into a social tandems group further down the starting order as they used to ? They will pretty quickly self-seed from the start, and it will be safer for all concerned with no fuss. It's pretty hair raising on a tandem in the 1's and 2's groups among the single bikes, which they don't seem to understand at all. We petitioned to be granted a spot into # as per last year, but they blah blahed about the top 30 seeding ad-naseum, and then yesterday didn't we just catch and pass 2 # tandems who didn't look anything like # form (or shape). Even my blind stoker could spot this a mile away. Ugottawonder !!

[The Ouzo]

I started in & bunch yesterday, but sadly I hit a pothole and cracked my rim on the Blueroute. My father was kind enough to bring my set of training wheels, but dealing with road closures and coming from the northern 'burbs, I lost an hour standing next to the road only 20kms in.

 

By the time I got going, I was riding "with" 2G or there abouts. Worked my way through the bunches solo and came down Landadno with the 2D bunch. The accident with the marshal had just happened as I passed. Horrible sight.. very sad to hear about his passing.

 

I realise what I am about to say will probably sound rude to some, but I feel I need to say it none the less.

 

The racing bunches are always accused of riding dangerously, but this is definitely not the case. I feel a lot safer in the racing bunches than I felt yesterday with the middle groups. Yes, sure, accidents happen, but for the most part at least the racing bunches know how to handle a bicycle and know how to ride in a bunch. It just looks dangerous because it happens so much faster.

 

In the middle bunches (especially in the funride world champs, when everyone is a pro) people swerve all over the place, there is no bunch etiquette what so ever and in fact, most of the time there are no bunches, just groups of 5 trying to ride each other of the wheel, because of course this will make them faster in the long run.

 

Bunch skills and etiquette is , quite frankly, pathetic in the middle bunches. It is something that I feel needs to be focussed on and talked about and taught by PPA or whoever. You wouldn't shove someone who drives once a year into a racing car onto a track full of other cars would you? So why do people who cycle once a year think it's fine to just show up without any regard for other's safety?

 

Anyway, rant over I guess. Was glad to be able to finish in the end.

This is what makes getting a good time from so far back that much more difficult. Those of us riding in the fun ride groups have to be so much more alert as to what other people are doing. No groups to pull you along so it’s essentially a solo ride.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Li Mu Bai]

Probably going to get flamed for this, but two trauma related deaths is too many, heart attacks are another story altogether, equally as sad, but I'd like to focus on the avoidable trauma deaths.

 

snip snip

 

If you really do want to race - there are plenty of alternative events which still allow for possibilities which in my view the 'Argus' has outgrown.

 

My 2 cents. 

Basic human competitive nature.

Put any two humans together on bikes and its a race.

 

Taking the timing out of it wont stop things like Strava influencing peoples behavior.

 

Using qualifying events and specific skills training might help.

 

Accidents happen.

At the end of the day, no body wants to crash and it is extremely unfortunate that this does happen.

People will still crash if it is turned into a mass fun ride. Riding for long periods, mistakes happen, through fatigue or distraction, or lack of concentration. External factors such as road conditions, roadworks, weather, etc etc also contribute to accidents.

[porqui]

useful contribution to a serious issue

 

You cannot change human nature - just when you think it is a fun ride there will be some who think otherwise.

[Tristand]

I think the excellent weather conditions on the day was ironically the source of the safety problems. Everyone was just about peeing themselves to get their personal best in the conditions. 

 

I started in & but had a heavy racing week doing TOGH so opted to just ride it and enjoy the view instead. &, @ and 1A were all fast but not particularly dangerous. After 1A it just got stupid, was chopped repeatedly despite keeping left and letting them past. Worst behaviour on a bike I have ever seen, that includes the CSA junior classification and they are notoriously reckless.

[Cat2forLife]

This is what makes getting a good time from so far back that much more difficult. Those of us riding in the fun ride groups have to be so much more alert as to what other people are doing. No groups to pull you along so it’s essentially a solo ride.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Not to be rude, but there are plenty of events throughout the year to improve your CTCT seeding. If you (or anyone, not directed specifically at you) are so serious about doing a fast CTCT, why not do the preparation properly? A fast CTCT is just as much about the build up as race day itself. Do more races, get fitter/ faster, get better bunch skills and get better seeding. There is no downside. Not doing this is pure laziness. I'm not saying everyone HAS to do this, but then don't come and act like a pro and ram everybody off the road come race day, because you want to do a sub 5. Then it is supposed to be a funride.

 

Sorry, I know I say "you" a lot, but this is a general comment. Not directed at you specifically.

[Cat2forLife]

I think the excellent weather conditions on the day was ironically the source of the safety problems. Everyone was just about peeing themselves to get their personal best in the conditions. 

 

I started in & but had a heavy racing week doing TOGH so opted to just ride it and enjoy the view instead. &, @ and 1A were all fast but not particularly dangerous. After 1A it just got stupid, was chopped repeatedly despite keeping left and letting them past. Worst behaviour on a bike I have ever seen, that includes the CSA junior classification and they are notoriously reckless.

 

Geez.. Don't even get me started on juniors

[Chingy182]

I've done the CTCT for a third time yesterday and on all those races (even the 47km one in 2015) there was an accident on hospital bend and everyone has to slow down very quickly there.

I take that section very easy as a result of this.

[DJR]

I think the excellent weather conditions on the day was ironically the source of the safety problems. ..............

True that. I recall an article on the statistics of injuries and crashes a few years ago, and the lowest they ever had, was that one year (2012?) with the CRAZY wind. People were just much more careful.

[Mongoose!]

You cannot change human nature - just when you think it is a fun ride there will be some who think otherwise.

 

The only way to make this a "fun ride" is by not timing it...