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"contents": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This Sunday is the one day in the year where the roads in Cape Town belong exclusively to the sleek bicycles fitted with people adorned in lycra, helmets and not much else, while those in cars must make alternative arrangements for getting around the city as the 47th edition of the Cape Town Cycle Tour rolls around.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Cape Town Cycle Tour is the largest timed cycle race in the world – with about 30,000 people expected to line up on two wheels on Sunday – so it’s more than just about those pushing the most watts leading the peloton, the 109 km ride is an inclusive event.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“The thing about the Cape Town Cycle Tour is that it’s an event that is open to all,” Cape Town Cycle Tour CEO David Bellairs told Daily Maverick. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It isn’t about being a fast cyclist. It isn’t about being a cyclist even necessarily. It’s just about being a healthy outdoor lifestyle individual. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“If you enjoy being outdoors, if you enjoy any form of exercise, being able to get on a bike and ride slowly, [around] 100 kilometers, then you’ll be absolutely fine.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It really is an event that caters for young and old, and it’s just so accessible.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite the inclusivity, there is also a group of fierce riders chasing first place.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among the elite group, who start racing at 6.15am on Sunday, Kent Main, the 2024 Cape Town Cycle Tour champion, heads into the event as favourite.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He’ll be chased hard by an elite group of sprinters including returning 2012 champion, Reinardt Janse van Rensburg, 2022 winner Marc Pritzen as well as Tour du Cap leader Sascha Weber.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among the women, South Africa’s Tiffany Keep, who won narrowly last year, will look to repeat her heroic effort. SA champion S’annara Grove and Namibian champion Vera Looser won’t make it easy for Keep.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She’ll also have to contend with the likes of Hayley Preen and Emma Pallant, who are both vying for their first Cape Town Cycle Tour titles.</span>\r\n\r\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2623523\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/TL_2182411.jpg\" alt=\"Cyclists in the Cape Town Cycle Tour \" width=\"1788\" height=\"1156\" /> <em>Tiffany Keep, centre, is back to defend her title in the 2025 Cape Town Cycle Tour after winning the Women’s Elite race during the 2024 event on 10 March 2024. (Photo: Peter Heeger / Gallo Images)</em></p>\r\n<h4><b>A loop around the peninsula</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 109km Cycle Tour sees cyclists enjoy stunning views as the route follows a loop around the Cape Peninsula.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, a few years ago a shorter 42km route was also introduced to the Cape Town Cycle Tour, which gave amateur cyclists access to the sport.</span>\r\n\r\n<strong>Read more:</strong> <a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-03-10-two-routes-and-a-feelgood-factor-adds-to-cape-town-cycle-tour-appeal/\">Two routes and a feelgood factor adds to Cape Town Cycle Tour appeal</a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“What the shorter route has done for us is that it has allowed us to get younger people,” Bellairs said. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“People who are coming back from injury or people who haven’t been exercising, people who are getting off the couch and wanting to do something, and for whom 109km is a little bit far, they get in, they enjoy the 42km.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It ends in town, and then it’s only a 1.5km ride to Green Point Stadium.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But more importantly, it allows them to build up to tackle the 109km, which offers unparalleled views.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Riding the main routes as opposed to the short route gets you around the Cape Peninsula on some of the most beautiful, beautiful scenic routes.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the 109km ride, there is a seven hour cut with the final time to finish at 5pm.</span>\r\n<h4><b>A sunny day out</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weather plays an integral role in the success of cycle tours with tours having been stopped in the past because of inclement weather such as heat waves or strong gusts of wind.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This year, however, with temperatures in the low 20s and very light winds expected, conditions seem perfect for a day of cycling.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“The emphasis this year is about riding on a closed road, stopping, having fun, and just enjoying yourself,” Bellairs said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Really getting out there and experiencing the most beautiful peninsula in the world on a road that is closed with no cars, only cyclists. 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"description": "<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This Sunday is the one day in the year where the roads in Cape Town belong exclusively to the sleek bicycles fitted with people adorned in lycra, helmets and not much else, while those in cars must make alternative arrangements for getting around the city as the 47th edition of the Cape Town Cycle Tour rolls around.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Cape Town Cycle Tour is the largest timed cycle race in the world – with about 30,000 people expected to line up on two wheels on Sunday – so it’s more than just about those pushing the most watts leading the peloton, the 109 km ride is an inclusive event.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“The thing about the Cape Town Cycle Tour is that it’s an event that is open to all,” Cape Town Cycle Tour CEO David Bellairs told Daily Maverick. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It isn’t about being a fast cyclist. 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It’s just about being a healthy outdoor lifestyle individual. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“If you enjoy being outdoors, if you enjoy any form of exercise, being able to get on a bike and ride slowly, [around] 100 kilometers, then you’ll be absolutely fine.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It really is an event that caters for young and old, and it’s just so accessible.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite the inclusivity, there is also a group of fierce riders chasing first place.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among the elite group, who start racing at 6.15am on Sunday, Kent Main, the 2024 Cape Town Cycle Tour champion, heads into the event as favourite.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He’ll be chased hard by an elite group of sprinters including returning 2012 champion, Reinardt Janse van Rensburg, 2022 winner Marc Pritzen as well as Tour du Cap leader Sascha Weber.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Among the women, South Africa’s Tiffany Keep, who won narrowly last year, will look to repeat her heroic effort. SA champion S’annara Grove and Namibian champion Vera Looser won’t make it easy for Keep.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She’ll also have to contend with the likes of Hayley Preen and Emma Pallant, who are both vying for their first Cape Town Cycle Tour titles.</span>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2623523\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1788\"]<img class=\"size-full wp-image-2623523\" src=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/TL_2182411.jpg\" alt=\"Cyclists in the Cape Town Cycle Tour \" width=\"1788\" height=\"1156\" /> <em>Tiffany Keep, centre, is back to defend her title in the 2025 Cape Town Cycle Tour after winning the Women’s Elite race during the 2024 event on 10 March 2024. (Photo: Peter Heeger / Gallo Images)</em>[/caption]\r\n<h4><b>A loop around the peninsula</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 109km Cycle Tour sees cyclists enjoy stunning views as the route follows a loop around the Cape Peninsula.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, a few years ago a shorter 42km route was also introduced to the Cape Town Cycle Tour, which gave amateur cyclists access to the sport.</span>\r\n\r\n<strong>Read more:</strong> <a href=\"https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-03-10-two-routes-and-a-feelgood-factor-adds-to-cape-town-cycle-tour-appeal/\">Two routes and a feelgood factor adds to Cape Town Cycle Tour appeal</a>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“What the shorter route has done for us is that it has allowed us to get younger people,” Bellairs said. </span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“People who are coming back from injury or people who haven’t been exercising, people who are getting off the couch and wanting to do something, and for whom 109km is a little bit far, they get in, they enjoy the 42km.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“It ends in town, and then it’s only a 1.5km ride to Green Point Stadium.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But more importantly, it allows them to build up to tackle the 109km, which offers unparalleled views.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Riding the main routes as opposed to the short route gets you around the Cape Peninsula on some of the most beautiful, beautiful scenic routes.”</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the 109km ride, there is a seven hour cut with the final time to finish at 5pm.</span>\r\n<h4><b>A sunny day out</b></h4>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weather plays an integral role in the success of cycle tours with tours having been stopped in the past because of inclement weather such as heat waves or strong gusts of wind.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This year, however, with temperatures in the low 20s and very light winds expected, conditions seem perfect for a day of cycling.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“The emphasis this year is about riding on a closed road, stopping, having fun, and just enjoying yourself,” Bellairs said.</span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">“Really getting out there and experiencing the most beautiful peninsula in the world on a road that is closed with no cars, only cyclists. 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Tiffany Keep, centre, is back to defend her title in the 2025 Cape Town Cycle Tour after winning the Women’s Elite race during the 2024 event on 10 March 2024. (Photo: Peter Heeger / Gallo Images)