As part of a continued strategy to remain inclusive and community-oriented, the Cape Town Cycle Tour has announced their inaugural 2025 Prelude Challenge. This exciting Challenge will enable participants from around the globe, who are unable to ride the race on the actual event day, to secure their 2025 Cape Town Cycle Tour medal, and official finishers credit.
For those living abroad, for those unable to ride on the day due to work or travel commitments, or religious obligations, there is now a viable option for everyone.
The 47th Cape Town Cycle Tour, traditionally the largest timed bike race in the world, will be held on Sunday, 9 March 2025. The Prelude Challenge will be hosted between Saturday, 22 February 2025 and Sunday, 2 March 2025. All Prelude Challenge participants will be required to enter via the primary Cycle Tour entry portal. The Prelude Challenge can be completed anywhere in the world, provided participants cycle 109km within 7 (seven) hours in one ride, and upload their ride to STRAVA. This can be done either on a bike outdoors or on a stationary bike in a virtual environment.
“The Prelude Challenge is wonderful news for cycling enthusiasts around the world, because now our much-loved Cape Town Cycle Tour will come to you if you can’t come to Cape Town. There is a reason why the Cape Town Cycle Tour just grows in popularity. It is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful, most accessible and most inclusive cycle races in the world and allowing those who cannot travel here for the race to complete their 109km wherever they are will just add to the event’s appeal. Of course, we’d rather welcome them to Cape Town, but failing that we are excited that even more people will get to add a Cycle Tour medal to their collection and have their name recorded as a finisher.” - Geordin Hill-Lewis, Mayor of Cape Town.
Every participant of the Prelude Challenge will be awarded a medal, and their effort will be officially recognised within the 2025 Cape Town Cycle Tour results.
“We are incredibly excited to be able to offer our loyal base of participants an alternative for 2025 and future events,” Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust Director, David Bellairs said.
“Although we continue to welcome the participation of all our international friends for the unofficial Fun Ride World Champs – the Cape Town Cycle Tour - we know that travelling to South Africa isn’t always possible. For all those who have left South Africa before completing their 10th or 20th Tour, the Prelude Challenge now makes it possible to continue to stack those finish numbers from anywhere. We encourage you to ride the distance on a stationary bike, on a route of your choice or in laps of your lounge, if you must! Just clock the 109km within 7 (seven) hours and upload it to STRAVA!”
Cape-based Prelude Challenge participants can still join fellow cyclists at the Cape Town Cycle Tour Expo to collect their goodie bags, souvenir race number and medal. Medals and race numbers will be sent to those participating from outside of Cape Town. Extending the event in this way will enable far more people to contribute to the charities that benefit directly from the race entries.
Entries for both the 2025 Prelude Challenge and Cape Town Cycle Tour are now open. To enter go to www.capetowncycletour.com