The Cape Town Cycle Tour, the world’s largest timed event, has been cancelled “due to extreme weather conditions”.
It’s an unprecedented move in a race involving over 35 000 participants, but gale force wind in some areas of the city forced the organisers to draw the curtain. At the time of the announcement, the elite ladies race had begun, but was red flagged before the cyclists could complete the route.
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Ladies Elites lining up at the start chutes! #CycleTour2017 pic.twitter.com/pnqqDLnHRH
— Cape Town Cycle Tour (@CTCycleTour) March 12, 2017
The route was earlier shortened from 109km to 78km due to “protest action unrelated to the Cape Town Cycle Tour”. But the ultimate decision to cancel the Cape Town Cycle Tour was “made in the interests of [the riders’] safety,” the organisers announced.
The 40th edition of the Cape Town Cycle Tour has been cancelled, due to gale force winds
Understandably, the announcement drew a slew of responses from those on social media. Posts on Instagram and Twitter of the riders’ battling winds flooded the social networks.
The Cape Town cycle tour was cancelled this morning. 35,000 riders. Unheard of! The cause… Wind!#climatechange pic.twitter.com/E604NolJqZ
— Johan (@Johan48610287) March 12, 2017
A post shared by Frans Cronje (@frans_cronje_films) on
Gale force winds in Cape Town today that caused the Cape Town Cycle Tour (Cape Argus) to be cancelled. Via Virgin Active SA pic.twitter.com/9HWFDtkPNA
— Storm Report SA (@StormReportSA1) March 12, 2017
The Cape Town Cycle Tour has been cancelled due to extreme wind conditions in excess of 100km/h. #CapeCycleTour pic.twitter.com/z4x4xDUY50
— Social South Africa (@SocialSA_) March 12, 2017
A post shared by Gareth Wright (@garethandelouise) on
The wind
at the Cape Town Cycle Tour this morning pic.twitter.com/rHdo6bfK50 — Kelvin van der Linde (@KelvinvdLinde) March 12, 2017
Back on the train after cancellation of @CTCycleTour 2017! A few smiles but a sombre mood overall
#CycleTour2017 @GasantAbarder pic.twitter.com/UoaBlfT0uz — Bicycles and Beyond (@bicyclesbeyond) March 12, 2017
Not all is lost though.
While you won’t likely see any pelotons out on Cape Town’s streets today, the Tour announced that goods not used by the race participants will be transported to Hout Bay, and donated to those affected by the Imizamo Yethu fires.
The Hout Bay Sports Centre & Imizamo Yethu soccer field are ready to receive perishable goods for immediate distribution into the community.
— Cape Town Cycle Tour (@CTCycleTour) March 12, 2017
And to the firefighters battling the blaze.
@SpurRestaurant supports the cancellation of #CycleTour2017 & we’ve donated our burgers to those fighting the Hout Bay fire #CTSafetyFirst pic.twitter.com/eP0adAPnoc
— Spur Sports (@SpurSports) March 12, 2017
Feature image: Cape Town Cycle Tour/Greg Beadle/CTCTT/Gallo Images
