(Cape Town, 08 March 2025) Every Cape Town Cycle Tour entrant becomes a meteorologist in the days leading up to the big race. Weather alerts are created, different websites and predictions are referenced and cross-referenced. There are even Excel spread sheets with formulas for working out where to push and where to conserve energy to beat the sub-3, under 4, or cut-off times…
The 28 000 riders taking to the streets of Cape Town on Sunday can all breathe a sigh of relief now, because the vital statistics look great. A cool and cloudy start will give way to a sunny mid-morning and a warm afternoon, with a low of 19 degrees and a high of 25 degrees anticipated for the Mother City. More importantly, a light breeze will puff between 3 and 5 metres per second, from the South / South West and later from the West, cooling riders in the closing kilometres from Chapman’s Peak to the finish line on Helen Suzman Boulevard.
“We are gearing up for a big day tomorrow, the weather is looking superb, and the Cape Town Cycle Tour Expo has been a roaring success,” Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust Director, David Bellairs, smiled. “35 000 people come through the stadium not only to register for the race, but to browse and buy from exhibitors.”
“An initiative we are very proud of is the Tim’s Test Melanoma screening, which provides Cape Town Cycle Tour Expo participants with a free skin cancer screening,” Bellairs continued. “Together with our partners, Clicks, Eucerin, La Roche-Posay, Bioderma, Dermalogica, and ISDIN, we offered the service of an online pre-screening to identify the most at-risk individuals and then invited them to an in-person screening with our doctors, who had so graciously volunteered their time. Early detection truly saves lives and it is our hope that not only the people who came for tests carry this message forward, but that all cyclists take heed of the message of Tim’s Test.”
Participants are thus reminded to be sun safe on Sunday. The UV Index will rise to very high, at mid-day, before descending to moderate in the late afternoon. Wearing a sunscreen developed for exercise, which does not lose its effectiveness due to sweat, is vitally important. Other protective measures riders can take are wearing sun sleeves to create a physical barrier against the harsh African sun.
There will be complimentary sunscreen at the start and at selected refreshment stations. Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages will supply 50 000 litres of Powerade, 50 000 litres of Coca-Cola and Coca-Cola No Sugar, and 100 000 litres of water for the 14 refreshment stations. Staying hydrated is therefore a simple task of stopping frequently enough.
Additional support on route comes in the form of 1 000 marshals, from 35 Rotary Clubs, as well as 120 first-aiders, 64 nurses, and 25 doctors travelling the course in 65 ambulances, 9 medical motorbikes and aboard one medical helicopter. There is also a 20-bed field hospital on the finish line with a 4-bed ICU facility to further extend the race’s duty of care to every participant.
“On behalf of every participant and the organisation team I’d like to extend a thank you to the residents of Cape Town,” Bellairs recognised. “We are aware that the road closures are a disruption to your usual Sunday routines, and we hope that you will come to the roadside to cheer on the riders as they pass through your neighbourhood.”
Fans are encouraged to support wherever is most convenient on the 109-kilometre course. Key hotspots, where a particularly festive spirit reigns, are Kalk Bay, Noordhoek Village and in the Republic of Hout Bay. The crowds lining Suikerbossie provide essential motivation to help many exhausted riders crest the final major climb of the race.
Those who cannot watch from the roadside can tune in to the live broadcast, from 06:00 to 11:00, on our YouTube channel, our Facebook page and on Primedia+ (www.primediaplus.com). Both the elite men’s and women’s events are predicted to be fiercely contested affairs. The elite race preview can be read here.
Regular updates from the course can also be found at @CTCycleTour on Twitter, while the @ctcycletour Instagram and Cape Town Cycle Tour Facebook pages will share highlights throughout the day.
