[Event] Medihelp Stellenbosch Cycle Tour

[daniemare]

Why take a scenic tour through the whole estate to park?.

So that the MAMILS on their R100,000 bikes can see the very many new stands on this “prestigious and award winning” estate close to nothing and buy one.

 

(And I guess Stellies Muni said now way after very many rich omies and tannies in Mostertsdrift and Jonkershoek complained about a whole day of traffic around that area, ignoring the fact that some business in town loves the feet)

[dev null]

So that the MAMILS on their R100,000 bikes can see the very many new stands on this “prestigious and award winning” estate close to nothing and buy one.

 

(And I guess Stellies Muni said now way after very many rich omies and tannies in Mostertsdrift and Jonkershoek complained about a whole day of traffic around that area, ignoring the fact that some business in town loves the feet)

 

Yes Danie, I agree. Having staid in Paarl for 4 years, I know that the area is a real crap location. The South Easter tunnels through there like crazy.

[babse]

So the shambles were anticipated and nothing was done about it?

 

SCT bunches are normally massive, what was different this time?

[JacquesJ]

Couldn’t agree more.....twice....and in a dangerous way. P’d me off big time

That was my biggest gripe today - no issues with getting riders back where they belong, but do it in a safe, professional way. Stopping your car across the road in front of a bunch speeding at 45km/h+ (twice!) is asking for an f-up.

At Derbie Dash the riders were MUCH further into the oncoming traffic, but the bike marshalls there did a excellent job of getting the guys in line firmly, but without risk.

 

I'll be writing to the cycletour trust on this. 

 

The venue itself is not that bad imho - if they can sort out the traffic / parking (maybe safe satellite parking areas from which you can cycle in), and better communication w.r.t the "neutral zone" at the start, I think the new route works well with Helshoogte right there where it matters

[DieselnDust]

Well the twatieniss started on the N1 already. 5km of open left hand lane because everyone was driving 100 in the overtaking lane.

Then all these tjops decided to take klapmuts and create a traffic jam on the R44 off ramp. Naturally this created a motoring FU.

I got in early via R45.

Only to be delayed by 30min in a sight seeing tour of the estate.

 

Race started 15min late

Some dude barks about the neutral zone but no one was listening so we never saw little Mr rulebook again.

The route was lekker and Hels at 65km is something else.

Still had a lekker ride from 1A.

 

Venue is nice but a total stuff up

[Tjommie]

The problem is having so many cars coming in via 1 entrance, that's the biggest stuff up.

 

The actual venue not bad. If they can sort out the parking and entrance points then it will solve the problem.

 

 

I started in 2A and yes we were a big group when we caught 1D but then again groups are way bigger in CTCT.

 

Not having full road closure will always be challenging with the numbers especially when groups merge.

 

Not easy to fix, smaller groups, bigger gap between start groups, better marshaling?

[Kom]

The problem is having so many cars coming in via 1 entrance, that's the biggest stuff up.

 

The actual venue not bad. If they can sort out the parking and entrance points then it will solve the problem.

 

 

I started in 2A and yes we were a big group when we caught 1D but then again groups are way bigger in CTCT.

 

Not having full road closure will always be challenging with the numbers especially when groups merge.

 

Not easy to fix, smaller groups, bigger gap between start groups, better marshaling?

Must say the race became interesting when 2a caught us just past Wellington, not sure why 1d to that point were out on a Sunday stroll.

 

I need to thank google maps for routing me down the R301 after the Xmas tree that had formed off the R44, got to my gate in plenty of time.

 

The dust on my clean bike sucked at the new venue - felt like a MTB event, the cycle trust need a complimentary bike wash before and after the event!

 

The official time still managed to exceed my recorded time of 02:50 which included the so called neutral zone.

[Skubarra]

I think the new route works well with Helshoogte right there where it matters

 

 

The route was lekker and Hels at 65km is something else.

Still had a lekker ride from 1A.

 

Venue is nice but a total stuff up

 

Agree, really enjoyed the change in the route with Helz at 65km

 

The traffic - have on good authority that the cycle tour trust who organise the race were properly warned about the potential chaos the limited access to venue can cause, but insisted on partnering with Val de Vie - who needs fires and riots to hurt your events when you can just shoot yourself in the foot?

 

On the big groups - all I can say on that is missing my starting bunch helped a lot, being one of the stronger riders in my group it was easy to keep to the front of the group and stay out of trouble (would not have happened if I were on time to start in my own group)

[Skubarra]

And then the finish mat is almost 4km from where the spectators and families are waiting. What an anticlimax crossing the finish with only marshalls in attendance.

 

The reason for that was the speed bumps and traffic circles inside Val de Vie - finish was initially inside the venue but moved when the organisers realised speed bumps and a sprint finish might result in some nice Youtube videos...

[Tjommie]

Just out of curiosity

 

When did everyone press start on their computers.

If I recall, the announcer said first section on paving neutral zone, once you turn left race starts.

There was only one mat at the start.

 

Seems like most guys on strava got around 99.5-99.7km, pressing start at the mat.

[LeoKnight]

Just out of curiosity

 

When did everyone press start on their computers.

If I recall, the announcer said first section on paving neutral zone, once you turn left race starts.

There was only one mat at the start.

 

Seems like most guys on strava got around 99.5-99.7km, pressing start at the mat.

Jip. Started my timer when our group started within the estate and it is the same as what racetec is showing

[Karman de Lange]

Just out of curiosity

When did everyone press start on their computers.

If I recall, the announcer said first section on paving neutral zone, once you turn left race starts.

There was only one mat at the start.

Seems like most guys on strava got around 99.5-99.7km, pressing start at the mat.

They did same nonsense at argus, neutral zone till where ever and time only start then, but reality is your time starts when group leaves the starting line...

[LeoKnight]

Nice venue (and the added benefit of being able to go for a swim was a winner).

 

Having started in the tandem group we got to see a lot of the groups shooting past us and that some those groups were huge and scare especially on that downhill before you hit agter paarl

 

Parking.. that was never going to work out and we ended up parking 4km away from the venue and pedaling in, which in hindsight was the best call, but it makes you wonder how the event got signed off. I have been to others where they have limited the number of participants because of aspects like limited parking, which it seemed that they expected but not understanding that lots of humans prefer to pitch up as late as possible.

 

On the route, having done the cyclesportif simonsvlei before a number of times, it was not so much of a surprise to not have Hellsh at the start and always thought it would make for a nice change of venue, but now thinking that the one benefit is the fact that hells do break up the groups a bit which only happened much later now than normal. What is the ideal solution? I am not sure as expect starting at a school maybe in paarl I am not sure what is an other viable option.... but then for sure they cant call it stell cycle tour anymore, val de vie as a central location is already a push.

[buchanan]

I guess that's why everyone races through the neutral zone like bats out of hell...they know the timers have already started, despite what the announcer said.

[Skubarra]

Parking.. that was never going to work out and we ended up parking 4km away from the venue and pedaling in, which in hindsight was the best call,

 

Given the recent history of thefts from cars occurring at cycling events I just didn't feel like taking the risk of parking in the middle of nowhere. Definitely worth considering finding a safe parking spot in Paarl and ride in from there if the event is held at the same venue next year.

[dev null]

I guess that's why everyone races through the neutral zone like bats out of hell...they know the timers have already started, despite what the announcer said.

 

Yup. When they say you must not race, that is when you need to. 

 

A small breakaway formed in our group already in the neutral zone. I had to pedal my arse off to catch them. And then we caught the rear of the 2K group just when the racing was supposed to start.