Cape Town Cycle Tour 2020

[Sbloomer]

Found this vid filmed at Fishoek area

 

Have look at about 4:50 to see the one of the tiny groups

 

 

I’m in the very last second of that video, behind the one tandem. I heard you tell us there’s a sea out there [emoji23][emoji23]

[Furbz]

good for you.

I don't think i'll either ever ride it on an ebike.

'

But I'm more than happy for a bunch to ride it in their own group for their own reasons, i can't answer why they do it, I don't think i have to.

How about Elderly/sick/obese people trying to loose weight.

All these people who still want to enjoy riding while not putting undue strain on their hearts

[Rouxenator]

Its now Tuesday morning and I'm STILL numb in my 'nether regions'....

 

Anyone know a cure - or how long this will last ????

How did you get to work and back home yesterday?

[Fat Boab]

They can of course ride slower/easier?

 

How about Elderly/sick/obese people trying to loose weight.

All these people who still want to enjoy riding while not putting undue strain on their hearts

[dexterdent]

I downloaded the data as is from Racetec earlier, here's a teaser while the data is cleaned.

 

 

CTCT2020 draft 1.JPG

 

Guess which year is 2018/19/20?

 

The data is normalised as there were about 4k less finishers in 2020 (at least, as Racetec stands now).

 

I finished in 3.44 from 3G, after almost abandoning road cycling forever post-2018 CTCT, I'm glad my company gave us all an entry this year

 

Blue 2020, Orange 2019, Grey 2018 - So Blue was faster for a lot of the mid-packers, but pretty much the same at the two ends.

[3wings]

How did you get to work and back home yesterday?

 

 

On my hands and knees.     

[Long Wheel Base]

Found this vid filmed at Fishoek area 

 

Have look at about 4:50 to see the one of the tiny groups

 

That's us at 07:45 all on our own after the mechanical in Fish Hoek trying to get back to the group we had been towing.

['Dale]

Gotta love mass participation events

 

Bottles popping from cages are like hand grenades 

Cat eyes are like landmines

 

Now add 70 000 wheels and we have ourselves a party

 

The beautiful Argus

Edited March 10, 2020 by 'Dale

[Slowbee]

 

I saw many bikes on the ride - but this one at the start was just the most awesome.

 

Motorbike mirrors, greased chain (not oil) and not washed. Frayed cable shifters and peeling paint.

 

And let us not forget the stand.

 

This is why the CTCT rocks, people just out riding their bikes, any bike for a day.

 

We need more days like this.

[Slowbee]

 

Of everyone at the CTCT 2020, this guy is my hero.

 

His job, clean the porta loo's. Every time there was a gap he wiped down and brushed those porta loo's. My only gripe would be he had no gloves!! I mean seriously.

 

I was in E pen, and start number 5 with another group after us. It was 08H40 odd when I took this photo and he was still smiles. I am not sure I would be full of smiles cleaning a couple of hundred loo's all morning!!

 

#legend!

[Boerklong]

There was also the case of the local at 06:30 trying to steal a bike or something just before you get to the first gate before loading.

Heard a geraas, saw a bike fall and some dodgy dude surrounded by a lot of people very quickly.

[Mamil]

Maybe look at your position on the saddle. You are probably sitting with your weight on the perineum. (Space between your gat and your nuts). Had this before and it freaked me out and caused a good deal of consternation at home -- it will wear off in a few days.

 

Weight should be on the bones of your bum - sit bones.

 

 

 

Its now Tuesday morning and I'm STILL numb in my 'nether regions'....

 

Anyone know a cure - or how long this will last ????

[buchanan]

How about Elderly/sick/obese people trying to loose weight.

All these people who still want to enjoy riding while not putting undue strain on their hearts

They can still ride e-bikes. But does it have to be in a race?

[Clog]

I want to thank the rider in the Telkom shirt with the DC socks who helped me on the blue route. When coming down from Edinburgh Drive I hit a cateye and blew my back tyre. Luckily I managed to stop safely and was fiddling with the cartridge when this guy stopped offering his tube and help. How fabulous is that ! 

[DieselnDust]

Found this vid filmed at Fishoek area 

 

Have look at about 4:50 to see the one of the tiny groups

 

 

 

 

Didn't realise how small the @ bunch was at that stage. Some mates got shelled and went down like the HMS HOOD on Edinburgh. they said it was carnage at the back. Didn't think it  was that bad

[DieselnDust]

@ CTCT Ride report:

 

I decided to collect my number on Saturday. The week was just too full of events and family obligations so Saturday got the nod. Entry to the stadium was easy as usual with no hiccups. Walking along fan lane I couldn't help but hear the sounds of about 15,000 Uruguyan football fans singing Jamie Roos "Vamo Arriba la Celeste" ringing back to 2010.

 

Inside, a pretty young blonde lady asked if I want to try the Edinburgh challenge on the Tacx Neo 2T. Why not? Lets just do a 1km TT the day before Fun Ride World Champs. What could go wrong?

Nothing it seems, 21st fastest time and I didn't try too hard so I was starting to feel more at ease with this @ business.

After I finished, now dripping with sweat, I walked over to collect my number. A friendly face asks If I've been served I said no so she proceeds to ask the next guy if he had been helped. we look at each other and wonder ......WTF?!?! We both exclaimed in unison "I/He said NO !" CTCT sometimes brings the best out of cyclists.

The Expo itself was ...well....dull. No vibe. The nicest stuff was the new Giant colour ways, Swift Carbon bikes back in SA looking as sharp as ever, Pave and the huge Ciovita blow out CTCT sale. (I still don't like your cycling tog bag BTW, it needs serious revision.)

 

That night, I can't say I had the best sleep. The prospect of dicing it out with some of the best 20-29 and 40-49 year old men in the country weighed on my psyche.

 

I was up at 3h50, 10min earlier than I had set my alarm for. Did the usual ablutions, had breakie and hopped in the car (it was packed the night before).

The drive through was smooth peaceful, not a breath of wind except in Muizenberg. Wind is made in Muizenberg so it always blows).

I arrived at the Greek club, got prepped and headed into town with my mates. So this was the first time we'd been seeded together in 30 years of participation. Photos were needed.

By 6am we were in our chute. Fashionably late but there was only 198 in @ so no biggie.

@ 6h20@ left the Parade,...in a respectable manner. No dashing for the on-ramp, just a smooth considered pace but it didn't last. Our first near crash happened on the M3 just as we exit the on ramp. This happens every year so I expected it. On the way to Hospital bend, two more near misses were recorded as riders did stupid things. Take "Andreas" for example. Andreas was riding a gravel bike like a mountain bike on single track. Andreas was being a knob. Please peeps, don't be like Andreas. Andreas was the cause of lots of foreign language phrases being issued. This continued a long way into the race. So I decided that I need to stay away from Andreas.

 

Hospital bend was negotiated safely from what I could tell. I didn't hear any carbon crunching sounds and then the usual UCT concertina brought out some more colourful phrases from many. The speed was now starting to build. We had a few savages around but they seemed rather muted in race tactics.

 

Edinburgh was where the screws got tightened, charges loaded and a full broad side assault on the legs. Some riders went down with the HOOD, and it would take the survivors till Simons town to catch back up.

I went over the top of Edinburgh with the front of the pack and kept the pedal pressure on, staying right of the centre line. Once again there were dropped bottles but handled without panic so none crashed down Wynberg Hill.

 

Along the M3 I decided to just sit in the middle of the first third as the breeze was starting to build from the South. The end of the M3  and into Lakeside was handled well with no one hitting the island as far as I could tell. The speeds were high and we dispatched Lakeside, Muizenberg, St James and Kalk bay without drama. Outside Fish Hoek Andreas caused some mayhem again with his weaving through  a tightly packed bunch. Fortunately the guy whose wheel he clipped was a skilled bike handler and even a full on broadslide couldn't bring him down. Surviving that tank slapper took skill. A tapped him on the shoulder and said well done.

 

Simons Town was just a haze as I couldn't see a thing riding into the rising sun. I probably need a new pair of lenses as Oakley lenses scratch if you breath too hard on them. Mybe some D'arcs to lighten the situation?

 

Hitting Martello Hill on Queens Road I could sense the angst was rising. Riders were starting to worry about their positioning for SmitsWinkel. We rushed past Boulders beach, down past Foggies Pond and Smits was looming ever closer.

The wind was already starting to pick up as the pace seemed a little too soft. Some okes with nervous energy went off the front only to be seen again a few minutes later before they were never seen again after the reserve entrance. I climbed at my pace and it seemed more than good enough to hold my own. I was feeling confident.

The roll down Blue Gum alley was fast and a few dropped bottles added more tension to the air than we needed.

Perdekraal added some hurt before the descent to Scarborough. This twisty descent had me on edge a bit as riders were just totally oblivious to others needs for space  and line through the corners. I could tell Zwift is common use. Seems like Zwift needs to add some reminder flags like "rider you have passed has not disappeared into thin air. He's still there so give him space".

 

The climb from Misty Cliffs to Ocean view shelled a few more out the back. There was some seriously high Heart rates and heavy breathing but no touching. A bit like Maverick's on a Saturday night.

 

The right hander at the bottom of the hill was taken cleanly and we were on the final burn to the two most talked about features of the day. Chappies and Suikerbossie.

 

The boys started winding the pace up from Sun Valley Mall already. By the time we hit Jakes the bunch was thinning out already. Up up Up little Chappies we rose. Legs still felt good So i knew I could crest with the main group. About 2km from the top someone lit the afterburner and the pace went up. I let the group go a little and started stoking the fire with more coal . I had just stabilised the gap when one of those Zwifters came past and switched me into the wall. Rhythm upset and a sudden movement to clipped the foot to prevent a fall caused a little bit of a twinge in my left calve. I clipped back in and gave chase. I'd lost 100m in this and had to chase hard. Over the top my left calf muscle started to cramp a bit and I had to ease off. "No problem I can catch a big bunch on my own" I tod myself confidently. I've done it before.....But not this time. They were too fast.

 

I chased with a group of 5 guys, into Hout Bay and onto Suikerbossie. The Elastic was snapped. The main @ bunch was going away and my calf wasn't helping. I still PB'd Suikerbossie through the cramp and now had to chase the descent to try and limit the loses.

The first tandem came hauling past at the BRT station  but I couldn't get on so I let it go. The second one had David and Michele hauling ass down the descent. By now I  had built enough steam to up the pressure on the pedals and get onto the bus.. When My turn came I couldn't go around, that's how fast we were going. Never had this problem in the last 6 months so I conceded defeat and let better riders take up the work. All through Camps Bay we hauled. Then the last two challenges came up; the left hander that heads down the hill to the traffic circle on beach road and the right hander onto Beach Rd.

At the left hander a rider came down and we scattered. I took the left lane in the gutter and got through behind my chum Marius and got back up to the train now building speed again I took my line into the traffic circle and some .......person decided to try and squeeze up the inside.. I'm not sure how it ended for him but I was still upright, annoyed and chasing..

We caught the David&Michele train at the pool and that's were I stayed. We passed the remnants of the @ accident. It didn't look good. That finish line was the most welcome one I've seen in a while. I didn't bother sprinting for 360th because I just wanted to get over the  line to enjoy my Coke.

 

That's the 22nd one down. A highly anxious ride but I'll be back next year, fitter stronger and more matured,.......like a good single malt.

Edited March 11, 2020 by DieselnDust