[Event] Cape Town Cycle Tour 2018

[Cat2forLife]

i hear you, and I see you trying to not direct the comments at me specifically but I feel I need to answer.

Sorry if it’s been mentioned already, I’m not about to read through 100s more posts on my phone.

 

My point about achieving a good time from further back was more to highlight the fact that you’re stuck in the fun ride masses.

 

I’ve riden a good number of ctct where I’ve been in decent bunches until I’ve run out of steam.

I’ve also ridden many where ctct has been maybe the 2nd or 3rd race of the season.

 

 

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I understand that being fit, but having bad seeding means that you have to fight your way through the back markers, but my point is, if you're so fit AND CONCERNED WITH DOING A GOOD TIME, why is the CTCT your first race? Why not do a couple of races before hand to get a decent seeding with riders of the same ability. Then you are guaranteed a fast time.

 

My point is, there is more to putting in a fast time than being fit. And the preparation is more than just training.

[buchanan]

Ha ha. We didn't use all our energy to bridge the gap. There was plenty more energy when we made the catch. We rode into the back of 1D at about Edinburgh Drive, and then managed to work our way to the front by the Blue Route. Then we pretty much played Pacman on the front with anyone who wanted to help out up front. But ask any 1D riders, we sure as hell weren't wheelsucking... In fact, I'd say we helped more than a few riders achieve a dream time.

 

There were about 6-8 riders in 1D who were damn strong and happy to push with us and keep the tempo, but Paris and I were on a mission and did most of the pacemaking. I think we dropped the bunch up Smits, Chappies and Suikers. We were caught again every time. We weren't trying to breakaway, just have a good day out. I think we caught the 1A bunch by the end.

 

The plan was just to be in front down Hospital Bend and also past Paradise Motors, where I've been caught out in the pro bunches a few times. Never crashed, mind you, but have witnessed carnage there. So we didn't want any of that. The real race is this weekend 

 

Obviously, we abandoned the plan completely by the time we hit the Blue Route and the red mist descended. Stoked to see a few very capable riders alongside us and we kinda decided to keep on ripping to see what happened.

 

What a day, though. Easily one of the most fun days on a road bike. Still not quite mountain biking but you can't beat the Fun Ride World Champs to keep the skinny wheel stoke high.

 

That said, even one fatality at a race that is all about fun is too many. Three is just ghastly. RIP.

 

Phenomenal ride two hands. Hats off to you and your partner. I was in 1B and you guys caught my particular grouping in the Sunnydale area. When I glanced over to the right, I noticed a handful of 1D's coming through. I didn't realize at the time that the real heroes were the two 1E guys who instigated the carnage!

 

On a side note, we met a few years ago before the Mont Ventoux stage of the Tour de France (2013). I was with our mutual friend, Roy. We went for a ride and a beer then watched the stage up on the mountain the following day.  I recall you had ridden up the Mont Ventoux three times the same day a couple of days before!

[Shebeen]

You can tell we've thought this through:

 

We probably need to start at around 2 for a nice gentle lap of the Peninsula. Then we'd get back just in time for the race snake start, where we'd have to hang on for dear life (you should see my wheel sucking skills when my life depends on it) and hopefully we get to finish at around 9:30 - just in time for the last lap, which would include several beer stops (we've been practising that last lap for several years now and really know how to pace ourselves, both on the bike and in the pubs!).

 

i think Frail did exactly this back in the day

[LeoKnight]

Did anyone chat to the guy that had the carrier bags on his bike?  Supposedly he rode from Limpopo to do the ride, and arrived the Friday on his bike.

[Tim Brink]

You can tell we've thought this through:

 

We probably need to start at around 2 for a nice gentle lap of the Peninsula. Then we'd get back just in time for the race snake start, where we'd have to hang on for dear life (you should see my wheel sucking skills when my life depends on it) and hopefully we get to finish at around 9:30 - just in time for the last lap, which would include several beer stops (we've been practising that last lap for several years now and really know how to pace ourselves, both on the bike and in the pubs!).

Great plan. You will finish around 14h00, leaving 4 1/2 hours of daylight for lap four.

 

Sorry. Not sorry.

[dev null]

i think Frail did exactly this back in the day

 

Frail was/is a special kind of crazy. 

[Harryn]

What an awesome ride.

 

Fat shlumps and old farts morph into heroes. That is the magic of Argus day.

[The Ouzo]

I understand that being fit, but having bad seeding means that you have to fight your way through the back markers, but my point is, if you're so fit AND CONCERNED WITH DOING A GOOD TIME, why is the CTCT your first race? Why not do a couple of races before hand to get a decent seeding with riders of the same ability. Then you are guaranteed a fast time.

 

My point is, there is more to putting in a fast time than being fit. And the preparation is more than just training.

I think you’re missing my point completely.

A good time for the fun rider packs is sub 4:30, hardly racing snake time.

Everyone has their goal, not everyone can dedicate the time and money needed to cycling.

I for one, whilst having just completed my 14th CTCT have had to skip many of them over the last 20years due to time and budget constraints.

 

My point is that riding with the masses means it’s very much a solo ride dodging everyone, where as the leading groups tend to organize themselves into bunches and kind of work together, they are mostly not all over the show and thus it’s easier to achieve sub 4 and lower.

 

But that is why they have seeding, I’m not complaining that I have to start so far back, I’m merely pointing out that the achievements of those further back and the added struggles they have should not be over looked.

 

This year I chose to ride slow, it was my 71 year old dad first CTCT and I was there to literally push him up the hills.

But we knew we were slow and stuck left as much as possible.

 

 

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[eddy]

I understand that being fit, but having bad seeding means that you have to fight your way through the back markers, but my point is, if you're so fit AND CONCERNED WITH DOING A GOOD TIME, why is the CTCT your first race? Why not do a couple of races before hand to get a decent seeding with riders of the same ability. Then you are guaranteed a fast time.

 

My point is, there is more to putting in a fast time than being fit. And the preparation is more than just training.

 

Because I only do races with full road closure which limits me to CTCT and 94.7, the latter I always do on my SS MTB. I will therefore never have "a decent seeding" but that does not stop me from competing against the course and aiming for a good time.

 

This year I was "seeded" in 3c (re-seeded into 2E) and rode mostly by myself, staying out of trouble but never in a bunch (ie having a cyclist on both sides of me) for any length of time.

 

I did a 3h13, more than happy with that as a fat old man pushing 60 who "races" once every three years.

[eddy]

New seedings are out, if the jump in my seeding is any indication A bunch is going to be pretty crowded place next spring....     

 

Where do you see seedings ?

[Vetplant]

Where do you see seedings ?

Presumably at:

http://www.pedalpower.org.za/seeding/

[Shebeen]

I understand that being fit, but having bad seeding means that you have to fight your way through the back markers, but my point is, if you're so fit AND CONCERNED WITH DOING A GOOD TIME, why is the CTCT your first race? Why not do a couple of races before hand to get a decent seeding with riders of the same ability. Then you are guaranteed a fast time.

 

My point is, there is more to putting in a fast time than being fit. And the preparation is more than just training.

 

 

an answer specific to this year.

for many people, Argus is their only road race

 

with 2017 being blown out, it meant they went back to 2016 as the only gauge.

a lot of the seeding races in the cape are more than a year in advance (ie. a feb 2018 race gets you seeding for march 2019 argus).

 

You can query your seeding, in my experience this year i did get bumped up by 30minutes, I still ended up in the top3% of my new group.

 

In my mind they could put a lot more discretion in reseeding, if you've done a 2:45 from A batch in 2015 but missed 2016 should still be pretty quick. BUT looking it at their side, the process is quite transparent - do more races and you can bump yourself up within a year. OUTCOME more people doing races.

 

not sure if that is the intention, but I'm happy with that outcome.

(and will probably do one tonner and tour de stellenbosch with this in mind)

 

edit:just checked seedings. with 4 qualifying events all with time penalties my seeding was 86. after sunday I'm now down to 30.8. happy to see the process work

Edited March 13, 2018 by Shebeen

[tubed]

Great plan. You will finish around 14h00, leaving 4 1/2 hours of daylight for lap four.

 

Sorry. Not sorry.

I sort of had an idea like this,ie leave home at 2am, ride to start (20km), do lap 1, finish at about 6:30 (coffee and eat) and then line up for lap two and ride home (25km). 

Instead I did 140km ride to Philadelphia for coffee and back and then rode to start and home after 1 lap on Sunday, ended with 296km in 2 days. 

This silliness because I entered another funride in June which now requires some training.

 

What makes all of the above very doable is perfect weather Sat and Sun - add some wind in there and more than 1lap of anything sounds uninteresting. 

[tubed]

Tjom, you are living my dream! Go balls-to-the-wall to catch any rabbit ahead of you. Keep doing it for as long as you can!

 

Good luck with the fun starting this weekend.

Wow Nic! this sums it up - a proper chase around the deep South.

Just revised my Epic predictions - that's some serious effort showing the dedication of proper training.

Looks like if you lads can keep the equipment functioning the way it should ( I think you are due some good luck in that department), then this might just be the year.

Looking forward to following your Epic dream this year.

[cpelser]

I think you’re missing my point completely.

A good time for the fun rider packs is sub 4:30, hardly racing snake time.

Everyone has their goal, not everyone can dedicate the time and money needed to cycling.

I for one, whilst having just completed my 14th CTCT have had to skip many of them over the last 20years due to time and budget constraints.

 

My point is that riding with the masses means it’s very much a solo ride dodging everyone, where as the leading groups tend to organize themselves into bunches and kind of work together, they are mostly not all over the show and thus it’s easier to achieve sub 4 and lower.

 

But that is why they have seeding, I’m not complaining that I have to start so far back, I’m merely pointing out that the achievements of those further back and the added struggles they have should not be over looked.

 

This year I chose to ride slow, it was my 71 year old dad first CTCT and I was there to literally push him up the hills.

But we knew we were slow and stuck left as much as possible.

 

 

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This!!

 

And if it weren't for the 33 000 odd once-a-year-wonders there would be no chance of having this route closed for a bunch of 200 to race.

 

So rather than criticize, appreciate the numbers that make up the race's involvement in having the race.

 

I personally feel much more comfortable riding enduro / playful singletrack than sitting close to roadies. I'm a weekend warrior and only do it because I enjoy cycling.

 

I got on the bike 7 times this year (have an 18month old and I try to help out at home), and did a 04:25 which I'm quite proud of given my training and the fact that I made geometry changes to the bike I was on in the start chute.

[DJR]

So when do we get to talk about the biggest non-event of the CTCT?

 

The tar on Chappies.

 

I was expecting nothing short of absolute carnage, but imagine my surprise when I discovered the tar was like the tar on practically EVERY OTHER road in the Western Cape.

 

Such an anticlimax...

Yes, and with the sloppy way they did it, you can now ride right over the cat-eyes without snakebiting your expensive tubbies