Tour Durban 2023 route is now M4 Loops 😴

[DroppedRider]

Pity because last years M7 climb was a good challenge for the 100km race and M4 loops is a bit boring. I think the M4 loops will be the permanent route going ahead. A good route would be going up the M4 and back and then up the M13 (maybe not all the way to Shongweni) and then down the M13 heading back to Moses. Not exactly exciting as it's still loops but a better challenge. 

[Frosty]

I’ve been thinking the same thing for my club’s race. 

1. The road surface is terrible;
2. Easier to manage traffic (less intersections);
3. Less water points to be manned;
4. Boring? Yes. But there is still an event.

 

[jmhinde]

I see the route is the same M4 loops this year and to be honest it’s rather disappointing, especially considering the entry fees. I’m sure there are a number of things that factor into these decisions, but it’s far from an appealing race with this kind of route.

[Frosty]

It’s perhaps the only way to sustain road events going forward. Less inconvenience to other road users, less logistics required.

[Dazshell]

While not being able to ride up the M7 is a major disappointment, this has been forced on the event by the authorities not allowing the race to cross the city.  The option to ride up the M41 is totally unique to this race and the advantage is that spectators can see riders pass them 6 times ob the route (3 times in each direction) which makes for better spectator involvement.  The race is still tough as it is fast, has roughly 1000m of climbing and is a full 110kms. 

The entry fee is also one of the lowest for a Gran Fondo Tour in SA and certainly in KZN.

We need to support any local races or soon we will lose them completely.

[Aurora]

R675 to race 110kms on the M4? No thank you... Not worth it. 

I understand the reasoning behind the change of route but the entry fee needs to be justified as well. You are no longer having to close multiple routes and have fewer water tables, marshals etc. 

The road service is also terrible, I did an event on the M4 last December which I couldn't finish because I hit a hole and destroyed my front wheel. 

[Jewbacca]

I have no idea why South Africans are so against racing laps. 

Pretty much all social bike racing in most other countries comprises of laps. XCO. CX, Crits.... even world road champs and some of the classics are laps. 

The Champs Elysees is laps. 

It makes for really exciting racing, it's awesome for spectators, better for sponsor banners and way easier logistics for everyone.

We are one of the only countries where XCM stretches out forever and our road events close entire cities for more than half a day. (slight hyperbole before anyone jumps on that)

Laps are the future of sustainable racing and if you get over it, super exciting

Durban isn't very pretty anyway, so looking at the same pile of litter and derelict house with tons of flapping laundry a few times vs different piles of litter and derelict houses with tons of flapping laundry isn't going to change the racing. 😜

Edited April 8 by Jewbacca

[HdB]

For racing, laps are good. I'm looking forward to the local crit series starting, and back in Bloem there used to be a race with laps of about 25km that was great.

But for the riders like my wife who aren't racing but just participating, laps are not much fun. With the racing groups speeding past multiple times, at what probably feels like a hair's breadth away for the slower riders, is scary and sometimes dangerous. And of course there are always the few Open category/Vets racers with too much testosterone who need to shout and be rude as well.

[The Ouzo]

difference between a race and a tour (in my mind), for a race I dont mind loops, but if I'm doing a tour I'm expecting to be exposed to different scenery etc. along the way.

 

But all this is irrelevant to me in this case as I dont do the Tour Durban.

[BigDL]

1 hour ago, Jewbacca said:

I have no idea why South Africans are so against racing laps. 

Pretty much all social bike racing in most other countries comprises of laps. XCO. CX, Crits.... even world road champs and some of the classics are laps. 

The Champs Elysees is laps. 

It makes for really exciting racing, it's awesome for spectators, better for sponsor banners and way easier logistics for everyone.

We are one of the only countries where XCM stretches out forever and our road events close entire cities for more than half a day. (slight hyperbole before anyone jumps on that)

Laps are the future of sustainable racing and if you get over it, super exciting

Durban isn't very pretty anyway, so looking at the same pile of litter and derelict house with tons of flapping laundry a few times vs different piles of litter and derelict houses with tons of flapping laundry isn't going to change the racing. 😜

Durban is the best city in the world bru - our litter and derelict houses are prettier than anywhere else. 

[DroppedRider]

I loved the year we climbed the M13 and came back down for the Amashova. Hard up hill (1600m elevation in 80km) and a fun fast descent.