![\"ccs-62657-0-53481300-1453795085.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-53481300-1453795085.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Drapac\u2019s overall winner Peter Koning (left) being congratulated by South Africa\u2019s Darren Lill after the final climb to the Taal Monument in last year\u2019s Bestmed Tour of Good Hope (then known as the Tour de Boland). Photo: Full Stop Communications<\/span><\/p>\nLast year Peter Koning, riding for Australia\u2019s Team Drapac, rode away with the spoils after the race was dominated by Team Dimension Data\u2019s (known as MTN-Qhubeka then) feeder team in 2013 and 2014.<\/p>\n
Mclean supported the fact that the 522km tour, which is presented by Rudy Project, culminated with a mountain top finish.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is bound to be captivating and dramatic. The final result is likely to be up in the air until the last few kilometres.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing a good climber with a strong team behind you will be critical to success.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said mountain top finishes \u2013 this year\u2019s tour features two \u2013 allowed the drama and suspense to unfold for riders and spectators alike.<\/p>\n
Before the grand finale to the Taal Monument, riders with an eye on the general classification will have to conquer a testing 144km course to the top of Du Toit\u2019s Kloof Pass on stage three.<\/p>\n
Mclean said the Tour of Good Hope, which is sanctioned by Cycling SA, could grow into a fully-fledged international tour and saw no reason why it couldn\u2019t draw more top international teams.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has the potential to become a fantastic event and attract top teams from around the world, not unlike what we\u2019re seeing at the Tour Down Under in Australia at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the host town of Paarl acting as a natural gateway to some of the country\u2019s most famous passes, the new cloverleaf racing format lent itself to some spectacular stages,\u201d said race organiser Wynand de Villiers.<\/p>\n
Although the tour aims to attract the best possible international field, the organisers have widened the net and opened it to other categories like amateurs and vets, who start separately.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur aim in introducing these categories is to make the amateurs feel like pros,\u201d said De Villiers. \u201cThere are many amateurs capable of riding in tours but, until this event, haven\u2019t been able to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n
De Villiers said they already had 800 confirmed entries, of which 250 were international.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe field is limited to 1 000 riders and we won\u2019t accept any entries after the January 30 deadline.\u201d<\/p>\n
The organisers, said De Villiers, would make more announcements shortly.<\/p>\n