Winelands Cycle Race in January

[MongooseMan]

From my (2 race) experience, midpack at Ctct is very similar to midpack at these other races, just smaller bunches (and non-closed roads...) 

[Jewbacca]

26 minutes ago, MongooseMan said:

From my (2 race) experience, midpack at Ctct is very similar to midpack at these other races, just smaller bunches (and non-closed roads...) 

OK rad

I'm deciding whether to ride the CTCT bike or the real bike. I'm leaning towards real bike due to nerves

[Jbr]

12 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

So what is the deal with these 'non CTCT' road races?

Do 'normal' people enter them and ride them or is it just the racing snakes? 

I've landed up with an entry and I'm nervous

Same thing just smaller bunches, you've got all the groups for everyone, don't stress

[Jewbacca]

3 hours ago, Jbr said:

Same thing just smaller bunches, you've got all the groups for everyone, don't stress

Ok cool.

I just remember PPA races back in the day were about 3 groups and if you got spat out the back you either just went home or had a long, lonely ride to the empty finish line of shame.

 

[Jbr]

8 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

Ok cool.

I just remember PPA races back in the day were about 3 groups and if you got spat out the back you either just went home or had a long, lonely ride to the empty finish line of shame.

 

We'll see when they release the start times, but the last race I think I saw plenty of letters/numbers combinations, so I assumed there were plenty of starting groups. You are right for PPA events, there's usually less groups and sometimes in the A group mixes elite riders and guys who do 2 races in the year.

[Jewbacca]

5 minutes ago, Jbr said:

We'll see when they release the start times, but the last race I think I saw plenty of letters/numbers combinations, so I assumed there were plenty of starting groups. You are right for PPA events, there's usually less groups and sometimes in the A group mixes elite riders and guys who do 2 races in the year.

I'm less worried now after going for a decent tick over this morning. 

My seeding will be based on my CTCT clown bike antics so I should be ok on the proper bike. 

Looking forward to it now. You have quelled my anxiety

[NickGM]

1 minute ago, Jewbacca said:

I'm less worried now after going for a decent tick over this morning. 

My seeding will be based on my CTCT clown bike antics so I should be ok on the proper bike. 

Looking forward to it now. You have quelled my anxiety

Dude you will definitely be fine. Based on the road rides I've done, I generally break them up into 3 categories. To give an indication of seriousness, I will use the approx ratio of males who shave their legs for cycling (SLR: shaved leg ratio) as a metric.*

1. CTCT - anything goes. As you know, you'll find semi-pro 2:45 riders on R150K bikes to people riding Tricycles in clown suits. (SLR: 20%)
2. Medium sized road races - things like the 99er, Stellenbosch cycle tour, etc. There are always the serious groups, but also lots of space for everyday cyclists and dudes on their MTBs just out for a nice day in the saddle. (SLR: 50%)
3. PPA sportives - in my experience this becomes a bit more for serious riders and guys trying to keep their fitness through the winter. Often just like 6 starting groups or so. But even then, in the last 2 groups you will still find guys riding MTB's with slicks, people doing their first race, etc. My fiance's first ride was one like this and I was nervous for her but there was really no need to worry. We started in the second last group and pottered along at about 23kph ave speed if I remember correctly. There was no real "bunch" for the last 2 groups, just other people like us scattered all along the route. It was very relaxed and that average speed was more than enough for a middle-of-the-bunch kind of finish. (SLR: 70%).

And for me this winelands ride is a "category 2" race. @MORNE said you overtook him on a geared 20" fun bike at the last CTCT, so you'd probably be fine even on that! Bottom line is, even in the small ppa events, there's space for everyone.

 

*Disclaimer: I've never actually quantified this, it's a total thumbsuck. Would be interesting to know what the numbers actually are though.

[Skubarra]

1 hour ago, NickGM said:

 

1. Medium sized road races - things like the 99er, Stellenbosch cycle tour, etc. There are always the serious groups, but also lots of space for everyday cyclists and dudes on their MTBs just out for a nice day in the saddle. (SLR: 50%)

Off-topic but sad how this went from the second largest cycle event in the WC to completely disappearing off the calendar within the space of 2 years.

[MORNE]

20 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

So what is the deal with these 'non CTCT' road races?

Do 'normal' people enter them and ride them or is it just the racing snakes? 

I've landed up with an entry and I'm nervous

I ride most of these this side of ctct, either myself or with the wife, just for some prep and or a bit of fun/sight seeing. They are basically overhyped fun rides imo lol. Sure there are guys going fast at the front i guess, but they are at most events.

You’ll be just fine. Even if you want to use your clown bike, but it might be crazy boring on that - considering the route. Going fast might be better. 

There are plenty of slow pokes who ride these too. I did this one in the rain last year.

The PPA sportive ones are better organised and a bit more fun too imo. 
This one was fine but it definitely feels like you are just paying for seeding purposes, if that makes any sense. Barebones. Was a bit meh in my opinion. Maybe it was the weather. 

And to those saying ‘be done by 9’, well last week when the gates of hell opened for a few days,  it was already 30’ish by 9 lol. It was 42 in paarl, and it generally just gets hotter the closer you get to malmusbury? I didnt even want to go out the door, never mind get on a bike haha. 

[Jewbacca]

4 minutes ago, MORNE said:

I ride most of these this side of ctct, either myself or with the wife, just for some prep and or a bit of fun/sight seeing. They are basically overhyped fun rides imo lol. Sure there are guys going fast at the front i guess, but they are at most events.

You’ll be just fine. Even if you want to use your clown bike, but it might be crazy boring on that - considering the route. Going fast might be better. 

There are plenty of slow pokes who ride these too. I did this one in the rain last year.

The PPA sportive ones are better organised and a bit more fun too imo. 
This one was fine but it definitely feels like you are just paying for seeding purposes, if that makes any sense. Barebones. Was a bit meh in my opinion. Maybe it was the weather. 

And to those saying ‘be done by 9’, well last week when the gates of hell opened for a few days,  it was already 30’ish by 9 lol. It was 42 in paarl, and it generally just gets hotter the closer you get to malmusbury? I didnt even want to go out the door, never mind get on a bike haha. 

hahahaha 

End of Jan these days anything is possible!

[MORNE]

6 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

hahahaha 

End of Jan these days anything is possible!

Not gonna lie, the fear of the heat is what is making me reluctant to enter this....that and my wife only started riding again after 1.5y with the kid and all. She's entered  into the ctct so needs so saddle time so we dont start dead last lol. I'm decidedly midpack obviously, but when she's around we're definitely looking at riding around in 40* weather for 5 or 6 hours,  trying to beat the cutoff haha.

I dont want to look like pan fried Polony by 1pm.

Edited January 11, 2022 by MORNE

[Jewbacca]

7 minutes ago, MORNE said:

Not gonna lie, the fear of the heat is what is making me reluctant to enter this....that and my wife only started riding again after 1.5y with the kid and all. She's entered  into the ctct so needs so saddle time so we dont start dead last lol. I'm decidedly midpack obviously, but when she's around we're definitely looking at riding around in 40* weather for 5 or 6 hours,  trying to beat the cutoff haha.

I dont want to look like pan fried Polony by 1pm.

hahahaha 

My mom told me I was starting to look like chewed biltong the other day. I took that personally!

 

[Jbr]

13 minutes ago, MORNE said:

Not gonna lie, the fear of the heat is what is making me reluctant to enter this....

Hope you haven't entered WP champs. Starting at 7:30 for 158km will be so lekker. We'll look like dry cramberries at the end.

[babse]

6 minutes ago, Jbr said:

Hope you haven't entered WP champs. Starting at 7:30 for 158km will be so lekker. We'll look like dry cramberries at the end.

Sub-vets and Vets off at 8:45 🔥

[MORNE]

9 minutes ago, Jbr said:

Hope you haven't entered WP champs. Starting at 7:30 for 158km will be so lekker. We'll look like dry cramberries at the end.

 

[Jewbacca]

VETS! That is now my start chute... 08:45 is silly but also rad. I'm all for making national/regional honours as difficult as possible.