Chapman’s Peak – Argus Cycle Tour 2007

Chapman’s Peak in 2007 on a Giant 1997 CFR 1

Time: Around 4h 42

I will not do another pedal by pedal stroke account here again.

My account of the the 2001 should suffice, see below.

Argus Cycle Tour 2001

It’s all in the timing…… yep, so what time did I do it in? Naa …… it goes much deeper than that.

You see, this year I did the Cycle Tour on a road bike, as opposed to using a mountain bike last year, and knocked off exactly an hour, and three seconds, off last years time.

This, against my physiotherapist’s advice, since I had a misaligned right knee which came about due to incorrect cleat adjustment.

This caused muscle imbalances since the inner thigh muscles were not developed as well as the outer quad muscle was, thus pulling the knee cap out of alignment.

One learns new things each day in cycling and mistakes are paid for dearly.

Not enough sleep the night before the Cycle Tour because of all the pent up excitement.

This year I was seeded in group GG 24709 scheduled to start at 8.53 am. A glorious day, though a South Westerly wind blowing at 25 knots was going to have an influence on us having a Sub 5 hour target.

As always the vibe at the start was sensational, everyone flushed with excitement, and anticipation. With both knees patched with Transact plasters I bravely set out hoping at least to finish the Cycle Tour.

Started off and hit the Freeway, people dancing and shouting encouragement from the bridges, smiles everywhere.

This is what we come back for every year. The Cape Vibe could be felt all the way up Wynberg Hill. Supporters clapping and shouting encouragement every pedal push up the hill. Amazingly, there were two foreigners with Touring Bikes laden with bags, pumping their way up Wynberg Hill. This hill is tough enough just with yourself on the bike.

Onto the Blue Route with a headwind and pumping at 45 km/h, no one in front to latch onto and everyone behind refusing to pass me and pull. So I just put my head down and went for it.

About half way down the Blue Route a bunch started coming past us and I latched onto this group though by this time we only doing 28 km/h. Stayed with them and took my turn twice at the head until we got to Jubilee Square where nature called, as the pressure had been building since the end of the Blue Route.

The vibe at Jubilee Square was really great and the support absolutely magical. Just short of the climb up Smitswinkel Bay the photographers were snapping away. I was happy that I was not experiencing any pain at this stage and decided to just keep going at a reasonable pace. Got to the top of Smitswinkel Bay climb in 2 hours and 5 minutes.

Going down to Scarborough was faced with the brisk South Westerly. Mistly Cliffs, the local refrigerator was nice and cool. The Cycle Tour was not as hot as it was last year. Even Ou Kaapse was bearable, with cloud cover.

This year there weres stops at the crest of Little Ou Kaapse, in the middle of Ou Kaapse proper and just before the summit. Bit of a traffic jam in the middle as people were now pushing their bikes and stopping at the Bar One rest. I was kinda forced to stop and get off my bike and push past this section for a few minutes and got back onto my bike just before the summit again.

The descent had my adrenalin rushing again but I think next year my training should factor in the last 20 km. There’s just is so much to do before the end. The climb up to the Constantia turnoff and then Wynberg Hill are very challenging, not forgetting the rise at Paradise Crest. Very challenging, considering that 80 odd kilometers have been done by then, and that the old thief, Ou Kaapse having already robbed you of your legs.

Granny gear for Hospital Bend was the way to go before the drop into the City peddling into the wind again.

After cresting the final bump before the finish line the euphoria, the joy of finishing, made me forget all the pain endured over the last 4 hours, forty two minutes and 11 seconds. Exactly an hour and three seconds faster than last year.

Will I be back again next year? You bet I will, aiming for a sub 4 hour time. There is something about the Cycle Tour that words cannot explain. This can only be experienced. And everyone who has ridden the Cycle Tour will tell you the same thing. In a nutshell, a magical experience.

Training for the Pick ‘n Pay Argus Cycle Tour 2001.

During December 2000 I did not even look at my bicycle at all. Even though I had entered online for the Argus Cycle Tour my previous ride was at the end of November 2000 but I really needed the rest. On the 31 December 2000, my buddies, Kader, Waleed, Gary and I kicked off our training for the Cycle Tour.

Our first ride was LSD ie. long, steady distance to Simonstown. What an excellent day that was for riding a bicycle. Perfect weather and it felt really good smelling the sea as we passed through Muizenberg and St. James.

There were cyclists aplenty on the road all focused on their training for the ACT. On our way back though we all knew that we should have set our first ride target to Muizenberg at least because the legs were fairly leaden by then.

Two days later we set off for Muizenberg but this time we had recovered and were feeling more stronger than the previous ride. Depending on which shift I was working I did some solo rides and when I could I joined my friends.

It was around the end of January that I decided to buy a road bike and settled for a Trek 1200, 2001 model. This was an excellent piece of machinery and great value. Full Shimano Tiagra groupset and fire engine red in colour. I rode this bike for about three weeks and found that it was fairly responsive but the ride was extremely rigid. This is to be expected from a full Aluminium frame though. Not being as young as I used to be my back started complaining about all the road bumps I was asking it to handle.

I then opted for a blue Giant CFR Pro Series bike. Though a 1999 model this frame is composed of Carbon Fibre with full Shimano Ultegra components. My back loved this bike, it was the wallet that was complaining this time though.

Riding a road bike of this quality after getting off of an Avalanche Sirocco and the Trek 1200 took some getting used to. I rode at each and every opportunity and ramped up the kilometres to more than double what I was supposed to, but such was the pleasure that could be had from this machine. In the end I got to know my physiotherapist rather well because my knees were taking a pounding. Not to mention the overtraining syndrome.

Having used clipless pedals and shoes (incorrect cleat adjustment) for the first time along with incorrect bike set up I ended up with misaligned knee caps, particularly the right knee. It seems that my outer quad muscles were more developed than the inner thigh muscles and caused the knee cap to pull to the right. Agony … yeah been there done that. Here I was on the Friday morning before the Argus Cycle Tour faced with the news that it is not advisable for me to do the Tour given the knee trouble, and if I insisted on riding, to just go for a finish … easy spin.

I had covered in excess of 2500 km in training. During the course of one particular week while on leave, I covered 608 km. The various routes I rode were, 1) Wynberg Hill, Constantia Nek, Suikerbossie, up to Table Mountain circle from Camps Bay and Home. 2) Wynberg Hill through Constantia Village and up past Pollsmoor Prison, past Ou Kaapse Weg to Lakeside Main Road, then up over Boyes Drive and on to Fish Hoek before returning Home. 3) All along Claremont Main Road, Simonstown, Smitswinkel Bay climb to Cape Point Reserve and Home. 4) Same as 3 but carrying on past Misty Cliffs, Scarborough, Soetwater, Ocean View and then doubling back to Fish Hoek circle and then Home. Having gone through all of that I could NOT not ride. So I rode and completed the ACT.

The moral of the story is to get Professional advice regarding bike setup along with proper cleat setup. Even if you if have to pay for it, it is always going to be cheaper than paying the price of an injury. A lot wiser now, I have learnt much and will ensure that the same mistakes are never repeated again.