7 Ways To Ače Your СТСТ 42km

So, this is your first bike race? Congratulations! You've chosen one of the very best out there, filled with heritage, beauty and fun, fun, fun. Let's help you make it even better, with seven simple truths dredged up from our own early years...

- TIM BRINK

1 Don’t Panic

OKAY, IT SEEMS FAR – but it isn’t. Even the big-daddy 109km is totally manageable, with the right attitude. Start by breaking it into bite-sized chunks, separated by a drink, a nibble, even just a glance at the view.

For the shorter route, think of it as 10 x 4km rides. You can do that in your sleep, right? Then string them together, maybe like so:

Grab a bite to eat to celebrate conquering Nelson Mandela Boulevard.

Wash it down with some water as you pass UCT, and the view across the suburbs appears.

Edinburgh Drive is going to be hard, no matter how you tackle it. Your prize is another snack at the top – but only at the top! A little vasbyt will get you there…

Enjoy the free speed on the Blue Route. Let out a loud and joyous WHEEEEEE! as you descend Wynberg Hill, and allow your legs and lungs a rest.

See if you can spot a golfer duffing a shot at the turnaround – that means your day is instantly better than his.

Check out Pollsmoor on your left as you eat another energy bar. See if you can spot where the old 1930s Grand Prix track was.

Getting back up Wynberg Hill might need a little more vasbyt – check out the fancy houses, and distract yourself with which one you would buy with your lottery winnings.

Order some of Chart Farm’s famous scones, and see if they’ll deliver through the fence… and suddenly, the hill is over.

Close your eyes (metaphorically, not actually) as you scream back down Edinburgh Drive, and use your momentum and rested legs to get up to the flatter road through Newlands Forest.