WE REALLY ARE A FORTUNATE LOT, when it comes to events. There are few (if any) countries with such a wide range of road, mountain, gravel and other organised rides. It’s hard to find a weekend that doesn’t have something you’d love to be doing.
Sure, there are some gaps – road racing is in a fragile state, given the condition of our roads and our finances. And events have become expensive; none more so than when they involve sharing public roads with other traffic.
Back in the day, much of the behind-the-scenes cost was absorbed by a government happy to have people active and using the roads; but that’s changed a lot. The roads have become a lot busier, making some older and much-loved routes just impossible; and then there’s the cost of employing traffic and safety officials to keep us all in one piece.
You also have to factor in the new Events Act, which came into being in the early twenty-teens; organisers are now forced to supply a certain minimum number of marshals, ambulances and other emergency staffing and protocols. Before, many shortcuts were taken, and only the really big events did what was right. And we all got away with it. But that too has changed…
And yet, if you’re realistic about it, entry fees in general are fair for what we’re getting. The big one – the Cape Town Cycle Tour – costs just over R800 for 109km of fully closed roads in one of Africa’s busiest cities; and even the Cycle Tour is running at a loss of a few hundred rand per rider, cost-on-the-road, and relying on sponsors to fill the gap.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة January / February 2024 من Bicycling South Africa.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة January / February 2024 من Bicycling South Africa.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
PAINT YOUR BIKE
A DIY GUIDE TO CUSTOM- PAINTING YOUR BIKE AT HOME
THE CASE AGAINST STRAVA
I'LL BEGIN BY SINGING SOME PRAISES. Without Strava, I'm not sure I'd have re-engaged with cycling at the level I did. Coming from just occasionally messing around on mountain bikes as a teenager to trying my best to race at an elite level, Strava has played a role in pushing me to ride faster, harder and longer than I'd ever done before.
OVERBERG MEANDER
CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE IN THE ROLLING HILLS OF THE SOUTHERN CAPE.
THE RIGHT TO RIDE
THEY LED A CYCLING REVOLUTION IN AFGHANISTAN, WHERE WOMEN WERE FORBIDDEN TO RIDE. WHEN THE TALIBAN RETURNED TO POWER, THEIR ONLY HOPE WAS A HARROWING ESCAPE TO AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE.
ONE MAN'S CRUSADE TO TAKE DOWN ZWIFT CHEATS
INDOOR CYCLING AND VIRTUAL RACING ARE BOOMING - AND SO ARE THE RANKS OF DIGITAL DOPERS ABUSING THE PLATFORMS.
Gale Force
IN 2025, THE ABSA CAPE EPIC WILL ROLL OUT FOR THE 21ST TIME. ONLY TWO RIDERS HAVE FINISHED ALL 20 PREVIOUS EVENTS.
The Contenders
Matt Beers is undoubtedly the most popular cyclist in South Africa.
The Czech Mates
THIS YEAR, BLIND ATHLETE ONDŘEJ ZMEŠKAL and his tracker Marek Peterka will tackle the Absa Cape Epic riding a tandem. And far from being daunted, the duo are excited about the challenge ahead.
Beyond The Trails
Over the past two decades, the Absa Cape Epic's impact on South African cycling tourism has been nothing short of phenomenal. The race not only attracts professional and dedicated amateur riders from across the globe, but also plays a pivotal role in boosting local economies and showcasing South Africa as a premier destination for adventure seekers. Let's delve into how the race achieves these feats:
The Fixers
EVERY DAY, WHEN YOU FINISH A STAGE of the Absa Cape Epic, it's your chance to recover and recharge for the next day.
