NicholasH Posted February 10 Posted February 10 3 minutes ago, DrPayne said: Thanks for organising a great event @NicholasH. Was really special. Great marshalling, the crowds at the waterpoints were great at cheering us along and all the school kids involved were great too! It was my first race in the elite bunch and I was worried about the size of the group but there weren't any issues at all. Having both lanes closed in the last 15km was great. And the finish line was perfectly marked! Actually being able to see it in the end gave me a massive boost of energy haha! I somehow managed 20th overall so this was by far my most enjoyable and successful day out on the bike so far! Will definitely be back next year and hopefully for many more years to come. Well done on the 20th! Yep, we believe that road closure was an absolute game changer. When I drove up with my Race Official vehicle it was so lekker to keep far right and pass cyclists without having to worry about oncoming traffic ChrisF and DrPayne 2
NicholasH Posted February 10 Posted February 10 2 minutes ago, Pure Savage said: Agree, but this thread would be very different if the wind was at 35-40km/h on Saturday morning, then you would have thought you hosted the hunger games. I dont think the distance is an issue, the extra 30km wont make a difference to the elites. I am just glad that Visserehoek and Odendal are but nightmares that wake me in the night. SS would only work if you get a lot of political will and the petrol price at R65 a litre. I was out on the MTB trail yesterday packing up route markers. The wind was INSANE! As you say, different conversations here if the race was done yesterday! Pure Savage 1
ChrisF Posted February 10 Posted February 10 Just now, NicholasH said: I was out on the MTB trail yesterday packing up route markers. The wind was INSANE! As you say, different conversations here if the race was done yesterday! We turned at Malmesbury at 8:01. Maybe a 10 to 15km/h head wind, certainly not a strong Cape Town wind. But enough for the race dynamics to change drastically. The groups that came past me towards Malmesbury were sitting up and hugging lone lead riders. Through Kalbaskraal a lady was the lead rider, and it seemed nobody wanted to help take the lead into the wind.
BuffsVintageBikes Posted February 10 Posted February 10 The Gravel Trilogy: Yes man, what a lekka route & ride. We felt every one of those extra 20km's added on from last years event 😊 After Finish Time stuffed up my result from last year with a DNS and had ebikes winning the age groups when they weren't supposed to be allowed in the Trilogy, I decided to change my approach this year and rather enjoy the event with good mates rather than mix it up with the racing snakes. It proved to be the best decision ever because we had a total blast out there. It meant falling back to FG to start with the worst seeded mate but he was by no means a weak rider, he just doesn't race often enough so has no seeding. It also meant we were some of the strongest in our group so spent most of the day on the front and out of trouble. Well, beside the youngster on the MTB who suddenly decided to turn left without any warning at the Medium road route split grazed my front wheel almost bringing us all down behind him 🙄 He was doing the Trilogy as well and wasn't supposed to turn so it was very unexpected. When we turned off the tar at 25km mark we were sitting on a 34km/h avs so we weren't hanging around either. From then on we went all MvdP and WvA 😄 Riding those gravel roads at speed was such a jol. I ride them often but never in anger and if felt so lekka to give it a tonk. The sandy bits made life interesting every now and then but for the most part it was just awesome. Somewhere just before the Klipheuwel trails, one of our mates legs fell off (we won't mention any names 😉) so we had to back off the pace and nurse him home. It meant feeding him gels, the odd push and a stop at the last feed zone (which in itself was simply an incredible experience with people wanting to feed us and shout motivation... and taking photos for us 😄) My wife winning a hamper in the lucky draw was a bonus... and scoring free tickets to next years event... this after she won a hamper last year as well and got us free ticket to this years event 😄 Needless to say, I'll bring her with next year again. She also did the Trilogy but on her ebike out of GG group. The two of us are doing the Cape Cross Tour later in the year and she wanted to test the range on her Orbea Rise. After 80kms she ended up on a 21km/h avs with 2 bars of battery life left (of the 5). I'm seriously impressed with that little ebike... and my wife of course 😄 Well done to Nicholas and the entire team on an absolutely superb event. I truly cannot fault anything about the organizing, it was spot on. Well, besides FT who got me as a DNS again 😖 Actually there was one thing that was a little frustrating, that Rugby Club needs to appoint more barmen for next year. We got very thirty in that sun and the queues were long. The brandy bucket was a winner though... Yoh !!!! 🍻 Roll on 2026... this event is going to get HUGE !!!! gerriemtb, NicholasH, andydude and 5 others 7 1
NicholasH Posted February 10 Posted February 10 3 minutes ago, BuffsVintageBikes said: The Gravel Trilogy: Yes man, what a lekka route & ride. We felt every one of those extra 20km's added on from last years event 😊 After Finish Time stuffed up my result from last year with a DNS and had ebikes winning the age groups when they weren't supposed to be allowed in the Trilogy, I decided to change my approach this year and rather enjoy the event with good mates rather than mix it up with the racing snakes. It proved to be the best decision ever because we had a total blast out there. It meant falling back to FG to start with the worst seeded mate but he was by no means a weak rider, he just doesn't race often enough so has no seeding. It also meant we were some of the strongest in our group so spent most of the day on the front and out of trouble. Well, beside the youngster on the MTB who suddenly decided to turn left without any warning at the Medium road route split grazed my front wheel almost bringing us all down behind him 🙄 He was doing the Trilogy as well and wasn't supposed to turn so it was very unexpected. When we turned off the tar at 25km mark we were sitting on a 34km/h avs so we weren't hanging around either. From then on we went all MvdP and WvA 😄 Riding those gravel roads at speed was such a jol. I ride them often but never in anger and if felt so lekka to give it a tonk. The sandy bits made life interesting every now and then but for the most part it was just awesome. Somewhere just before the Klipheuwel trails, one of our mates legs fell off (we won't mention any names 😉) so we had to back off the pace and nurse him home. It meant feeding him gels, the odd push and a stop at the last feed zone (which in itself was simply an incredible experience with people wanting to feed us and shout motivation... and taking photos for us 😄) My wife winning a hamper in the lucky draw was a bonus... and scoring free tickets to next years event... this after she won a hamper last year as well and got us free ticket to this years event 😄 Needless to say, I'll bring her with next year again. She also did the Trilogy but on her ebike out of GG group. The two of us are doing the Cape Cross Tour later in the year and she wanted to test the range on her Orbea Rise. After 80kms she ended up on a 21km/h avs with 2 bars of battery life left (of the 5). I'm seriously impressed with that little ebike... and my wife of course 😄 Well done to Nicholas and the entire team on an absolutely superb event. I truly cannot fault anything about the organizing, it was spot on. Well, besides FT who got me as a DNS again 😖 Actually there was one thing that was a little frustrating, that Rugby Club needs to appoint more barmen for next year. We got very thirty in that sun and the queues were long. The brandy bucket was a winner though... Yoh !!!! 🍻 Roll on 2026... this event is going to get HUGE !!!! Thanks a mill for the feedback. The positives you touched on are well received. Yes, we are totally aware of the barman situation. In fact, HE approached me and said he needs to get a few more till points for next year. This was our first year at the new venue and as I stated last week, lessons will be learned. But overall I believe we took this event to the next level! Sorry I missed you at the waterpoint on Spes. I was there from 9:45 till 10:30 but then had leave. Must just have missed you BuffsVintageBikes 1
BuffsVintageBikes Posted February 10 Posted February 10 You guys absolutely took it to the next level and you can all be very proud of your event 👏 ChrisF, mikkelz and NicholasH 2 1
mikkelz Posted February 10 Posted February 10 44 minutes ago, Pure Savage said: I see she has been moved into %... Yeah, interesting – and about 8mins added to her time. 😂 That'll teach pros wanting to mess with fun-riders start groups! Dri 1
Pure Savage Posted February 10 Posted February 10 9 minutes ago, mikkelz said: Yeah, interesting – and about 8mins added to her time. 😂 That'll teach pros wanting to mess with fun-riders start groups! Would not have been an issue if she took a turn on the front... DieselnDust and mikkelz 1 1
Dri Posted February 10 Posted February 10 2 hours ago, mikkelz said: Yeah, interesting – and about 8mins added to her time. 😂 That'll teach pros wanting to mess with fun-riders start groups! I find it too funny when people bypass the seeding rules and then proceed to get dropped in the first 30 minutes DieselnDust, mikkelz and WattsTheFuss 3
NicholasH Posted February 10 Posted February 10 Hello all I need some assistance please : someone left a front wheel in the parking lot after the race. We heard via the vine that some lady found said wheel and notified some online forum (the word Hub was mentioned). How would I locate this? I did check the lost and found forum but nothing... thanks in advance!
Zebra Posted February 10 Posted February 10 1 hour ago, NicholasH said: Hello all I need some assistance please : someone left a front wheel in the parking lot after the race. We heard via the vine that some lady found said wheel and notified some online forum (the word Hub was mentioned). How would I locate this? I did check the lost and found forum but nothing... thanks in advance! this post, maybe?:
MongooseMan Posted February 10 Posted February 10 For those wondering about seeding: ChrisF, matthew de haast and DieselnDust 1 2
matthew de haast Posted February 10 Posted February 10 (edited) 12 minutes ago, MongooseMan said: For those wondering about seeding: At this point, you might as well not even have this as a seeding race... To put it in perspective. Finishing in the bunch for the $ group. Gets you a seeding of ~7.5 Finishing in the bunch of the next group, %. Gets you a seeding of 14.5 Edited February 10 by matthew de haast DieselnDust 1
EJC Posted February 10 Posted February 10 7 minutes ago, MongooseMan said: For those wondering about seeding: Oof!! I should have just stayed in bed. DieselnDust and ChrisF 1 1
MongooseMan Posted February 10 Posted February 10 Conspiracy theory: This is just PPA ensuring we all enter Tour de PPA 🤣 6 minutes ago, matthew de haast said: At this point, you might as well not even have this as a seeding race... 2 minutes ago, EJC said: Oof!! I should have just stayed in bed. matthew de haast and EJC 2
DieselnDust Posted February 10 Posted February 10 (edited) 16 minutes ago, MongooseMan said: Conspiracy theory: This is just PPA ensuring we all enter Tour de PPA 🤣 Thats not going to happen. It Spice Route XCO the same day and a family birthday so TdP ain't happening. That's how costly a bump in the road was at PPA 1tonner😆 Slipped down to "D" now Edited February 10 by DieselnDust ChrisF 1
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