Reversed Route 94.7 2018

[Pieter-za]

Honest question: I am assuming E Bikes have a separate category? Their finish time is measured only against other E Bikes?

http://www.cyclechallenge.co.za/cyclechallengeterms

E-Bikes may be ridden only if the participant selects the E-bike category when entering online.

1. The definition which distinguishes E-bikes permitted to enter this race are as follows:
   1. the pedal-assist, i.e. the motorised assistance that only engages when the rider is pedalling, cuts out once 25 km/h is reached (ie no permanently powered bicycles), AND
   2. when the motor produces maximum continuous rated power of not more than 250 watts
2. An E-bike cyclist may not start or attempt to start before his/her designated start group. Any cyclist who does so will be disqualified. A cyclist may move down to a slower start group without being penalised.
3. E-bikes may not be ridden in any racing categories (CSA licensed categories) / qualify for any prizemoney. E-Bike results will be marked as such in Racetec results and may not be used for seeding for other cycling events.
4. Members of Cycling SA who participates in sanctioned events on an E-Bike will also forfeit any potential claim for medical assistance, as the use of E-Bikes falls outside of the scope of the federation’s rules and regulations.
5. Participants riding E-bikes must adhere to all the rules of the race.
6. Should an E-bike participant change his entry to / from an E-bike category without properly applying for such a change through the Race Office, he / she will be disqualified. No protest will be entertained in this regard.

[s14phoenix]

MORE than adequate signage and marshals to warn cyclists of those bumps so the 65km/h is your own risk (read:stupidity) in my opinion. 

 

I am sure all the racing bunches did the same across them and unfortunately we don't have the luxury of time to slow down adequately to make them "safe" - this has always been a problem when they where towards the end or the towards the start now. Fresh or not you hope everyone's skills is up to par to negotiate them.

 

It is not a new risk and yes they are marked and marshalled but you either risk or drop off. I just think another measure can be made to smooth them out a bit for race day.

[Nibali]

I am sure all the racing bunches did the same across them and unfortunately we don't have the luxury of time to slow down adequately to make them "safe" - this has always been a problem when they where towards the end or the towards the start now. Fresh or not you hope everyone's skills is up to par to negotiate them.

 

It is not a new risk and yes they are marked and marshalled but you either risk or drop off. I just think another measure can be made to smooth them out a bit for race day.

 

The one bump had a bit of tar added to decrease the angle you hit it at. This might be a good approach to follow for the rest. Because I cannot agree more with the bit in bold.

[Sidersky]

http://www.cyclechallenge.co.za/cyclechallengeterms

Thank you.

[Fr33rider]

Well he was on a motorbike if I read that right?

You did read correctly.

I also peeled off at the Riversands boulevard turn.

[Fr33rider]

I am sure all the racing bunches did the same across them and unfortunately we don't have the luxury of time to slow down adequately to make them "safe" - this has always been a problem when they where towards the end or the towards the start now. Fresh or not you hope everyone's skills is up to par to negotiate them.

 

It is not a new risk and yes they are marked and marshalled but you either risk or drop off. I just think another measure can be made to smooth them out a bit for race day.

One poor guy ended up in the river at the bottom of that downhill section.

[NotSoBigBen]

http://www.cyclechallenge.co.za/cyclechallengeterms

 

Assuming all e-bike riders did select that category ..... #EkSeMaarNet

[Spoke101]

I am sure all the racing bunches did the same across them and unfortunately we don't have the luxury of time to slow down adequately to make them "safe" - this has always been a problem when they where towards the end or the towards the start now. Fresh or not you hope everyone's skills is up to par to negotiate them.

 

It is not a new risk and yes they are marked and marshalled but you either risk or drop off. I just think another measure can be made to smooth them out a bit for race day.

 

I thought that the Steyn City bumps were very well prepared with the added tar and are about as good as you ever going to get, I found the ones just before Mandela Bridge way worse and required a little hop over them.

 

Personally if a rider is not comfortable going over those Steyn bumps at 70kph then I'm not comfortable racing bar to bar with them.

[Pieter-za]

Kudu's to the guy I passed riding a Unicycle on the M1, cant have been easy. 

[Gcee]

Honest question: I am assuming E Bikes have a separate category? Their finish time is measured only against other E Bikes?

These guys started with me in group JJ...so no, there was no special category...what complicates this further is that next year they will have a even better seeding compared to someone/me who grinded their a%% off the whole day to get a better seeding next year...

 

My suggestion would be that if ebikes are allowed they should be the last group to start...and there should be at least a 20 min gap between them and the last unassisted participants.

[Cyclewizz]

You did read correctly.

I also peeled off at the Riversands boulevard turn.

 

Next year you need to do it on a KTM WITHOUT a motor !!

[Frosty]

I thought that the Steyn City bumps were very well prepared with the added tar and are about as good as you ever going to get, I found the ones just before Mandela Bridge way worse and required a little hop over them.

 

Personally if a rider is not comfortable going over those Steyn bumps at 70kph then I'm not comfortable racing bar to bar with them.

I found the guys that can't corner at speed as bad as the guys that can't bunny hop a speed bump.

 

I was fortunate to be off my group just before the Mandela bridge - so was able to go almost full speed through the right hand corner after the bridge.

 

 

 

Kudu's to the guy I passed riding a Unicycle on the M1, cant have been easy. 

He was walking at the exit from Steyn City when VD went passed, so he must have done well to get to the M1 by the time your/your group passed him.

[Spoke101]

VC was fun.  No breaks got away on the day.  Group of around 25 guys remained after the first 40km.

 

Was totally awesome.  

 

New route is for sure harder.  The resting after every climb is much less and the climbs are brutal.

Well done. You guy's were hauling A$$!!!

[Cyclewizz]

These guys started with me in group JJ...so no, there was no special category...what complicates this further is that next year they will have a even better seeding compared to someone/me who grinded their a%% off the whole day to get a better seeding next year...

 

My suggestion would be that if ebikes are allowed they should be the last group to start...and there should be at least a 20 min gap between them and the last unassisted participants.

 

The E Bikes also irritate me.

Never saw any yesterday but have ridden in a bunch with E Bikes and when there's a hill they just create chaos !!!

 

I think at the 94.7 they should start 20min before the Elites.

Like that nobody will even know that they there.

[Frosty]

Two guys cruised past me on ebikes, having a chat, on that last big climb after Kyalami. I wondered to myself if they would share my sense of accomplishment after the race.

On my way home, I saw two guys on the M1, both riding Giant e-MTB's and they were struggling... probably ran out of juice and had to carry the extra weight for the remainder of the route.

[Frosty]

I see the time on the Racetec website are a bit "faster" than their app was showing yesterday.

 

Does anybody know where the time started ?

Normally it starts as the gun goes off but then there was the timing mat after the "neutral" zone.

The Racetec App was 1min faster than my Garmin, Ractec website is 3min faster than my Garmin.

Normally my Garmin time is between 30-60 seconds slower than the Racetec time.

Racetec: 2:45:06

App: 2:46:44

Garmin: 2:47:28

 

I started my time when they said go, and had about 10s of standing time at the start line.