The largest timed bike race on earth, the Cape Town Cycle Tour, celebrates its 46th birthday on Sunday, 10 March. Tens of thousands of cyclists embrace the challenge every year, whizzing through Cape Town’s wild scenery and striking cityscapes. Often preparing for months in advance, each racer commits to go the distance in the name of charity.
The new half-route, inaugurated only last year, again provides a wonderful opportunity for the more human (less superhero) among us to take part.
In the months after the event, millions of rand, are reinvested into the communities along the 109km route. This ongoing initiative is facilitated by the event organisers, namely the Pedal Power Association and the Rotary Club of Claremont.
Entries close on Wednesday, 31 January 2024 at midnight – make sure to book your place if you haven’t done so already.
109km – The Classic Route
The Classic Route winds through Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs, along the picturesque False Bay coast and past the penguins in Simon’s Town to reach the Cape Point Nature Reserve halfway mark. Scarborough and Misty Cliffs provide the chance to cool off before Chapman’s Peak Drive leans into the challenging Suikerbossie ascent, followed by the welcome downhill relief through Camps Bay and Clifton. The route finishes in Green Point to a warm welcome and plenty of celebration by loyal fans and supporters.
Keen on the challenge? Submit your entry here
42km – Half the effort, all the spirit
Launching last year, the 42km route allows more avid cyclists to join the internationally acclaimed event. Still a far cry from a mundane meander along a closed freeway, the route traverses the Constantia Winelands, before winding through pine-shaded Newlands Forest. Refreshment stops, fully closed roads and incredible spectator support make both routes equally safe and enjoyable.
Complete your entry form here
Corporate and Group Entries
Corporates and groups are provided with valuable guaranteed entries (once individual entries are closed at capacity, you’ll still have your whole group reserved). Groups are also offered an extended period to enter, and group members who qualify for an earlier start based on their previous results will still be seeded according to their seeding index, with the option to drop back to ride with their teammates.
Who are some of the local charities joining the race?
Some of the charities involved include Zip Zap Circus, Cycle of Life Charity Funds for rhino conservation; Home from Home (HfH), which provides cluster foster care to children in the Western Cape; Edunova, which integrates Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in schools within disadvantaged communities; and many more.
More about the Cape Town Cycle Tour
In the early 1980s, the Pedal Power Association and the Rotary Club of Claremont, with backing from the Cape Argus, joined forces to create a ‘funride cycle tour’ around the Cape Peninsula, known originally as the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour. The Pedal Power Association is the largest recreational cycling organisation in South Africa, while the Rotary Club gives back to society by using its professional skills and resources.
The Cape Town Cycle Tour is all about cycling for charity. ‘Every cent of the proceeds from the Cape Town Cycle Tour is channelled back into the communities that host the event. Nearly R50 000 000 has been redistributed across the Cape Peninsula in the last five years, through the Pedal Power Association and the Rotary Club of Claremont,’ explains the team.
Booking details for the Cape Town Cycle Tour
109KM Entry costs – General at R950pp for PPA members and loyalty club members. R895pp for African residents outside of South Africa. R1000pp for international entries from all other countries. R1550pp for Charity entry fee. R850pp for corporate entry fee: R1000.
42KM Entry costs: General at R445pp; Scholars (18 years and under) at R400pp. Book online at capetowncycletour.com
When: Sunday, 10 March 2024
Where: Starting point: Grand Parade, Cape Town CBD
Enter here: capetowncycletour.com
Website: capetowncycletour.com
Email: info@cycletour.co.za
Tel: 087 820 7223
Instagram: @ctcycletour
Facebook: @cycletour
