[Event] Cape Town Cycle Tour 2018

[Jaco Steyn]

My understanding is that the first mat is not used for timing - it is just to check that you started

 

Everyone in the group is assumed to start at the same time ie when the gun goes off 

 

ie officially the okes in the front of the group don't start earlier because they roll over the start mat first, everyone in the group has the same starting time.

That's exactly how I understood it to work, as it was explained to me by a Racetec official. Since then I have always started my Garmin the moment the start signal goes off, and stopped it when I crossed the timing mat at the finish line. My recorded time and official time on the Racetec website usually corresponds very well.  

Edited March 13, 2018 by Jaco Steyn

[Skubarra]

How does that work if say you are supposed to have started in H group, but for whatever reason only start in K, is your start time the gun time for the H group?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I assume the starting mat record your time even though it is not used officially so Racetec would know in what group you started?

[Jackhorner]

I assume the starting mat record your time even though it is not used officially so Racetec would know in what group you started?

Ok, that makes sense, thanks!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SpecialK]

Day started great. Mom and I got up early, trundle down to the start line, get in the chute at I’m off at 3D, ready for a day of great riding.

I’m sitting in a nice bunch going down the Blue Route just before Ladies Mile, when I can feel someone touch my back wheel. Initially I can keep my balance, but then I feel my bike disappear underneath me and I hit the tar, 7-8 other bikes going down as well. I do a quick physical check and nothing seems to be broken. I finally manage to get up and move my bike out of the road, but my back wheel has 5 broken spokes so my race is over. One of the guys in the crash has quite a bad cut above his eye and broken collarbone, so a few of us unable to ride (as well as some helpful spectators) take care of him until the paramedics arrive.

I must have hit something during the fall cause my chest was in quite a bit of pain, so I spent a few hours in the afternoon getting checked at hospital, but I am lucky. Nothing broken, no muscle damage, I am just severely bruised. Bruised with a side of bruises… I even have a gorgeous deep red stripe on my leg where I got hit by another cyclist who couldn't avoid me lying in the road. Everything happened so fast it's a blur, so I'm not sure how I managed to avoid any and all roasties.

But I am supremely lucky. My helmet is cracked (it did its job) and my back wheel broken, but it's nothing that a bit of rest and a visit to the bike shop won't rectify.

[Jaco Steyn]

My son and I arrived back home yesterday evening after flying back from Cape Town. This, without a doubt, was my best cycle tour ever!   Not best in terms of time, but because of how much I enjoyed it! I am by no means in the league of most of the cyclists here on the Hub, being a middle aged (55), slightly overweight cyclist. My best time ever was 03:57 WAY back in 2007 and this year my time was 04:26. This was my third best time ever. After finishing without having to stop even once for water, and thought how good I felt after each of the climbs I realised that i could have pushed myself a bit harder and maybe even achieved a personal best. But, I went out with the intention to go out and enjoy a day out in the saddle enjoying the views, scenery, camaraderie and the awesome support from all the spectators. Without them this race would just not be the same.

 

My thoughts goes out to the families of those that have succumbed doing what they loved.

 

Hopefully I will be back in another year or two, but I am limiting myself after I have done 10 in succession to only once every couple of years. At about R10K for a couple of days in the Cape it isn't a cheap thrill!

To add on to this, kudos to my son for improving from just under 6 hours (05:41)for his last cycle tour to 04:11 this year! He also lost 36kg since then, and also started doing marathons. He "quickly" worked in a 1/2 marathon the weekend befo re the "Argus", finishing it in 1:53.

 

He is currently riding with my 2008 Raleigh RC4500 with sneakers and strap in pedals.

[Mountain_Goat]

'How does that work if say you are supposed to have started in H group, but for whatever reason only start in K, is your start time the gun time for the H group?'

 

To put it simply, I think the first mats are just there to confirm what group you start in. Once racetec confirms the group you in, they do a calculation and everyone confirmed to be in that group via the mat gets the same start time.

 

This was also something new that I learnt this year, always thought it was mat to mat timing.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited March 13, 2018 by Mountain_Goat

[Meezo]

Thanks Meezo - saw you guys on both the hills.  David (in the buggy) Gavin and i managed to sneak in at 3hrs27.  was pretty broken but stoked.  awesome day out there.

 

Really sad about the deaths and my heart goes out to the families dealing with the loss.

 

IMG-20180311-WA0009.jpg

IMG-20180311-WA0001.jpeg

 

WELL DONE!

 

you guys were really inspirational! David looked like he was having an absolute ball of time, yourself and Gavin on the other hand

[s14phoenix]

To add on to this, kudos to my son for improving from just under 6 hours (05:41)for his last cycle tour to 04:11 this year! He also lost 36kg since then, and also started doing marathons. He "quickly" worked in a 1/2 marathon the weekend befo re the "Argus", finishing it in 1:53.

 

He is currently riding with my 2008 Raleigh RC4500 with sneakers and strap in pedals.

 

Nice but get the boy some proper shoes and pedals man.

[Americo]

Hi Guys

 

Sharing the video of the race, I started on @ at 6:23

 

Hope you enjoy

 

[FootballingCyclist]

My understanding is that the first mat is not used for timing - it is just to check that you started

 

Everyone in the group is assumed to start at the same time ie when the gun goes off 

 

ie officially the okes in the front of the group don't start earlier because they roll over the start mat first, everyone in the group has the same starting time.

Ok shot for clearing that up..

[Li Mu Bai]

snip snip

snip snip

. So after that Gantry and mat we and slack off thinking its the end of the race. I stop my Garmin at 2:59 and a few secs. We then spot another mat and start going for it again. And then another and the finish sign with the final mat. Having stopped my Garmin for a few secs I pressed start again but I new that my time would be off. I was however hoping that somehow I could just come under but it wasn't meant to be. I also started my Garmin when the gun went off and heard the announcer saying that timing starts from the first mat but evidently it didn't. Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the race and it certainly tested my resolve and what I'm capable of. See you next year CTCT! (God willing)

You NEVER slack off until you have that coke/waterbottle/medal in your hand.

Those timing mats are sneeky - there is always one around the next corner.

been there done that...

[HdB]

Ask the okes in 1D - they seemed quite adept at leaving me on the front while pretending to not be there. It's amazing how skinny and quiet some guys can be when trying to hide on your back wheel.

 

It's much easier to just settle in and ride a tempo than hopelessly flap an arm and trust that someone will come through. After all - everyone is saving themselves for the "sprint" for 700th place!

 

I tried doing my bit, up to Smitswinkel at least, ended up paying for it up Chappies and Suikerbossie. Thankfully I got a bit of a second wind from Camps Bay onwards.

I see the first 1D riders did 2h47! I lost a full five minutes from half-way up Chappies.

 

No smooth rolling through; people in second/third/etc. wheel not rolling through then you have to go around them, wasting energy; or they go through with such a speed that you have to close a big gap. Pity so few people are willing to give just a short turn at the front, then everybody's time could have been better.

[Mike 1]

anyone know what was the fastest time done on a mountain bike WITH nobbies?

[Wannabe]

I know of a 2:58 from 1C Full on DS with knobblies. 

[Bonus]

Day started great . . .

 

I must have hit something during the fall cause my chest was in quite a bit of pain,  . . .

 

You may have hit your handlebars or stem with your chest on the way down - did it myself once.

[Headshot]

Watched the end of a pro stage race last night. Fat crash 5ks from the end and these are skilled riders. I crash on my mtb all the time but in 14 CTCTs and numerous fun rides in the 1990s I've only been taken down once in a bunch crash. In my mind that's a pretty good indication that on the whole road riding is a lot less likely to hurt you... as long as you ride defensively of course.