[Event] Medihelp Stellenbosch Cycle Tour

[DieselnDust]

I have raced in an elite bunch, yes. Stupid of so called "elite" cyclists to think they own both lanes of a major road. Are they full time pros?  Some of the comments above show more evidence of this stupidity. Especially Sidmouth's. But I guess it will take drastic action for these super elite pros to admit any responsibility.

 

so you've raced elite and you've never crossed the white line....?

 

I bow before you oh great one

[buchanan]

This is the entire foundation of this thread, the dangers and alternatives, not that you have contributed, we are discussing option on how to make it safer, 180 Elite riders cannot ride in single file. but you will not know this, why do I get the feeling we are speaking to some overweight dude on his mountain bike, in pink lycra with a 5 litre saddle bag  

LMAO, I don't know why you get that feeling? Only you know why.

Who said anything about single file? How about just one whole lane?

What exactly haven't I contributed?

Why do I get the feeling we are speaking to some dude with a really low IQ?

Edited January 21, 2019 by buchanan

[thisismyotherbike]

Ad hominem (Latin for "to the person"), short for argumentum ad hominem, is a fallacious argumentative strategy whereby genuine discussion of the topic at hand is avoided by instead attacking the character, motive, or other attribute of the person making the argument, or persons associated with the argument, rather than attacking the substance of the argument itself.

 

source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ad_hominem

[DieselnDust]

LMAO, I don't know why you get that feeling? Only you know why.

Who said anything about single file? How about just one whole lane?

What exactly haven't I contributed?

Why do I get the feeling we are speaking so some dude with a really low IQ?

 

 

Ok can you explain how do this? After 30yrs of Racing I still can't figure it out..

When I hang on the left I get stuff behind the blown.

When on the right I get pushed out into oncoming traffic.

 

So could devise a strategy and mechanism that racers can follow to prevent the alleged floor crossing. I'd be really keen to hear your thoughts on this

[NickGM]

In an elite bunch of 180+ riders? If there's no space, there is no space. So alternative solutions will have to be found. That's the point of this discussion. No one is trying to justify our actions, but unfortunately it's the nature of racing.

 

So we either need full rolling road closures or smaller bunches or some other solution perhaps.

 

Edit: Yes, most of them are full time pros. And some of us are very lucky to be able to ride there.

 

Are you referring to $ group? If so, I'm pretty sure that most of them are not full time pros. On sunday there would have been a handful of pros, but the large majority were 9-5 guys (and ladies) who train a lot and have some talent. 

[Thor Buttox]

Gees, sounds like the close shaves in the race were sponsored by Gillette.

[Stricker]

LMAO, I don't know why you get that feeling? Only you know why.

Who said anything about single file? How about just one whole lane?

What exactly haven't I contributed?

Why do I get the feeling we are speaking so some dude with a really low IQ?

 

Crossing the white line only happens when cross winds are at play, $ don't just decide to ride across both lanes for the fun of it. But you will need to ride there to understand.

 

 

 

That being said, at least 2km of this was covered by marshals and without realising this we had a rolling road closures going, yes maybe forced but we had it with marshals warning the cars ahead and the cars actually giving way.

 

Real problem started when the break was way ahead and required the marshal/s to move up leaving the peloton "unprotected" and this is where the problem is and will always be, basically groups that are dropped.

[LeoKnight]

Reading all the comments here I am sure that we won't be getting long distance races again in the S Suburbs again.

[Skubarra]

Reading all the comments here I am sure that we won't be getting long distance races again in the S Suburbs again.

 

Ja but you are not a pro and what would you know if you haven't ridden in $ bunch...

 

Geez, I sincerely hope members of public who think cyclists are selfish %%^'s with entitlement issues don't see this thread.

[Marco Crow]

With all the complaints traffic was always going to backed up i enjoyed the race this is only my second SCT and happy with my time of 3h18 i will come back again next year why so serious guys.????

[Max Headroom]

I enjoyed the tour. In 1B we had a super fast group and all stuck to the rules. My starting time was 6:21 and I was there an hour earlier as suggested by the organiser. Those who missed the start need to get up earlier.

 

 

Yup, I also went earlier

 

- all the sms and emails about the access told me it was going to be a F up.  But if as you say, everyone must come earlier - then we would have had the major traffic jam starting an hour earlier - so that is not the overall solution for the current venue.

Basically the limited entrances and poor direction, narrow lane distances and marshall arrangements within the park caused the problem.

Even if everyone was earlier, those hundreds of cars parked along the outer roads would not have made it.

I just made sure I was at the further Drakenstein side entrance well before 6 am closing time.

 

Great route - I like HellsH so late in the race - but the flat-ish first 30km was a mad max heart rate sprint.

[Max Headroom]

So who is signing up for SCT the encore ?  Next weekend it is the PPA Simonsvlei race, which is basically the same as this weekends race, just with a different start point (and PPA marshals)

 

I think we will have a lot of riders. Many peeps trying to get Argus (CTCT) race fit.

Lets just hope our legs don't let us down on Sunday following from  Saturday's grinding on the Porcupine MTB.

[Pure Savage]

The elite group should be no larger than 100 riders, max.

[Max Headroom]

Wrong side of the road:

To the critics, Let me explain a bit about what happens -  without name calling.

There is no point in shouting at the 'faster' riders for being the trouble makers. Nobody sits at home planning to ride across the white line or on the wrong side of the road.

 

Its all about the bunch size.

 

Crossing the white line becomes inevitable when the bunches are too big. Its not just % # sign etc groups. The perception is that the front guys are baddies just because It generally is not seen nor happens further back (specially in the cape where routes can't stay flat for long) Because  where such large groups seldom form due the hilly route and these riders do not have the same ability (speed, fitness, strength, determination  etc.) to stay together etc.  In other provinces and routes that are very flat the problems of crossing the white line happens at the back groups as well

 

Even in the fastest groups, the bunch seldom goes over the white line deliberately unless:-

 

- there is a sudden slow down in pace (for what ever reason) Riders can' t just slam on brakes so everything gets bunched up and fills the road. Problem; Bunch was too big.

 

- Or with a gradual slow down, everyone wants to move up closer to the front to improve their position (usually for safety but also to make sure they don't get dropped due to gaps forming etc). So the back riders start coming around on the right, and instead of letting them pass - the riders in the middle of the bunch also try to get out, thereby pushing riders into the right opposite road lane. It is probably rude for mid bunch riders to also start moving out and overtaking i.e. causing riders coming from the back to move right. But, Due to the competitive nature of sportsman it is inevitable. Problem: Bunch was too big.

 

-Or when approaching a hill, back riders start to move further forward in order not to get spat out the back of the group - bunch widens - riders pushed across the line. (This fine if there is road closure -but not otherwise)

Problem:  Bunch was too big

.

- Or when a Rider falls or nearly falls or there is a Pothole or a water bottle or a speed bumps, or glass, or stones/sand etc. riders start moving away making the bunch wider, pushing others even wider etc. Problem : Bunch was too big

 

- Or there is a breakaway (often on a hill) and the front guys don't or can't react - then everyone has to try get past the front or bunch bulk to chase the breakaway - and soon the middle of the bunch also reacts and start pushing riders wide to go get a piece of the action.

Problem: Bunch was too big

 

- Or there is a sharp left turn - riders must keep up as much pace as possible because it is always a concertina sprint out of a turn - but then due to so many riders in the turn, riders have to go wide to prevent crashes. Problem: Bunch was too big

 

Or, the bunch spreads out wide because its the finish sprint - and who doesn't like to sprint the bunch for the finish line. (fortunately the whole road is often available for this)

[milky4130]

Stopping the % bunch twice was the right thing to do, when did you expect it to happen, only after someone gets smashed to pieces by an oncoming vehicle?

You guys were all Over the white line, it’s called a gutter where you are exposed to the wind, if you not strong enough you tap out / off & retreat to safety.

 

I also have nothing bad to say about this event. I read the letter they issued with registration regarding the situation about the entrance to the estate & road closures as well. While everyone tried cramming into the one entrance they could’ve just continued to the next exit 59 & take a traffic free route into the estate. I left after 5am & was inside & parked with time to spare & even managed to find a toilet with no queue.

[buchanan]

Stopping the % bunch twice was the right thing to do, when did you expect it to happen, only after someone gets smashed to pieces by an oncoming vehicle?

You guys were all Over the white line, it’s called a gutter where you are exposed to the wind, if you not strong enough you tap out / off & retreat to safety.

 

I also have nothing bad to say about this event. I read the letter they issued with registration regarding the situation about the entrance to the estate & road closures as well. While everyone tried cramming into the one entrance they could’ve just continued to the next exit 59 & take a traffic free route into the estate. I left after 5am & was inside & parked with time to spare & even managed to find a toilet with no queue.

 

I agree. A few of of these self appointed 'elite riders' (Are they really that 'elite'?) think their right to ride the perfect echelon includes taking up both lanes and the yellow shoulders of a major road.  Anyone who disagrees is not pro enough to understand and has apparently never been there.  I was in % yesterday (hardly a novice group) and have ridden with pro riders in the past and understand all about cross winds and echelon formations. 

The commissaire yesterday felt forced to take drastic and dangerous action himself with respect to %.

Will the elites moan when they no longer have permission to race on public roads, because of incidents like yesterday and last year's 99er on the N7?