The Cape Argus / Pick`n Pay Cycle Tour is an annual 109 km cycle race, which will take place on Sunday, 14 March 2010 - starting at the Civic Centre, cycling from Cape Town through Simons Town, Scarborough, and along Chapman's Peak back to Greenpoint.

It all started in 1978 with Bill Myrlea and John Stegmann who organised the Big Ride-In to draw attention to the need for cycle paths in South Africa. The Ride-In drew hundreds of cyclists, including the Mayor of Cape Town at the time, and was first won by Lawrence Whittaker in 1978.

This event grew to become the Peninsula Marathon but before the first official race, the name was changed to accommodate local newspaper sponsor, the Cape Argus.

The event now forms part of one of five cycling events which take place over a period of one week starting a week before the Cycle Tour and culminating in the Cycle Tour. The other events include:

• Tricycle Tour (kids under 6 years of age)
• Junior Cycle Tour (kids between 6 and 12 years of age)
• MTB Challenge (Mountain Bike)
• Giro del Capo (5 day pro stage race)

Today, the Cycle Tour hosts approximately 40,000 cyclists locally and internationally and it is the world's largest individually timed cycle race, and the first event outside Europe to be included in the International Cycling Union's Golden Bike Series.

Cyclers have 7 hours from when the last group starts the Cycle Tour to finish and receive a finishing medal. After that time the finish area will start to close down and roads will no longer be closed to traffic.

Souces:

Cape Town Hotel Guide
Argus Cycle Tour
Cycle Tour

Page Last Updated: 4 March 2010