South Africa’s biggest cycling event, the Cape Town Cycle Tour is just around the corner; and that means that thousands of participants and spectators will be heading to the sunny shores of Cape Town to get in on the action. The Cape Town Cycle Tour also attracts some rookie cyclists who reckon they have what it takes to complete the 100km race around the Cape Peninsula.
If you’re a Cape Argus newbie here are a few facts you may not have heard about the race
10. The Cape Argus was originally known as “The Big Ride-In”, and was first organised in 1978. The event was organised to draw attention to the need for cycle paths across South Africa.
9. In 2014 the Cape Argus was renamed to the Cape Town Cycle Tour.
8. The race has no age limit. The oldest man to ever complete it was 92-year old Japie Malan who completed the event on a tandem bicycle.
Japie Malan
7. The event is traditionally staged on the second Sunday in March every year.
6. The Cape Town Cycle Tour regularly injects around R500 million into the Western Cape economy each year along with the millions it raises for various charities.
5. The Cape Town Cycle Tour is the first ever cycling event outside of Europe to be included in the prestigious Union Cycliste Internationale’s Golden Bike Series.
Shop all your cycling essentials
4. The race has only ever been stopped twice throughout its existence. First in 2002 due to extreme heat, and then again in 2009 due to strong winds.
3. The oldest woman to ever finish was 80 year old Mary Warner who competed in 2006.
2. The Cape Town Cycle Tour, with as many as 40 000 participants, is the world’s largest individually timed cycle race.
1. In 2008 cycling legend Robbie Hunter shattered all previous records to finish the race in a latest ever time of 2 hours, 27 minutes and 29 seconds.
Robbie Hunter
