[Event] Cape Town Cycle Tour 2023

[Long Wheel Base]

13 hours ago, dev null said:

I think the bank balance is a bit low. There were also not the usual music and fanfare on the top of Edinburgh Drive and Suikerbossie. And no CTCT magazine with all the tit bits, advice and info.

It was a digital version this year.

[FootballingCyclist]

9 minutes ago, Jbr said:

I'm still 2 secs behind a guy I overtook before the line...  should I email organisers to move from 63 to 59 ? 🤣

Meh...

Isn't your bunch mat to mat? or also gun to mat?

[Jbr]

2 minutes ago, FootballingCyclist said:

Isn't your bunch mat to mat? or also gun to mat?

doubt $ is mat to mat, that would mean the top4 could be a different order than how the guys actually crossed the finish line

[FootballingCyclist]

Sub3 group Totals.

@ - 156

& - 141

# (Racing tadnem) - 6

1A - 69

1B - 3

 

Haven't checked further than that.

[bleedToWin]

13 minutes ago, Jbr said:

I'm still 2 secs behind a guy I overtook before the line...  should I email organisers to move from 63 to 59 ? 🤣

Meh...

Racetec never used to be this pathetic, and I'm confused as to why they are regressing in their service since they still use the exact same technology they were using when I started racing 21 years ago...

At Tour de PPA the winner had daylight over the riders in second and third, but was "provisionally" placed 3rd on the same time as the oke in 2nd.

Folks talking about "time to process" also confuses me. It's raw data, there is no processing required. Hence Racetec's ability 10 years ago to sms you your official time within seconds of you crossing the mats.

Edited March 13, 2023 by bleedToWin

[Meezo]

5 minutes ago, FootballingCyclist said:

Sub3 group Totals.

@ - 156

& - 141

# (Racing tadnem) - 6

1A - 69

1B - 3

 

Haven't checked further than that.

route was harder this year 🤐

[Skubarra]

4 minutes ago, FootballingCyclist said:

Sub3 group Totals.

@ - 156

& - 141

# (Racing tadnem) - 6

1A - 69

1B - 3

 

Haven't checked further than that.

And now I have to take back the snarky comments I made about 1A riders being lazy and unskilled.

Congrats on your sub-3s guys, think it is way up on last year from 1A so clearly there were some hard workers in there 💪

[PappaWatTrap]

I started in group 1C, what a lekker ride it was. 

Realized early that we will probably not do a sub 3 so I just enjoyed the ride. Made it over hospital bend without tapping into the zone 5 tanks, can't say the same for Edinburgh Drive but was pleasantly surprised to see I was at the pointy end of the group up the hill. 

Pretty uneventful up until the foot of the Smitswinkel climb, I dropped my chain and starting falling back. Luckily the group was so big from catching the remnants of group A and B so I never lost touch of the group. 

I starting clawing myself back up the group, and as I was about to touch the front end of the group, they upped the pace over the crest. Needless to say I was already on the limit and couldn't follow. 

Dropped back and what was suppose to be free speed down the M65 I had to work the broken legs to latch onto the group again, luckily with the help of some faster guys. 

Somehow I recovered and could enjoy the rest of the ride. I had the legs to push up Chappies and Suikerbossie, first time in many years I actually enjoyed it up the climbs. 

Finished with a time of 3:07, 6min off my PB but I am 12kg heavier than my PB version so pretty chuffed. 

Biggest win for me was being able to finish strong and sprint for the line. Probably a testament of klapping a guu every 30min. First time trying it and somehow the nutrition just worked out. Normally I finish with nothing in the tank. 

 

Overall great ride and amazing weather with some lekker chats along the way

 

[Long Wheel Base]

I wonder if the increase of accidents comes down to the fact that a lot of us are racing less than we used to and also a lot of new blood to the sport that, while they are strong riders, have very little bunch riding experience. 

A lot of the time, the guys are also just not concentrating, it's like they texting while riding.

[Long Wheel Base]

1 hour ago, FootballingCyclist said:

Re the groups which are incorrect, I think it's just an IT things as the announcer at the start did say we were starting later than we were supposed to because there was a 5min delay, So perhaps the racetec system has picked up the whole batch of "1s" as a group later than it should've because start times were later (if this makes any sense), So instead of being 1B where I started, I rolled over the mat at the time 1c would've because of the delay so it has me now linked as a 1C rider. Should be a quick fix, But they can leave my time as is LOL..

 

On the race.

Started in 1B, Saw @Mamil in the chutes just ahead and @Long Wheel Base too on his pumpkin chariot. 1b went out the blocks as if the race ended at the start of the onramp to hospital bend, then bottlenecked, by the time I got into a rhythm, front of the bunch was about 5om ahead, as this round ball of flesh wasn't ever going to get up there, Made it to the top of hospital bend not too far back(was super chuffed cz last year I was already dropped) and started my descent, Got caught behind the crash which was on the bridge going over the N2 and pulled over was my sub3 train, @Long Wheel Base and his Dad fixing his bike which the okes had ridden into the back of, was kinda bleak for them(and for my hopes of working with them for a sub3) LOL.. Managed to make it over Edinburgh with guys still around me(was so happy I wanted to actually quit right there) and descended down the M3, It looked like we were the 3rd split of 1B, the 2nd split was about 50m ahead and I was confident we would catch them, So sat in the middle recovering after the climbs, and when I pulled out again to check we were even further away. So I lost hope. Turned right onto the main road in Lakeside and the group were now about 150m ahead and into the SE with no help i knew we weren't going to catch them. From Muizenberg to F/Hoek i sat on the front most of the time hoping the bunch ahead would miraculously slow down, which, ofcourse they did not, So at Fish Hoek circle I said stuff it and went back into the bunch. It got kinda frustrating as going through Glencairn past Dixies, We were going at 23km/h and 1 stage and I did not feel like a "race" and I was just surprised at how many 1B guys were happy to be on a coffee ride. 1C caught us just on the drag before the descent to Millers and everyone then decided to start riding again. Again, I got caught behind 2 guys touching wheels and had to unclip and walk around the limit my losses, Worked as hard as gravity allowed my fat ass to up till the circle by Red Hill and through Scarborough and Misty Cliffs, Saw my bunch taking the Ocean View turn off as I was on the drag before that about 70m behind. From the Police Station in Ocean View till the robots at black Hill is where I sent myself to heaven, Chased and chased the group as much as I can, sole alone into the South Easter with literally nobody else for 100s of metres behind me, eventually got all the way to Chappies alone where I caught a few earlier stragglers. On the Chappies descent I tried to make up some time but was starting to feel niggles and hints of cramp, I managed to get past it, Over Suikers SUPER slow and then pushed hard, took a loooong train of guys with me all the way through to Camps Bay while doing most of the work and forgetting about the cramp which showed its face once again around the Sea Point Pools and this time it was serious and had enough of me, Let the group go past as they would with 1 or 2 thank you's from 1C riders helping them get under 3:15 while I single leg pedalled to the finish for a disappointing but relieved 3:17. Glad i managed to stay rubber side down with all the close call though and great to have a chat @Long Wheel Base and his Dad at the finsih area.

Was good to meet you. Well done on a great ride.

[FootballingCyclist]

7 minutes ago, Skubarra said:

And now I have to take back the snarky comments I made about 1A riders being lazy and unskilled.

Congrats on your sub-3s guys, think it is way up on last year from 1A so clearly there were some hard workers in there 💪

Weather was ALOT better though

[Meezo]

enjoyed the 1B ride, was brutal... hardest ride I've done in a long long long time...

had a good chuckle for the upset riders crossing the finish line as we missed the time... the same upset riders only came alive in the last 500m... again this is my 1st one since 2016 and the fact that i was seeded in 1B gives an idea of the quality of riders, speed and skill! if the dates are right with Ramadaan will be out for another 4 years, not sure I'll do it again there after...

well done to all the riders out there and shot for the help those that could and did in 1B

[X-Man]

37 minutes ago, dexterdent said:

Just about 516 sub-3's - much better than last year I think (~350), but not quite the ~1100 odd from 2020 if I recall correctly

so definitely not a day for PB's ...

But a carnage ride like dodging bullets whole ride

[dirtypot]

I had a fun ride this year on a BMX.  I don't ever ride BMX's and this was my first ride on this borrowed bike.  I had a jol!  It was a challenging ride with cramps from my legs starting in Smits and getting progressively worse as the ride went on.  I'm just not used to using my leg muscles in this way and I think that's what caused them to set in so early.  Gearing on it meant that I had to stand up on every incline and stay standing until over the crest - hard work, but it meant I over took hundreds of people on every hill.
I got loads of comments and encouragement along the way, and also had a silly hooter which sounded like a dying duck which I used all the time.

Finished the race in 4h03 which I think for a single speed BMX that I'm not used to isn't too bad.  This is the only photo which I have of me, but lots of other people were snapping pics of me as they went past so if anyone has any please share them 

[Dylan Wyndham Jones]

First tour for me, finishing at 4:15ish, thoroughly enjoyed it! I don't have anything to compare it to, but really enjoyed the gees and views.

Not much of a road cyclist, but quickly picked up on keeping left and passing right (while notifying the rider ahead of me). Was a bit of a struggle passing the slower riders in the beginning on the climbs since I started in the 6H group.

Hope to beat sub 4 next year in a better starting time and more training. 

[ChrisF]

12 minutes ago, dirtypot said:

I had a fun ride this year on a BMX.  I don't ever ride BMX's and this was my first ride on this borrowed bike.  I had a jol!  It was a challenging ride with cramps from my legs starting in Smits and getting progressively worse as the ride went on.  I'm just not used to using my leg muscles in this way and I think that's what caused them to set in so early.  Gearing on it meant that I had to stand up on every incline and stay standing until over the crest - hard work, but it meant I over took hundreds of people on every hill.
I got loads of comments and encouragement along the way, and also had a silly hooter which sounded like a dying duck which I used all the time.

Finished the race in 4h03 which I think for a single speed BMX that I'm not used to isn't too bad.  This is the only photo which I have of me, but lots of other people were snapping pics of me as they went past so if anyone has any please share them 

 

Took some pics of you along the route.  You had a good pace going on the BMW