Build-up to race day for the 48th Cycle Tour
It's all systems go for this year's Cape Town Cycle Tour.
Image: Cape Town Cycle Tour
For one Sunday each year, Cape Town motorists reluctantly hand over the keys to the city as about 30 000 cyclists take over the streets for the 48th Cape Town Cycle Tour.
From the early hours of Sunday morning, roads that usually hum with taxis, buses and impatient commuters will instead be filled with the steady whirr of bicycle chains and the occasional cry of “on your right”.
The annual race will see thousands of cyclists roll out from the city centre before tackling the 109km route around the Cape Peninsula, winding along the Atlantic Seaboard, over Chapman’s Peak Drive and through coastal communities including Noordhoek, Fish Hoek, Kalk Bay and Simon’s Town before finishing near Green Point.
For riders, the appeal is obvious: few events in the world allow cyclists to cruise along some of Cape Town’s most scenic roads without worrying about traffic.
The build-up to race day has already brought cyclists from across South Africa and abroad to the Mother City, with about 10 000 riders travelling from outside Cape Town for the event.
Activities for Cycle Tour Week are already underway, including the Lifecycle Expo at the DHL Stadium precinct, where cyclists collect race numbers, browse the latest gear and talk strategy for the famous climb up Suikerbossie.
Event organisers say the race remains about more than just competition.
“The Cape Town Cycle Tour is more than just a timed race; it is a celebration of health, community, and the sheer joy of cycling, all on fully closed roads,” said David Bellairs, CEO of the Cape Town Cycle Tour.
Both the elite men’s and women’s races will feature previous winners.
City authorities say extensive planning has gone into managing the large-scale event, with Traffic Services, Metro Police and Disaster Risk Management teams deployed along the route.
Motorists have been warned to expect widespread road closures across the CBD, Atlantic Seaboard, southern suburbs and False Bay, with several city centre roads including Strand Street, Darling Street, Adderley Street and Buitenkant Street set to close from 4am on Sunday.
Areas expected to be affected include Green Point, Sea Point, the southern suburbs and the Deep South, with major routes such as Chapman’s Peak Drive, the M3, Nelson Mandela Boulevard, Victoria Road in Camps Bay and sections of Main Road through the Deep South impacted.