Success and sorrow
IT HAS been a bittersweet Cape Town Cycle Tour, on the occasion of a second take of the 40th edition of the world’s largest timed cycle race. While conditions were near perfect with nought but a gentle breeze, mild temperatures and nary a disruption in sight, sadly as of yesterday, three people had lost their lives.
Following the cancellation of the tour last year for an array of reasons – there was a veldfire that posed some risk, civil unrest in a number of informal settlements threatened the safety of the participants, and worst of all winds gusting at up to 120km/h in some places along the route with some riders barely able to hang onto their bikes and remain upright at the start – hard work went into making this aggrieved Organisers year’s communities, event had succeed. reached involving out to the them programmes in the tour, which running introduced outreach disadvantaged children to cycling, among other things.
This year there was a new starting point – the historic Grand Parade. The 2018 edition of the tour was full
Eof promise.for verything a perfect was Cape in place Town Cycle Tour and everyone, from the sponsors – the Cape Argus, Pick n Pay and Momentum – to the volunteers, pulled their weight to make #40take2 – the second attempt at the 40th edition of the iconic race – a success
The deaths of three people, including two cyclists along the route, was the only blight on an otherwise great event. We are all collectively saddened by the passing of the three people – a 40-year-old cyclist who succumbed to his injuries after a multiple bike pile-up; another cyclist suspected to have suffered a heart attack near Smitswinkel; and a Rotary marshal who died while ushering cyclists around an S-bend at Llandudno.
We offer our deepest and most sincere condolences to the families of the people who died. We also commend the organisers of the Cape Town Cycle Tour for their efforts, and to all the volunteers who worked tirelessly to pull off this tour. A word of thanks goes to the event sponsors as well as the authorities whose support and assistance have been outstanding.