[Event] Cape Town Cycle Tour 2018

[Robbie Stewart]

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.

 

This was my observation in the Karoo to Coast last year. I came across 2 ladies getting medical attention after falling on a relatively steep descent, and they looked like they were in some trouble. 

 

Their crashes would in all likelihood no be attributed to "racing" but more likely situational. I have found that if a bunch of bicycles ride together, the odds of a fall is increased.

 

I saw this in the CTCT of 2016, when a guy was knocked over exiting Camps Bay in a bunch, and ended up getting dragged by the minibus and trailer combo carting riders who have ended their rides prematurely for whatever reason. That incident was not caused by timing, but by all the riders congregating at a tight spot with the minibus. Elbows were bumped, and the poor guy on the outside took the plunge. Luckily that time I was on the extreme inside on my MTB, trying to make space for the passing bunch.

 

A fall will happen, it is inevitable. It's just sad when someone dies because of it.

[tubed]

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.

I hear you - there will always be people who have the ability to compete for the absurd - regardless of the risks.

 

As organisers, I wonder if they are not at that point where they (with the info they have), are putting people at too much risk. Keep in mind we are only hearing of the fatal accidents - how many more were there which have been potentially life changing if not really serious?

 

In the 29 rides I have done, as I went past the Wynberg Hill scene, the presence of police meant it was more serious. So the police will open an inquest/ inquiry and the organisers will have to give their account. 

 

My point is - how many accidental deaths is OK before someone says lets look at this properly. Just like they did when we stopped racing over Constantia Nek, OKWeg etc 

 

Ok enough from me

[porqui]

tubed - remember that there have only been two deaths due to trauma in the history of the race.

Yesterdays and then one where the course was over Oukaapse Weg where the cyclist hit a pothole and went down on Oukaapse Weg on the downhill.

[hilton_]

Rode in 1A. Two crashes in our group on Chappies... in the middle of A (which had turned into A/B/C/@/& after Smits).

One immediately next to me about halfway up. Three bikes, I think. But nothing too bad, considering the speed. One on the descent. Rider wasn't too seriously injured (some blood and grazes) but he looked completely out of it. Not great.

 

RIP to the three people who passed away yesterday.    

[Andreas_187]

With regards to the marshall, I went past them in the fast descent past Llandudno, I would guess that they are trying to figure out what happened first. I can't see how the marshal was hit. Was he crossing the road where the cyclist was doing 50+km/h?

Tragic

[wiledog_x]

'

Edited March 12, 2018 by wiledog_x

[daniemare]

Some commentators here say that crashes will happen, and in every bunch.  This is true, but no reason for not reflecting and making things better for next time. We will not have helmets, car seat belts, air bags etc, if we said after each crash that these things happen.

 

Others said that this must become a fun ride rather than timed. Well with your Garmin and Strava, races will always be timed and humans will always race against themselves at the very least. I do not think that not getting an official time will slow things down any more.

 

What I think is that the cycling fraternity can do more for bunch skills. I was in that bunch with the fatal crash (at the back at that time) and I tell you, I have never seen such poor bunch skills and aggressive riding before. And I am a frequent 2A-C rider.

 

Like we have the "Stay wider of the Rider" campaign, we need more "internal" campaigns about safety too.

 

For example, one guy with Nedbank "Development Trust" kit on did not know what half wheeling overlapping wheels was. He was  following wheels like Peter Sagan without a lead out train. When I tried to explain the dangers thereof to him, 3 other people in that bunch also commented that they had know idea of what half wheeling overlapping, keep the line etc meant. I asked them about hand signals for road dangers etc, and they had no idea.  And then the cherry, they never really ride in big bunches like this. 

 

See, their times from smaller races are good enough for that start group, but that does not mean they can ride in big groups which are typical of the CTCT and 94.7.

 

I would like to see:

- Internal safety campaigns

- Illustrative "bunch skills" leaflets and articles in every cycling publication and purchase of a bike

- Traffic calming at any Long Downhill stretches

- Smaller bunches

I am no expert and maybe some of my thinking is totally bollocks, but the point is, the cycling fraternity MUST reflect and debate to make the next race safer, we cannot just say that it's part of the sport.

 

Lastly, again, my condolences to all family and friends that have lost a loved one doing what they loved, and helping out to make what is the best race in the world such.

Edited March 12, 2018 by daniemare

[jandemoerin]

Great to ride the CTCT again and best weather for at least 13 years... About

bad riding. Around 5A there was a group of about 6 or 7/8 guys in similar yellow jerseys with TDF, Dubai in bold that really rode badly. They would bomb past left, right and centre and then stop both sides of the road to wait for slow buddies and then pull off and do it all again. This happened several times...

[walkerr]

For example, one guy with Nedbank "Development Trust" kit on did not know what half wheeling was. He was  following wheels like Peter Sagan without a lead out train. When I tried to explain the dangers thereof to him, 3 other people in that bunch also commented that they had know idea of what half wheeling, keep the line etc meant. I asked them about hand signals for road dangers etc, and they had no idea.  And then the cherry, they never really ride in big bunches like this.

 

Don't mean to be picky - but do you mean "overlapping". If so, then agreed, yes, very dangerous. Half-wheeling is more of a social nicety in club rides when up front in pairs.

[Wannabe]

Herewith my take on CTCT 2018.

 

Went to the Expo on Friday around 12h00, and except for the crazy traffic getting into the City Bowl and around the Stadium, it was an effortless affair.

Walked in, did my scan to enter, walked up to the first open counter, and scanned my chip again. Young man behind the counter obviously learned a few things from the Thursday fiasco, and quickly checked my "race pack" for correctness, gave me my plastic bag with useless stuff, and I was on my way within a minute.

Inside the expo I walked through the stalls, did my entry for the Dr Evil Classic competition, bought myself a club sandwich and an Energade at the P&P foodstall, and left. All within half an hour. Traffic back home to the N/'burbs is an subject on its own.

 

Sunday morning I found a parking nice and early close to the finish line, right next to the Circle. I cycled to the start, right into my starting pen, and waited for the rest of my friends to arrive. No hassle, no stress!!

Ended up right at the back of 1H when the gun went off, and set off at a rather sedate pace. By the time we got on Nelson Mandela Blvd, the bunch was almost over the rise already. Myself and 4 of my CellC clad friends then upped our pace, and left the rest of the group behind.

Only place we had a bit of congestion was up the Wynberg climb, a little bit on the Blue Route (although the bunch was not as big as in previous years) and again on Smitswinkel.

Rest of the time it was 10 - 20 guys max, even up Chappies and Suikerbossie.

 

Because of the rather un-congested road, and the favorable wind, we made good progress, and was on a sub 3 pace / split going over Smitswinkel, the five of us working well together.

Somewhere before Chappies we shed one guy, and one chap got away from us, so there was only 3 left going up Chappies.

My friend (who did his 21'st Argus yesterday), then developed an issue with his cassette, the lockring worked itself loose (obviously not tightened enough after swopping it over onto the deep sections early morning when he saw the favorable conditions) so we tapped off to nurse him to the nearest Technical station. Chappies was took at a rather sedate pace, the focus now on getting him to the technical station, so that he can finish his 21'st. We freewheeled down Chappies and took it slow to Complete Cyclist, where they quickly tightened the cassette lockring.

We then upped the pace a bit to at least come in with a fairly decent time, but there were no fast bunches we could latch onto, and we ended up forming a small group of about 15 riders, with only a few interested in working at the front. 

 

My buddy and myself crossed the line together, completing his 21st and my 15th Argus in a time of 3:25 and a few seconds. We both are happy with that, as our goal was anything under 3:30. Without the "mechanical", we might even have got close to 3:15.

 

At no stage did I feel threatened or endangered by my fellow riders, mostly because there were so few other riders about, and the few of us in our little grupetto worked together well.

We had one clown joining in from the back just past Llandudno, and he shouted at us not to wheelsuck, and each take his turn at the front. For his punishment he was left on the front for a little longer than necessary, everytime he got to the front. He popped just before Bakoven (Sorry about that Jan  )

 

All in all, a very enjoyable "race", Kudos to the org's, the new start area worked really well, it was a breeze getting in and into your loading pen.

 

The only blemish on an otherwise brilliant day was the three rather unfortunate deaths. R.I.P guys.

Edited March 12, 2018 by Wannabe

[Neville Bailey]

My experience of yesterday's CTCT.

 

https://youtu.be/3J_C4VXWDTA

[Mamil]

The competitive nature of group riding is one aspect of this to be sure. I can't help but wonder if we aren't underempasising that bunch riding is also a collaborative endeavour. My safety is in your hands and yours is in mine. Funnily enough my pb is in your hands and yours in.mine assuming we are of similar ability.

 

I love the idea of training. Maybe we should have to show attendance at a racing skills workshop before being seeded in 1 or 2?

[daniemare]

Don't mean to be picky - but do you mean "overlapping". If so, then agreed, yes, very dangerous. Half-wheeling is more of a social nicety in club rides when up front in pairs.

Yes that.  When I started it was explained to me as half wheeling.  And that is actually to the point, if we have more focus on bunch safety, we will all know these things, and the dangers thereof.

[DJR]

...............My point is - how many accidental deaths is OK before someone says lets look at this properly. ............

This was the 3rd death caused by a crash / trauma in the 40 years of the Argus. Several others deaths were due to medical issues, mostly heart attacks. The marshals death is the 1st time anything like that happened. There is no race on earth that is perfect and I am sure that the safety aspect can and will be improved.

 

Personally, I have found that a marshal with a loudhailer is much more effective than one with a red flag in warning approaching riders of danger. (The very quirky guy at the end of the M3 is a good example.) 

Edited March 12, 2018 by DJR

[Pure Savage]

i shouted for most of the bunch from $ to around the 2C-2D batches, we were on Wynberg Hill and Suikerbossie!

Much appreciated!! I was dead

[walkerr]

Yes that.  When I started it was explained to me as half wheeling.  And that is actually to the point, if we have more focus on bunch safety, we will all know these things, and the dangers thereof.

 

Agreed. I've also called it half-wheeling more than a few times because that seems like a much better term to describe it. Maybe they should rename the original term

Edited March 12, 2018 by walkerr