Cape Town Cycle Tour 2017 cancelled

Was ready to start my 20th(including 09), cancelled got home to try beat the traffic. Wifey says hey, you got the morning off go do something. As I'm already in my kit I chose to ride. It was windy, but I wouldn't say too dangerous. Ended up doing the 80km route from Muizies via glencairn, chappies and town, coming back on main road as M3 was open to cars. Coming down chappies and oudekraal was a bit entertaining but you just keep going.

Was it windy, yes

Was it dangerous, IMHO not really.

I don't think they need to move the date, maybe the start can shift other side of civic centre of it's too windy.

So in my mind, wrong decision. As am experienced cyclist I would have liked the option to go for. But I'm not sitting in his shoes with all the info, and don't envy the situation he now sits in.

Net so

I think they should change the date next year to first weekend in April and move the start to the cnr of Adderley and strand street

This was all about the national ruling party trying to p*ss the local ruling party off with protest action...and then there was some wind as well...

Good call to stop.

You'll never satisfy everyone, all the time.

This was all about the national ruling party trying to p*ss the local ruling party off with protest action...and then there was some wind as well...

 

Good call to stop.

Good one. I think you hit the nail on the head.

It's not as simple as you think... in "Hindsight" solutions come up... but that's only because one had time to sit and think about all the scenarios and what the best one is that could have been chosen.... if you have a better solution than the one taken today... please share, bear in mind, considering ALL the issues around the route (including the wind factor) and a contingency plan put in place for your alternate route!

 

#it'snotthatsimple

It might be worth looking at making the race on a Saturday instead of a Sunday. Yes, lots of non cyclists might complain, but I am thinking of people who spend money to get here. Then if the weather is not suitable on the Saturday, you can at least postpone it to the Sunday. We see that the weather can be chalk and cheese from one day to the next. So maybe this is a way of looking at the race as a whole week end. The wind is hectic, but if we raced yesterday, it would just have been the heat. 

As for the protest action....it was not a surprise, believe me. This was discussed at nauseam between the parties that be. I am talking political level, not the organisers. Maybe there were communication between the organisers and the political parties, but if there wasn't..... there should have been. Like I said, this day was chosen to give the protest maximum effect.

People are annoyed and disappointed...some relieved.....everyone works through it in their own way.This forum is one where we can vent and discuss and bicker.....don't bite each other!

A saturday event will never work. Saturdays in Cape Town is probably the busiest business day for lots of businesses in Cape Town CBD

So The highest windspeed recorded at the cable station today................

101km/h

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I travelled here from Germany for the Race and spend with the Family about 100000R for this holiday. It is my 13th Argus as an oversea entrant. My comment about cancellation?

A) Yes it was much more wind in 2009. I was not ok with the decision to let it go in 09, because that was madness. Although I had my best result ever.

B) The cancellation today was ok for Safety Resons because of the wind.

C) It is not ok if 300 illegal protesters stop 35000 enthusiastic cyclists. You have a good police here, did any political influence stop the police doing their job?

D) will SA media will tell us the truth about the Whole Story of protests in the middle of the Night on the Race Course?

E) We Live in Houtbay- of Course the Fire was there today, but that cannot be a Reason for cancellation, cause it burned down Controlled today.

So the cancellation is ok for me- but please be honest and open about the background of the Organisation of the Protest this night.

WWJD.............what would Jens do?

I think its a good call for a host of reasons. Noone can stay on a bike in a 100kmph squall ... not me, not you, not froome or sagan.

 

I cycled from the start to Houtbay and back this pm (like many others). My observations and thoughts after the ride:

1. The devestation in Houtbay is obvious and heartbreaking

2. The rubble in the road that I saw in Houtbay was after the turnoff to Suikerbossie

3.​ ​ ​I had to dismount once on my way past Oudekraal on my way back due to a sudden gust of wind.  

My opinion:

Despite more than adequate communication from the organizers - my Dad (as an example) was adamant to ride. He does not have the skill to deal with these conditions. My father is a reasonable example of the type of cyclist that should be protected from him- or herself. Thus the decision is more vindicated as far as weather is concerned in my opinion.

BUT:

The great tragedy of the shack fires in Houtbay could not have been a major consideration in the decision-making in this matter. It is a human tragedy of epic proportion - surely matched by other disasters elsewhere in our tragic country but no less or more important than any other instances of human suffering at any one moment. Shack fires in Alexandria is just as heart wrenching as any other but somehow it appears just not to be as serious as a fire in Houtbay over CTCT weekend in the opinion of the (Cape Town) cycling public. I will gladly donate to a social cause for the support of the poor people involved in this disaster (as we did for firefighters two years ago). It just does not imply any disrespect or apathy if I actually ride my bike in the vicinity of the disaster.

Let us just admit that the REAL two issues were:

1. The wind - it was a true and valid issue that may or may not be a issue in the near future again. It is an integral part of this race and most people can understand that, and will individually decide whether they are prepared to take the risk iro the Cape Doc or not when entering again.

2. Politics. This was the stated initial interference with this race. The importance is massive. The OMTOM is imminent. Future events (not only sporting) are all relevant. By accepting or stating that it is reasonable /understandable to do so and by defending such disruptive behavior it implies such an individual is happy to sacrifice all future mass participation events in this region. The reality is that as long as any number of individuals (large or small) is prepared to disrupt the functions of normal society, such as sporting gatherings, no matter what the long-term outcomes are, this event is at peril. We all know that our elected leaders are to blame much more for money wasting and squandering of resources than a small band of cyclists hoping to cycle around the Peninsula. 

My Point:

By painting this with the PR brush (everything but reality) we are fooling ourselves. Today it was mainly the wind - fair enough, but initially (and ultimately) the "leaders" held sport in the WC at ransom.

Cape Town and the Western Cape will have to decide whether the CTCT, OMTOM and many other events are purely irritants or generators of employment and income of around R500 million per event. If the events are to continue it is obvious that some communication and education is needed. The Golden Goose comes to mind.... 

.

http://ewn.co.za/2017/03/13/cartoon-the-cape-argust-cycle-race

The world has become a selfish disrespectful place where inconsiderate people live... now I'm generalising, but, you have people complaining about the event not talking place... because of whatever the reason is that canceled it.... but as previously mentioned, people's residences are burning and all we worried about is a damn fun ride? WTF is wrong with you people? It's the selfish uncompassionate opinions of people that causes this world to sink deeper into hate and chaos! For F@ck sakes get over yourselves!

So, why did you enter in the first place?  Why not rather volunteer as a firefighter, and sit at home over week-ends, rather than ride your bike, in case you are needed?  Why not skip that nice steak the next time, and donate the money instead? Give your bike to somebody that can use it to commute to work?

Or...

Rather just grow up...

So, why did you enter in the first place? Why not rather volunteer as a firefighter, and sit at home over week-ends, rather than ride your bike, in case you are needed? Why not skip that nice steak the next time, and donate the money instead? Give your bike to somebody that can use it to commute to work?

 

Or...

 

Rather just grow up...

Did I maybe hit the nail on the head with what I said and now you taking offence? And you say I should rather grow up? Nice....

I'm not going to argue or cause a stir with you, because clearly you better than me... I wish you an awesome satisfying life... good day to you...

http://mobi.iafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2184424.JPEG

Reminds me of the fires a couple of months back and everyone was out running around trying to rescue people and animals and Brick homes and the safety of mtb trails. All these people have are their shacks with an earth floor. They dont even have a concrete base so they could at least have a toilet and running water like alot of wooden chalets at some camp sites. Surely this could be done for the very least, instead of block and block and blocks of communal toilets.

 

Reminds me of the fires a couple of months back and everyone was out running around trying to rescue people and animals and Brick homes and the safety of mtb trails. All these people have are their shacks with an earth floor. They dont even have a concrete base so they could at least have a toilet and running water like alot of wooden chalets at some camp sites. Surely this could be done for the very least, instead of block and block and blocks of communal toilets.

This is a sad state... To see kids and parents with kids in the state that they currently in, no roof/shelter... 

Where to put their heads next...

Just looking at the photos I can "feel" the heat resonating from those flames... I feel for these folk... May the almighty be with them and uplift them out of this...

Terrible. Just terrible

Two loads of washing done 

Cleaned the kitchen

Feel like chocolate

Need a power nap soon 

Time to unpack my kit from the car...

 

Damn.

That Cadence CarboFuel sure packs some woema if not used at threshold. 

 

FullSizeRender-142.jpg

Nice wheels, want to sell them?

First weekend of April would be a much better time to hold the race. Significantly reduced chance of strong winds in April compared with early March.

Nice wheels, want to sell them?

Sorrie. ????

Bought recently from Spidey ????

Those pics.

Oh my.

My fellow South Africans. The people that toil under the hot sun and hot kitchens to make things work.

????

Those pics.

Oh my.

My fellow South Africans. The people that toil under the hot sun and hot kitchens to make things work.

 

 

and vote Zuma

and vote Zuma

Democracy

She's beautiful ain't she ????????????????????????

Some here even voted for some terrible tyrants leaders in the past

Let's just show the can of worms

And not open them ????

Saw a guy on a video walking with his 2014 Scalpel

It was flung above his head, suspended for a while, with the sheer force of the wind gods

 

My word

That was me meneer