Must do Races

[SwissVan]

hey ladies and gents,

 

Having done the 94.7 for the first time this year (4:54) i would like to delve a little further into this road thing.

 

Along with some proper training a few times a week, eating healthy and cutting back on the beer, i would like to do some races in the coming year leading up to the cycle challenge where i'm hoping hard work will pay off.

 

Which races would you guys recommend? i would like to stick to Gauteng for convenience sake but wont mind driving within reason.

The Star 100

The mother of all 94,7s

[Jay_B]

I wouldnt recommend a racing licence your first year doing the road races on a more serious level, rather ride open seeded and work on your seeding index and how to race competitively in a peleton.

 

We are pretty much spoilt for choice in gauteng for races, although a lot of them use the same roads in different variations (Emporers, Macsteel, R4S, 100 cycle challenge)

 

I see you based in Walkerville so plenty of groups to meet up with coming through Walkerville on a saturday morning, and a lot of beautiful roads to use for training from where you based.

[Mamil]

I read the topic header as a command "Must do races".

 

So I've obeyed his imperative - despite an undertaking given to SO while I had glandular fever a few months back that I was going to put my bike racing into its proper perspective in my life ... Here's the racing calendar until the CTCT

 

Jan 20 Stellenbosch Cycle Tour

JAn 27 Cyclo  sportif 1

Feb 2 - Fairtree 60km MTB Day 1

Feb 3 : Paarl Cycle Tour

Feb 9 - 99er cycle tour

Feb 17 - Sportif 2

Feb 24 - Tour de PPA

Mar 2 - CTCT MTB 60k 

Mar 9 - CTCT

 

So exciting!!!!

 

Have I left anything out? Good Hope ja --- maybe next year?

 

 

[dave303e]

Freedom challenge....

Munga...

[Jensie]

Eish, you want the guy to stop riding in his 1st year, that is hardcore stuff and you need a mind that cannot be broken, I am riding more that 10years and still not contemplating doing it. Maluti Double and DC is the farthest I will go. 

 

Freedom challenge....

Munga...

[FourieR]

Lesotho Sky. Small field, but massive stoke and unreal trails. www.lesothosky.com 

[Skubarra]

I read the topic header as a command "Must do races".

 

So I've obeyed his imperative - despite an undertaking given to SO while I had glandular fever a few months back that I was going to put my bike racing into its proper perspective in my life ... Here's the racing calendar until the CTCT

 

Jan 20 Stellenbosch Cycle Tour

JAn 27 Cyclo  sportif 1

Feb 2 - Fairtree 60km MTB Day 1

Feb 3 : Paarl Cycle Tour

Feb 9 - 99er cycle tour

Feb 17 - Sportif 2

Feb 24 - Tour de PPA

Mar 2 - CTCT MTB 60k 

Mar 9 - CTCT

 

So exciting!!!!

 

Have I left anything out? Good Hope ja --- maybe next year?

 

Re Good Hope - 6 of the 7 road races on your list are variations of the same routes around Paardeberg.

 

Good Hope would give you more variation in one event than the 6 above. Racing Franschoek Pass, Du Toitskloof (both ways), Bainskloof are proper cycling experiences.

 

If you like road cycling make an effort to do it one year, only problem now is that they don't have individual entries anymore, you have to make up a team (not sure if the minimum is 6 or 4) 

[Pure Savage]

The only must do race is the Double Century. Everything else is a training ride. I mean Nibali used this years GT's to train for it!

[Mamil]

True that...

 

I had my finger on the enter button and then read they only have individual entries for juniors and u23.

 

Next year!

 

Re Good Hope - 6 of the 7 road races on your list are variations of the same routes around Paardeberg.

 

Good Hope would give you more variation in one event than the 6 above. Racing Franschoek Pass, Du Toitskloof (both ways), Bainskloof are proper cycling experiences.

 

If you like road cycling make an effort to do it one year, only problem now is that they don't have individual entries anymore, you have to make up a team (not sure if the minimum is 6 or 4)

[Pure Savage]

Re Good Hope - 6 of the 7 road races on your list are variations of the same routes around Paardeberg.

 

Good Hope would give you more variation in one event than the 6 above. Racing Franschoek Pass, Du Toitskloof (both ways), Bainskloof are proper cycling experiences.

 

If you like road cycling make an effort to do it one year, only problem now is that they don't have individual entries anymore, you have to make up a team (not sure if the minimum is 6 or 4) 

Thinking of doing TGH next year in a social team :/

[dave303e]

Eish, you want the guy to stop riding in his 1st year, that is hardcore stuff and you need a mind that cannot be broken, I am riding more that 10years and still not contemplating doing it. Maluti Double and DC is the farthest I will go. 

 

The only way to make an unbreakable mind, is to really test it

[Skubarra]

Saw they just changed the rules - you can now enter TOGH as a solo rider as well 

[CASSIE1975]

I would say the Amashova is one of the top candidates, especially in preparing for the next 94.7.  The Ofm Classic (or whatever the new name is or if it got revived) was good.

Panorama Tour is an absolute must.

Then the Kremetart should not be forgotten as well.

 

Cape Town cycle tour should be done at least maybe once but I would rather say rather make it a mission to go and cycle in Cape Town surroundings in general.

 

+100000000000...although I haven't been privileged enough to do a LOT of road races (mainly the Gauteng races, Bloem and Argus), but have done Kremetart twice and must be the happiest day/s on the saddle of my bike. It's a bit of a drive, but a MUST...try to plan it into your schedule in the next year or 3      make a lekker weekend of it...one day road race with 175km's devided into 4 stages...you can thank me later 

[Long Wheel Base]

Pretty much all the local races mentioned are boring and should only be done for seeding/training IMHO. Ride for sight is good if you doing Argus to get an idea of your time you will do at ArgusCTCT. Carnival city is probably the most well organised race in Gauteng. The kremetart is not local but it should definitely be done at least once. 

But you asked for must do races to improve 947. So how many weeks do you want to train for? Are you including a base in winter? What time would you like to do at 947?

WRT a license, I would get a normal CSA license and not a domestic racing license.

[Frosty]

My 2c worth:

A day licence is R35 per event compared to the R325 to purchase a CyclingSA membership (R250 for CSA and R75 for your region).

 

325 / 35 = 9.28571428571

 

You can effectively do 9 races before a membership works out cheaper. The membership benefits are not that good, but there's a few threads that discuss this in more detail.

[Jensie]

And You need to be part of a club if I am correct or not??

My 2c worth:

A day licence is R35 per event compared to the R325 to purchase a CyclingSA membership (R250 for CSA and R75 for your region).

 

325 / 35 = 9.28571428571

 

You can effectively do 9 races before a membership works out cheaper. The membership benefits are not that good, but there's a few threads that discuss this in more detail.