2023 Road Events

[GrumpyFork]

What has happened to all the Gauteng road events, Race for Victory not happening, Germiston Classic not happening, Del Forno Joburg Classic not happening.

Is there only Meals on wheels and Virgin cycle challenge left to do this year? (and Amashova if you want to travel)

[DanMan]

Here is a new road race Buffelstrap Road Cycle Challenge – Lenick Promotions

 

[Danger Dassie]

Road conditions. Event organisers cant keep patching hundreds of kilometres of roads.

[Spinnekop]

Not Gauteng but Panorama is coming up.  Always good ride.
Kremetart in early September.  Best race in SA!
Rooiwal happening 9 August and 2 September

Pity about the Germiston race.  I've done 12 and was always a lekker jol

Edited July 27, 2023 by Spinnekop

[Underachiever]

Gauteng Worlds on the usual November slot

[Kylie]

I'm trying to get organisers to list their events in our events calendar, so if anyone has contact details for these events please ping me 😊 

[Frosty]

2 hours ago, GrumpyFork said:

What has happened to all the Gauteng road events, Race for Victory not happening, Germiston Classic not happening, Del Forno Joburg Classic not happening.

Is there only Meals on wheels and Virgin cycle challenge left to do this year? (and Amashova if you want to travel)

We (Germiston Classic) haven’t got a commitment from our sponsor, and have run at a loss since 2019. Event numbers continue to decline, making it harder to break even, let alone make money for the charities linked to the Rotary Club. We won’t compromise on the minimum criteria to cut costs, and as already mentioned, the state of the roads is getting worse. Charging more for the same event is not sustainable, which is why we have tried to keep entries below the R400 price point. To break even (with a donation to charity), we need 1000 entries.

Maybe next year, but for 2023 the best we could offer is a Crit race, and that’s not guaranteed at this very moment. 

It’s sad, but a reality. It would have been my 23rd event on the organising committee; some of the team have been doing it much longer than me.

[Frosty]

1 hour ago, Spinnekop said:

Not Gauteng but Panorama is coming up.  Always good ride.
Kremetart in early September.  Best race in SA!
Rooiwal happening 9 August and 2 September

Pity about the Germiston race.  I've done 12 and was always a lekker jol

I have the October event (Rooiwal) in my training plan.

[mecheng89]

2 hours ago, Danger Dassie said:

Road conditions. Event organisers cant keep patching hundreds of kilometres of roads.

Road conditions

Motorists (read taxis and trucks)

Escalating costs to host

I've promised myself I will no longer do events that are not held of closed circuits, or where it is known that traffic is very light. The condition of the road naturally plays a big role too.

So my calendar is very sparce - Ama-tjova and RJ947. 

[Danger Dassie]

20 hours ago, mecheng89 said:

Road conditions

Motorists (read taxis and trucks)

Escalating costs to host

I've promised myself I will no longer do events that are not held of closed circuits, or where it is known that traffic is very light. The condition of the road naturally plays a big role too.

So my calendar is very sparce - Ama-tjova and RJ947. 

This, not that I do road events, but I know the challenges organisers face. Gravel and MTB are more my focus when I can get to events.
This year Ride Jourg seems the only option, we've run an informal support station on Jan Smuts for the last few years. 
Unrelated to the topic, but, for next year I seriously doubt that I'll take out a full race licence and just stick with the normal membership. Really didn't take advantage of it as planned this year and also some recent concerns leave much to be desired. 

[Spinnekop]

2 hours ago, Danger Dassie said:

This, not that I do road events, but I know the challenges organisers face. Gravel and MTB are more my focus when I can get to events.
This year Ride Jourg seems the only option, we've run an informal support station on Jan Smuts for the last few years. 
Unrelated to the topic, but, for next year I seriously doubt that I'll take out a full race licence and just stick with the normal membership. Really didn't take advantage of it as planned this year and also some recent concerns leave much to be desired. 

I haven't had a racing license since 2021.  Just membership.  Works fine.

[Spinnekop]

22 hours ago, mecheng89 said:

Road conditions

Motorists (read taxis and trucks)

Escalating costs to host

I've promised myself I will no longer do events that are not held of closed circuits, or where it is known that traffic is very light. The condition of the road naturally plays a big role too.

So my calendar is very sparce - Ama-tjova and RJ947. 

I am on the other side of the coin.
I try to do everything.  On average 12 races per year.  
Lots of fun.  I normally go around the potholes by turning my handlebars.  😁
Cars will ALWAYS be there.  I have learned to adopt and just enjoy my sport carefully but to the max.  

But that is just me.

[Danger Dassie]

2 minutes ago, Spinnekop said:

I haven't had a racing license since 2021.  Just membership.  Works fine.

Ja definitely, just had some personal goals for racing this year in MTB and gravel and to support the efforts of the new crowd. Gauteng is enjoying a full provincial XCO, enduro and marathon series of events in a long time. 

[Frosty]

In my opinion, the lack of a clearly defined path forward, is missing from the road scene (in Central Gauteng). I can’t speak for other disciplines, and regions, as I’m not privy to their plans, and only (occasionally) ride my MTB and partake in a few marathon events.

The last discussion at a club level meeting (road), which was poorly attended by representatives of CGC clubs, echoed that sentiment.

The Crit racing that Jeremy is organising appeals to a select few, and not the masses. It’s fine for the minority that want to take part, but for the masses, their requirement is different. Many of the masses (that I’ve spoken to) aren’t interested in taking out membership with CyclingSA, as they simply want to ride their bikes, and do the odd event. There’s no value in having the membership.

My list of events is limited to a few, based on the criteria important to me, and also who the organisers are. I am licensed, but I would be doing <5 events for the year. I feel (perceivably) safer in the 50+ bunch because of the predictable manner in which they ride.

[Zeffer]

This is my calendar for rest of the year - really hoping nothing gets cancelled for whatever reason.

30 Jul - Eastside Crit

5-8 Aug - Mpumalanga toer

9 Aug Rooiwal public holiday

19 Aug - Buffelstrap

20 Aug - Eastside Crit

26 Aug –Dullstroom weekend race (MTB)

2 Sept    Rooiwal or  Beast of the East

9 Sep - Kremetart (yep, best race in SA)

16 Sep - Blue Diamond its a tour now!

24 Sep - Eastrand Classic

30 Sep - Rooiwal

1 Oct - Eastside Crit                        

8 Oct - Satelite Classic

14 Oct Freestate Invitational

15 Oct - Meals on Wheels

22 Oct - Amashova

29 Oct - Germiston Classic

5 Nov - Thswane Classic

11 Nov - Rooiwal

19 Nov - 947 Ride Joburg

[Zebra]

Whew, 17-odd c-o-n-s-E-c-u-t-I-v-E weekends (and a couple of Public Holidays, too), nogal impressive!