Tour of Soweto

[Groot Lem]

Who won, Taxi or cyclist. I believe their was a ****up

[whatnow]

The joke would be if they do decide the winner was a cyclist!!!! Monumental F- up if!!!!!!! People nearly killed n run over ineutral zone/lap

[Groot Lem]

Please tell

[whatnow]

Traffic control apparently shocking. Taxi's crashing barriers. Marshals allowing cars to cross infront of bunches. Cop cars in the middle of the road, PARKED!!!!

Racing commenced beginning of 2nd lap. Just after 3rd lap, taxi crashed barrier and rode over one of the motor bike marshals!!! Apparently very serious.

Pretty much whole peloton stopped, turned back to start, with exception of a few that were already up the road. meant to be a 140km race, redced to 30km of disaster. 

[Pantani]

Yes, was there and confirm all of the above... I decided after the first neutral lap that I wasn't going to risk it. I was off my bike for about 15 minutes and then the race was called off...

[Hanx]

Dink vandag was n groot skok vir die pro bunch, asook al die ander fietsryers wat vandag hul lewe in Soweto gaan waag het! Welkom terug in SA, Rob en Ryan!

[vbrake]

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It?s unfortunate the pro (or elite or whatever its called) race didn?t go well. I get the impression that there were lots of people out there who would have loved the whole thing to be a f__up, and if these reports are true, then they got their wish.

I rode the 92km race, and had a whale of a time. My start time was 06:10, and I arrived to find plenty of parking on the UJ campus just meters away from the start. We got off about 10mins late (with the predictable complaints of ?African time? which interestingly were missing at other races I?ve done that started MUCH later), and everything went smoothly. There were marshals and police everywhere, and while I was riding they seemed to be doing a pretty good job? There were one or two taxi?s that were driving like taxi?s  normally do, but a bit of common sense and forward planning was all that was needed for my group to avoid them.

Despite the hills (who said Soweto was flat?!?!) and quite strong winds, I was pretty happy with my time of 2:54, and, unlike just about every other race I?ve ever ridden in, the advertised distance (92km) matched my cycle computer precisely (91.99). The only hitch I saw was that Championchip didn?t have their mats out at the start at the time I left. They were there when I finished, so I suppose 06:00 was too early for them? a very poor showing guys ? unlike the ?other? timing company, you actually have a reputation to uphold.

Anyway, I can only report what *I* saw, and I really enjoyed myself and the race in general. If things did get out of hand later, I can only hope they start us plebs off early again next year, because I can?t wait to be back?

 

[Warped]

Well done on a nice time, vbrake. It seems that the general experience of those riding in the open groups was enjoyable.

 

I was involved in helping with the marshalling in a section of the race you would have done twice. Although a pretty thankless task, we seemed to be getting the cyclists through safely.

 

However, once it was realised that the traffice build-up was going to make it difficult to run a professional race over the distance involved, the elite race was reduced to a number of laps of the 17km route. I must say that in this section, which involved three major arterial routes into Soweto, the JMPD guys were just not up to the task.

[vbrake]

Well done on a nice time' date=' vbrake. It seems that the general experience of those riding in the open groups was enjoyable.

 

I was involved in helping with the marshalling in a section of the race you would have done twice. Although a pretty thankless task, we seemed to be getting the cyclists through safely.

 [/quote']

 

Thanks! And thank you for marshalling - you are right - its a thankless job. Do it well, and at best you'll be ignored! Make the slightest mistake and the world comes to and end.

 

I don't think you get a tougher environment than busy Soweto central for a race, so all things considered, thanks again, and well done. Its a pity traffic prohibited a successful "pro" race, but maybe the answer next time is to *somehow* get everyone off as early as possible? 

[HendrikS]

Think the best i heard was that one of the race commisares on a motorbike got t-boned by a taxi.... thats the point were the pro's decided to stuff it

[goofs]

Why would you consider that a taxi knocking down a m/bike belonging to someone who spend his Sunday trying to do something for cycling the best you heard.

[bernhardine]

Because he is an ignorant .......................... who expects people to be at his beck and call to the detriment of their lives. Never mind the fact that these peole give up their time and family life for CYCLING.

The fact that the race was stopped for safety of ALL the RIDERS seems to be irrelevant here to the ignorant.

Seems its OK for OFFICIALS and MARSHALLS to be INJURED

WONDER what you would say had it been your MOM or DAD !!!

[Thyolo]

 

Short report on the race - (can't get rid of underline)

 

 

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=6&click_id=185&art_id=vn20070305070442104C361421

[mallo]

SHAMEFUL SHAMEFUL SHAMEFUL

 

To all the Sowetans that used the roads were we raced yesterday I must say SHAME on you, you let a perfect opportunity slip by because of your silly mentality by wanting to show us cyclists that it is YOUR roads as put by the GOON in his taxi.

 

 

 

I rode the 92km race and must say the start at 6H10 was okay as the road users must have been asleep still however on the second lap one soon realised trouble was looming as some marshalls started getting bored and lost interest in the jobs, the JMPD was also not up to the task as some did not seem to know what their functionality was on the route, How do you park your cop car in the middle of the road when you have cyclists bearing down on you at 45kmph??????the mind boggles.

 

I rode the race with the intention of getting to see more of the area and compare it with the Soweto marathon in terms of people participation and awareness as to what is taking place, sadly to say as a minority sport the Sowetans will have to up their game in convincing some of the cyclists to come back next year.

 

 

 

Race over now I prepare to watch our Elite riders show us their skills and racing abilities as this is something one seldom gets to see if you partake in the race yourself.

 

What a turn out amongst the Elite group Microsoft, SCS, Harmony, Excel,Barloworld etc. First anouncement race delay accident up the road second report some clowns throwing stones onto the race route, not sounding good at all. Race is off first lap totally neutral so let the action begin second lap some riders start bailing complaining about the road not been safe to much vehicular movement on the race section then the third lap race gets called off because of the SAFETY FACTOR.

 

 

 

Now to ask the following questions : Was the ROAD CLOSURE JUST A HOAX to get the cyclists to the event or was the JMPD management the same as we all expect of them lately( We take your money, show up and do nothing constructive except to feed our faces in the VIP area.

 

 

 

Safety & Security:

 

"Road closure ensures that the cyclists will only be in the policed and managed route and not randomly cycling in problem areas" This is from the organizers website.

 

 

 

The Fenciing people, why was the barriers still laying on the side of the intersections when the 92km race started and still there at 13H00 when we eventually decided to leave, road closure means you put fencing up and use it to prevent cars from interferring with cyclists.

 

 

 

Championchip this is a first that I witness a race start without you there, what happened guys,please ensure this is the last as well.

 

 

 

Organizers you guys tried to provide something worthwhile in an area where it has not been done before hopefully this learning curve will better equip you for the future if you continue this venture.

 

What our people must realise is LET US stop complaining about no TRANSFORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT taking place in the townships from the minority sports and then when it is brought in we stuff it up, where is our pride ???

 

 

 

To those who were injured yesterday I wish you a speedy recovery and THANK you for helping yesterday.

 

 

 

   

[Team SL]

Some pics.

Winners of VA cat 1st Justin Erasmus, 2nd David Labuschgane

Team SL2007-03-05 02:08:59

[Team SL]

VB Winners

Team SL2007-03-05 02:13:29