Cape Town Cycle Tour 2017 cancelled

What do we refer to this edition as? The 39.5th? The almost 40th? The 40th version 1.0?

The cancelled one? 

This is what the Organisers need to focus on! Get these ducks in a row, come up with a plan for the day with the necessary role players and the risk element is drastically reduced!

 

Everyone acting very emotional about the event. Let's just put this out there. Imagine the worlds media are watching the streaming live footage as a group of 100 plus protesters charge across the road at the Sun Valley traffic light where the elite bunch are coming down Black Hill at pace on the diverted route. That's before the thousands of other riders that have already started on the course even get there! And they will all be pumped up and ready for confrontation!!!! Could you just imagine the conflict on the day????????? Would this likely end with someone losing their life?

And for this reason and not the weather (I got the 1st 20km done) I am very pleased the event got cancelled. I had not reason on my 34th cycle tour to be taken into a "war zone."

Just don't know why the reports are UP playing the weather - to that point from the timing mats it was the 1st cycle tour in many years I had seen ZERO accidents in my (@) bunch. Cyclist seemed far more cautious and chilled gaps were bigger we all new a sub 3 was possible far less risky etc.

Why are the reports DOWN playing the protesters? They had already affect the event by making sure the 109Km route entered was not going to happen - they had already "won!" I can appreciate that they don't want the protestors to feel the victory - but I think even they know they manged to "get their way."

And for this reason and not the weather (I got the 1st 20km done) I am very pleased the event got cancelled. I had not reason on my 34th cycle tour to be taken into a "war zone."

 

Just don't know why the reports are UP playing the weather - to that point from the timing mats it was the 1st cycle tour in many years I had seen ZERO accidents in my (@) bunch. Cyclist seemed far more cautious and chilled gaps were bigger we all new a sub 3 was possible far less risky etc.

 

Why are the reports DOWN playing the protesters? They had already affect the event by making sure the 109Km route entered was not going to happen - they had already "won!" I can appreciate that they don't want the protestors to feel the victory - but I think even they know they manged to "get their way."

True, but the point of a protest is to draw attention to something, so by targeting the race they were looking for media coverage and drawing attention to their plight. By not giving them the publicity they were seeking, they attempted to deter them from doing it in future(wild guess here) by not giving them what they were actually looking for. The disruption was not the goal, but the means to achieve their goal of media coverage and attention to their cause.

@Meezo, run out of likes.

But your comments makes much sense. And dont worry, we'll toler'ate your grammer, because, of that.

Perhaps the way to approach this for next year is to plan it as a break in Cape Town, with the possibility of doing a bicycle ride whilst you are there.

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True, but the point of a protest is to draw attention to something, so by targeting the race they were looking for media coverage and drawing attention to their plight. By not giving them the publicity they were seeking, they attempted to deter them from doing it in future(wild guess here) by not giving them what they were actually looking for. The disruption was not the goal, but the means to achieve their goal of media coverage and attention to their cause.

I still prefer the truth - and given that the 1st group that started $ a cyclist had to be loaded into an ambulance before the mats (think collar bone), if weather was the season surely the organizer would have stopped the race then. Don't the organizer potentially face legal claim for gross negligence for starting another 3 groups, that's assuming they were not waiting for the phone call from the Police from the other side on the mountain saying we cannot guarantee the safety of the riders - they basically entering a "war zone?"

As a good gesture for cancelling the race free entry for next years 40th edition of the CTCT 2018 no wait... Shut up and we'll take your money

On my drive back yesterday I was caught in a protest, burning tyres on the road exiting Fort Beaufort. Tried an alternative with the locals and then got blocked in with tyres burning, all entries and exits blocked, myself and gf was stuck in the middle of nowhere and nowhere to go. bikes on the bike rack. (why do I always end up in these situations I asked myself)

I spotted a local moving one burning tyre so a car could pass and I started racing my bakkie for the same gap. The heat of the fire next to the car was so severe I could feel it on the drivers side, i passed the fire on the right.

We manage to take alternative route following a oncoming police van.

These things are scary to say the least, I wanted to get out and give a few hidings to some of the snotkop fire stirrers but would have probably not ended well.

All good now, was fearing I would lose another bike as everyone was gathering around us.

 

Just don't know why the reports are UP playing the weather - 

 

Why are the reports DOWN playing the protesters? 

The protesters got the route shortened, the wind got the race cancelled - so I think it is only natural that the wind get more attention.

If there weren't wind the protesters would have gotten all the attention.

I don't think anyone is in denial that the protesters are a big problem.

As a good gesture for cancelling the race free entry for next years 40th edition of the CTCT 2018 no wait... Shut up and we'll take your money

Unfortunately and I looked I a have a receipt of entry for the 2017 Cape Town cycle tour and not the 40th cycle tour. But now they can flog the same merchandise again next year - less waist assuming the 40th cycle tour merchandise does not have 2017 on it!

@Meezo, run out of likes.

 

But your comments makes much sense. And dont worry, we'll toler'ate your grammer, because, of that.

were you at the start line, or did you have to make sure the hub doesn't melt down after the cancellation

I still prefer the truth - and given that the 1st group that started $ a cyclist had to be loaded into an ambulance before the mats (think collar bone), if weather was the season surely the organizer would have stopped the race then. Don't the organizer potentially face legal claim for gross negligence for starting another 3 groups, that's assuming they were not waiting for the phone call from the Police from the other side on the mountain saying we cannot guarantee the safety of the riders - they basically entering a "war zone?"

lets play this out.

Lets say the protesters only start their problems at Simonstown at 09H00.

A few batches would have gone past, many batches would be on route to them, and numerous batches would be in the start chutes.

If they received a phone call from "sources" saying that the protesters were planning something at 06H25 after the first batches had gone through, what else could they have done ?

The weather represents a challenge, but that is part of cycling. Protests on the other hand, they are something different.

If they opened entries up today, I would enter! Yes I was fuming on Sunday and I had a few things to say but in hindsight, I was wrong and should have kept my mouth shut. I have done 27 consecutive starts(I am counting Sunday as a start because I managed to do 21km before being stopped) and this is the first time this has happened. Yes 2015 was short but at least they made a plan. IMHO it's still a great race and I will be there in 2018 for the 40th event and my 27th. CTCT will see my money again.

Great to read this post from you, LWB.

It's a special event.

Thee were extraordinary circumstances. Yes.

lets play this out.

 

Lets say the protesters only start their problems at Simonstown at 09H00.

 

A few batches would have gone past, many batches would be on route to them, and numerous batches would be in the start chutes.

 

If they received a phone call from "sources" saying that the protesters were planning something at 06H25 after the first batches had gone through, what else could they have done ?

 

 

The weather represents a challenge, but that is part of cycling. Protests on the other hand, they are something different.

Look agreed excepting we were no longer going thou Simonstown. The report on ENCA yesterday morning there were about 300 protestor already on the road at about 05h30 on 12 March 2017.

Please don't get me wrong the event needed to be cancelled for the safety of the cyclist -not to be sent into a "war zone" that decision had to be made by the organizers. The weather decision well nobody was forcing anybody to ride - those of us who did get to 20km mark would probably say it was the safest ride we had had. I had not seen any accidents like last year a 40 man pile up going down Hospital bend in $ group etc. Cyclist are generally more cautious in wind like that.

 

were you at the start line, or did you have to make sure the hub doesn't melt down after the cancellation

we were coming down the N2 towards the Mew way offramp when a friend in the Laureus group called and said they cancelled. (09H30 start).

we pulled over and a few other cars with bikes on stopped behind us. when the sms came through we turned around and had breakfast at the N2 wimpy. The place was soon packed with riders and all of them looked very relieved.

lucky only had to mod one or two comments. given the measure of anger most people would have felt the responses here have been well measured.

Really hope the city leadership has a conversation, a meaningful and sustained conversation, with the respective community leaders.

And follow up with action or deliver on existing plans.

Forging trust and mutual cooperation is important.

Before a disaster happens.

It is important.

For mass participation events.

For all the peoples.

For all of us that care about our collective nationhood.

Really hope the city leadership has a conversation, a meaningful and sustained conversation, with the respective community leaders.

And follow up with action or deliver on existing plans.

 

Forging trust and mutual cooperation is important.

Before a disaster happens.

 

It is important.

For mass participation events.

For all the peoples.

For all of us that care about our collective nationhood.

Best post of the whole thread

And with that post, lets close this down,

Any more discussion can be had here:

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/166877-statement-regarding-cancellation-of-the-40th-cape-town-cycle-tour-from-david-bellairs/