cycle tour
Cape Town Cycle Tour
Last year the Cape Town Cycle Tour was cancelled because of dangerously high winds. This year there is not a breath of air. It is perfect conditions for the cycle tour. Since I discovered running I have almost completely stopped cycling, but I still like to walk down to Main Road to support and watch the cyclists. I prefer to wait for the tail-end to come through; they are far more social and relaxed on the road.
Enjoy the pics from Sunday.
Cape Town Cycle Tour
Yesterday was the Cape Town cycle tour (formally the Argus cycle tour). Normally it is a 109km ride around beautiful Cape Town, but because of the recent fires they took the drastic (and very understandable) decision to shorten it to a 47km ride through Cape town (from the city bowl to the bottom of the M3 and back).
I normally watch the ride form the bottom of my road (I used to ride it myself but have stopped since I discovered running). But today I took a short run to watch the bicycles coming past.
The ride was in solidarity to all the firemen who have bravely spent the past week fighting the fires, so a lot of people were wearing red, and even dressing up as firemen.
Cycle Tour
Cyclist dreased as a fireman
Argus Cycle Tour 2013
Well I was (sort of) supposed to ride in the 109km race, but since I have put so much effort into the Two Oceans Half Marathon in 3 weeks time, I did the prudent thing and just watched the race from the sidelines.
Of course that did not stop me from taking some photos. Here are a few highlights.
A tightly packed bunch
Doing it on one wheel
Hand Cyclist
And the rest
A day at the races
An early group
Be careful what you wish for, because you might get it. On Sunday I wished for a wind-free day, and that is exactly what I got. However I didn’t wish for the temperature to go over 40 deg C, but it did!
By now you probably know that I cycled in the Pick n Pay Cape Argus Cycle Tour on Sunday. This was my 6th tour, and I clearly have an ability to pick interesting weather. Oh, how I would love to have a race in cool and wind-free weather. But not this year! Just to give you an example of some of the recent tours that I have completed:
- 2012: temperature peaked at 42 deg C
- 2010: howling wind (but not as bad as 2009)
- 2009: howling wind (over 120km/h – higher that what I experienced in hurricane Irene in USA 2011)
- 2006: rained (and crashed but still finished)
Maybe, just maybe next year will be great weather.
Relaxing before the start
While I didn’t take any pictures on the road, here are a couple (mostly) from the start line, and all on my phone (no my SLR does not go on the race with me). I hope this gives you a small taste of the feeling of being part of the 31324 cyclists that finished. There are so many people that while the first cyclists leave at 6:15am, the last leave after 10:30am which is after the first cyclists have already finished!
My group starting to assemble at the start line
The race leaves in groups of about 500, spread out every few minutes. My group left at 9:16am, and it was already sweltering. I drank over 9l water on the route, which is about what I usually drink in an entire week.
At the start line, about 5 minutes before my group started on the 110km route
The end, now I can relax for the next year, or at least until the 2 Oceans half marathon next month.
Good luck with the race tomorrow
Tomorrow is the annual Argus Cycle Tour, and while I will not be riding this year, I will be on the side of the road taking photos. Approximately 35000 cyclists will race the 109km route around Cape Town.
These shots go a little back in my archive, I took them in 2008 – I was strictly point and shoot in those days :-), when I missed the race due to back surgery.
One of the many large bunches of cyclists
It is a little ironic for me because I rode both last year and the year before, and both years had howling gales. This year (when I am not riding) is promising to have ideal cycling conditions. Oh well!
Racing
Over the finish line