[Event] MEDIHELP Stellenbosch Cycle Tour 2020

[Thomo]

I flew down from Durban...

Weather and subsequent cancellation is disappointing for most, but we forget the additional cost and sacrifice some have made.

Hope you at least get in that ride before you leave.

[dev null]

As luck would have it, wind has dropped radically here in Strand.

[Thomo]

As luck would have it, wind has dropped radically here in Strand.

Same in the Southern Suburbs, but raining quite heavily at the moment.

[Starchboy]

Wind has also dropped in Stellies. Forecast is that it will get up again later though.

[DieselnDust]

Wow what a race!

Break went early up Hels. I hung on for dear life. Crested with the leading $`a and stayed there all the way to the prison turn off. Mein got! THAT WIND !!!!

Lost a wheel by a few meters and had to burn half a box of Lions to get back on.

Then the rain really came down.

we started shedding riders like space shuttle breaking up on reentry. Absolute carnage.

hung on till the final corner then popped spectacularly. The boys warped off up the hill. Who won?

 

 

 

 

 

Then the smell of coffee roasting raised the bed sheets and I shuffled off to the loo

[dev null]

And the wind is back.

[LeoKnight]

As luck would have it, wind has dropped radically here in Strand.

 

Same here in Durbanville, it is not that hectic, we went to do a myrun this morning in Paarl, and was commenting on the lack of wind, till we reached the Engen garage on the N1, from there it was pumping with strong gusts.

[Starchboy]

Just went out for a bit on the R44 out towards Klapmuts and back. Glad I was on my mountain bike, lots if standing water and occasional strong sidewind gusts. It started hailing at some point, so I regretted not wearing gloves. Glad I’m back in the warmth now.

[Karman de Lange]

https://www.facebook.com/WeatherServic/photos/a.542579239278737/1207190976150890/?type=3&theater

 

you can see why wind on/off, very small weather cell crossing

Edited January 19, 2020 by Karman de Lange

[Wannabe]

I flew down from Durban on Thursday to do the race, so it’s quite disappointing that it has been cancelled, although I accept the reasons.

 

I’m staying in Somerset West until my flight back on Tuesday morning, and I’m determined to get a ride in before then, weather permitting.

 

Are there any riders in the area that plan to ride either today or tomorrow that I can join? I’ve always wanted to ride along the coast towards Rooi Els.

 

Sorry about that, Neville.

If work pressure allowed me, I would have loved to guide you on a Rooi Els  ride. Knowing Cape Town, tomorrow will be a perfect day for a ride. 

[mountain_lion]

event cancelled according to their facebook page, weird that they don't sms us !

Still waiting for our cancellation SMS messages...

I am on MTN & Mrs. mountain_lion on Vodacom. Neither of received the SMS cancellation message. We did receive our race numbers & the mySOS info via SMS though.

Something went wrong somewhere... 

My guess is that the bulk SMS service provider used by MedihelpSCT choked on the bulk notifications which had to be sent high priority...

 

Fortunately we are in Stellenbosch and did not even need to get out of bed to make the call to go back to sleep when our alarm went off.

[Rouxenator]

I stay next to the route and at 4am I was waken up by the storm and figured this is one of the few events I won't be going to.

 

Got the SMS that it was cancelled 30 minutes later. 

[dev null]

First Stellies tour in many years I was not gonna do. So glad I dodged a R1200 wallet pain.

[KingZA]

Still waiting for our cancellation SMS messages...

I am on MTN & Mrs. mountain_lion on Vodacom. Neither of received the SMS cancellation message. We did receive our race numbers & the mySOS info via SMS though.

Something went wrong somewhere... 

My guess is that the bulk SMS service provider used by MedihelpSCT choked on the bulk notifications which had to be sent high priority...

 

Fortunately we are in Stellenbosch and did not even need to get out of bed to make the call to go back to sleep when our alarm went off.

 

I also didn't get the SMS. My money is on the fact that their account with the SMS provider ran out of credits 

[Karman de Lange]

Signal hill:  : In the last few minutes the wind was East South East (ESE) at an average speed of 108 kmh, reaching up to 171 kmh and a low of 51 kmh. The gust strength is 120 kmh above the minimum speed.

 

We getting bit moeg of the wind now, trees starting to break, wind seems to getting worst ..  Hopefully gets better soon

[JohanDiv]

From their FB page:

 

 

Cape Town, 19 January 2020

 

Due to extreme weather conditions experienced in the Cape over the last couple of days, the Pedal Power Association (PPA) was compelled to cancel the 2020 Medihelp Stellenbosch Cycle Tour which was set to take place on Sunday 19 January in and around Stellenbosch. With a wind forecast of up to 95 km an hour along the 97 km route throughout the day, the safety of the more than 3 000 riders who entered the race would have been in jeopardy if the race continued.

 

At 03:00 on Sunday morning, an emergency consultation was held with the Venue Operations Centre (VOC) Safety Officer, the title sponsor of the race, Medihelp Medical Aid, PPA Management and the Risk Assessment and Event Managers from ER24. The various assessment teams were sent out to evaluate the conditions and communicated visuals to the VOC of extremely unsafe conditions along the route, upon which the decision was made to cancel the race.

 

“It is truly disappointing that we were forced to cancel the Medihelp Stellenbosch Cycle Tour due to these extreme weather conditions. Being one of our flagship events, a lot of time and effort has gone into the preparation of this event. The PPA, however, places the safety of cyclists first and foremost,” said Rens Rezelman, Chairman of the PPA.

 

Newly appointed Principal Officer of Medihelp Medical Aid, Ettie da Silva, said that Medihelp donated the food which had been prepared for the day to The Haven Kensington charity.

 

“We would like to thank everyone for entering the race as well as all our suppliers, sponsors and partners for being so understanding on the day,” Rezelman concluded.