The Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour is an International Annual Event, which involves circum-navigating the Cape Peninsula. This occurs each year around the 2nd week in March on a Sunday and is the largest timed event of its kind.
Entries for this year exceeded 40 000, however only 36 000 entries were accepted by the cutoff date. The total distance covered is 109 km and involves covering a course crossing mountain passes and coastal roads.
The Original Cycle Tour Route is almost entirely on coastal roads and traverses the Blue Route M3 Freeway and then links up with the Lakeside - Muizenberg Main Road and carries on all along the coast passing Simonstown, Smitswinkel Bay, Scarborough, Cape Point Reserve, Kommetjie Pass, Nooordhoek, Chapmans Peak, Suikerbossie, Lundudno, Campsbay, Maidens Cove and ultimately finishing at Green Point covering a total distance of 105 km.
However, last year, due to very bad rock falls on Chapmans Peak, a Noordhoek resident was tragically killed, and due to unpredictable and unsafe conditions, the Chapmans Peak Pass was closed.
This presented the Organisers of the Cycle Tour with quite a challenge in coming up with an alternative route. After long deliberation, it was finally decided to eliminate Kommetjie Pass, cut across Ocean View village and cross the Ou Kaapse Weg Pass. Then return along the Blue Route Freeway into the City. This amounted to a total race distance of 109 km for the new course.
Earlier plans involved crossing Constantia Nek and Suikerbossie, but these were scrapped, due to objections lodged by persons, claiming to represent the residents of Hout Bay. I have recorded my experiences of my first Cycle Tour, and will be hosting my buddies pages too. The above route map and distance/hill profile courtesy of Greg Botha. He has a very informative site called Argus Cycling Interest Group with tons of useful information.
