Argus Cycle Tour "New Route" and sub-3

[Spinnekop]

I had a look at my Cape Cobra stats for this stretch, which I did in the Cat3 group ... There was almost no wind.

The Boyes drive distance is roughly 6.8 km (we did come in at the Westlake Golf club though, not from the main road)

Start height was 33m ASL. Heighest point is 95m ASL. It feels much higher!

Our group took 12:30, which is an average speed of ~32.6 km/h

 

The main road distance is slightly shorter. I would guess 6.5km? Somebody might have more accurate figures.

This stretch used to be very fast (~40km/h+) if there was no wind. You could also get sucked along and recover a bit if required. At 40km/h this would take ~9:45

 

So Boyes Drive adds about 2:45 to the course, which is much less than I expected. I dont feel so negative about it now

 

There is however a large energy cost as you have to work much harder. The climbers will try and break you on this piece so you cant wheel suck all the way to Simons Town. In the last two Argus's our group © fractured on this piece. It gets exponentially harder as the wind speed picks up.

 

 

Aaaaa....nice one, thank you. Thought so.

"Hills" tend to screw with your mind........and see....it's really not that bad!! .

[Lucky Luke.]

Yeah, i agree - I dont think boyes drive makes such a big difference. The cape cobra, our TOTAL time for boyes drive was 11min38secs, with an avg speed of 33.5 km/h

 

you're not going to be going much faster if you go the coast road

 

Yep, the wind is worse on the main road anyways. When the SE is pumping I go Boyes by choice.

 

With no wind it is not going to add more than 5 minutes if you are in a bunch that is sending it. 10 minutes if you're a back marker.

[Li Mu Bai]

Hi Guys

 

The last time I did the Argus was in 2002 where I just missed my sub 3 by a minute or two, I didn't cycle since then until 2010.

 

Now I'm much fitter and I do better than I did then but apparently with Boyes Drive or something it's almost impossible to do a sub 3? I checked on racetec and thought that it was the 2009 & 2010 winds that caused the winners time to increase with almost 30 minutes :S

 

Is this true and if so is it really THAT difficult to do a sub 3 now?

 

Cheers,

Jan

 

Boyes drive into the wind, sinks any hope of a Sub 3. If we have a wind free day, then a sub3 should be possible, but will still be hard work. Boyes Drive just sucks

[Skirminkel]

Well the fact that only the Elites did sub 3 last year should tell you something, even VA's who are basically the strongest group to leave after elites didnt do sub 3 which says a lot. I'm talking singles here only not tandems.

 

Biggest factor IMO is the wind.

 

But basically

 

$ 2:39

VA 3:02

VB 3:04

A 3:03

B 3:10

C 3:11

D 3:16

My arguement exactly. With this said, surely it makes quite a big difference.

[jatho]

My arguement exactly. With this said, surely it makes quite a big difference.

 

Nope, like I said, biggest factor with sub 3 is the wind, if there's no wind this year you'll see sub 3's up to as high as D or even E group, well thats my opinion at least

[niklasvm]

I also did the cobra this year in CAT3 with a time of 11:58 @ 32.3km/h. As a comparison, in last year's Bay City cycle tour there was quite a strong SE blowing and I rode with group G and did the Boyes Drive section in 14:55 @ 28km/h. Thats a difference of 3 minutes due to the wind. I think Boyes Drive is way more protected than main road. The place where times suffer due to the wind is from Kalk bay to the top of Smits.

[Ratty]

Boys drive makes a big difference to the guys and girls later on.

 

Last year we had a great bunch on the freeway, the moment it hit boys drive, that was it. No more bunch the rest of the trip. We did have one bunch go past us, but they were clearly a really fit group who just didn't get seeded as they were flying.

 

That said, I do like boys drive! Hopefully this year with a better start the group won't break up as much.

[splat]

I got a 2:54 in the perfect weather a few years ago.

Even with perfect weather this year and IF I am fit as I was then, I still think my sub 3 chances are slim.

 

I am so not a climber and Boyes has seen my wave goodbye to my group for the last 2 years.

[Red Zone]

Boyes adds about one kilometer, and about 2 minutes on the road for anyone riding from elite to G or so. The biggest issue resulting from Boyes, is that you hit it early on with fresh legs and you normally pound it because it is made up of a few sections of short power climbs, but it comes back to bite you on Chappies and Suikerbossie later on where you find that you dont quite have the legs you had on the old course and take a few minutes more over these climbs and the hard fast run in to the finish.

 

If you are a genuine sub 3 rider, its not going to make any difference to you. If however you are one of those guys who will ride a 2:55 - 2:59:59 on a perfect day with no wind and your normal plan is to wheelsuck the whole way - hopeing to hang onto your betters, then the Boyes will bugger you.

[nuge]

If you are a genuine sub 3 rider, its not going to make any difference to you. If however you are one of those guys who will ride a 2:55 - 2:59:59 on a perfect day with no wind and your normal plan is to wheelsuck the whole way - hopeing to hang onto your betters, then the Boyes will bugger you.

 

oh dear, then i'm in trouble...

[fandacious]

If you are a genuine sub 3 rider, its not going to make any difference to you. If however you are one of those guys who will ride a 2:55 - 2:59:59 on a perfect day with no wind and your normal plan is to wheelsuck the whole way - hopeing to hang onto your betters, then the Boyes will bugger you.

 

oh dear, then i'm in trouble...

 

it all depends... 2008 i rode a 2h47 from A group (old route, no wind), Last year I rode 3h10 from SV - thats a 23minute difference

 

Wind is much more of a factore than 1 small section of road

[niklasvm]

Solution to the problem: Stay on the mountain-side of the bunch to shelter from the wind as far as possible. The front guys will still drive it hard but at least you can save your legs.

[butafly]

also take into account the finsh in Green Point and the fact the the distance is now 109 kms. in the "old days"

a sub 3 meant an average of 34/35 kph now it is closer to an average of 39 kph to get close to s sub 3.

['Dale]

That 2:39 by the Elites was a phenomenal time...

 

Amazing.

 

[boyes Drive does add additional climbing/ ascending to the route.

And, thus, makes a difference whether you are SV or in Starting Group XX.

 

Of course, the difference / impact is RELATIVE to one's level of strength.

Climbing drains energy. No doubt.]

[andretraut]

I bought myself a sub3 bike, but after reading this thread I think I will rather just call it my dream bike. Then at least it would'nt feel like a waste of money!

[Lucky Luke.]

Solution to the problem: Stay on the mountain-side of the bunch to shelter from the wind as far as possible. The front guys will still drive it hard but at least you can save your legs.

 

Smash to the front at the bottom of Boyes with a Mel Gibson war cry: "WHO WANTS THE SUB 3? COME ON BITCHES!!"

 

Then start discretely soft pedalling and wait for the eager beavers to tear up the road. Slide backwards as the bunch swallows you up. Change to the 25 and spin easy behind your high speed windbreak.