‘Cape Town Lemming Tour’ is uncalled for

TIM Whitfield’s article (March 18), referring to the Cape Town Cycle Tour as the “Cape Town Lemming Tour”.

While I assume the lemming reference was made in jest by a mountain biker, it is nevertheless demeaning and uncalled for within the cycling fraternity.

The majority of the lemminglike riders you refer to comprise surprisingly mountain bikers out to enjoy the day with their roadie counterparts. The Cycle Tour remains arguably the best run cycling event in the country and is still the largest timed cycle race in the world. Its ability to attract around 36 000 local and international participants annually, attests to its popularity and tried and tested organisation.

Your imagery of automatonlike lemmings blindly following the pack over a cliff is misplaced. Cyclists of all disciplines enter the race knowing the organisers will do their best to secure safety.

The cancellation of the 2017 race due to high wind and fire emergency vehicle road access reasons, is case in point, and was the right decision to have made. Those that made that important call are anything but lemmings.