Wind of change ushers in a new start

The start of the 2018 Cape Town Cycle Tour has been moved from Hertzog Boulevard to the Grand Parade‚ after the 2017 race was cancelled due to winds of up to 100km/h.

The rest of the route around the Peninsula will be the same.

“Our participants’ safety will always come first‚” said David Bellairs‚ director of the Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust.

“We believe now – as we did in 2017 – that the right decision was made on the day. Nothing could have prepared the team for the challenges thrown at us in the lead-up to the 2017 Cape Town Cycle Tour.

“After the issues we had with wind at this year’s start‚ we immediately reviewed and reassessed our options for 2018.

“We needed to be responsive in respect of this year’s challenges and look to mitigate the wind risk. We realise that there are very few areas in Cape Town that are immune to the Cape Doctor [the wind]‚ but believe with this move that at least participants will not again be subjected to the sort of wind vortices created by the tunnels at the base of the Civic Centre.”

The extreme wind conditions came after the 2016 race was shortened from 109km to 78km due to fire damage to sections of the route near Hout Bay and fears of expected protests in the south Peninsula. In 2009‚ the race was plagued by a galeforce southeasterly.

Experts have been roped in to ensure a smoother ride.

Bellairs said: “An extensive amount of work has gone into understanding and looking into risk-mitigation procedures and we are in the process of revising our wind guidelines as they relate to the start‚ route and finish precinct.

“This is being done in conjunction with Disaster Management Services‚ City of Cape Town‚ Pedal Power Association and experts in the meteorological field.”

Bellairs said there was a historic connection with the Grand Parade: “In 1978‚ 525 cyclists set off from outside the Castle on the first Cycle Tour (then called The Argus Tour).”

General and international entry applications to the 2018 Cape Town Cycle Tour, which is due to take place on March 11, will open on September 20.