Close to 28 000 entrants took to the streets of Cape Town for the 47th Cape Town Cycle Tour in near perfect conditions on Sunday, 9 March 2025. The event can be considered a resounding success with a limited amount of incidents reported around the route. Thanks to the spectacular weather, many are calling it the best in recent memory. Tail winds in the second half of the course led to record times in both the elite men’s and women’s races.
“Having grown year-on-year after the difficult years of 2020 and 2021, it was amazing to see the roads of the Mother City jam packed with cyclists for the Cape Town Cycle Tour again,” Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust Director, David Bellairs said. “The atmosphere created by thousands of excited riders and thousands of residents of our beautiful city cheering them on make the event what it is. Speaking to finishers it was great to hear that a good time was almost universally had by all, and it helped that so many people were able to notch up personal bests.”
Historic Records Fall in Elite Races
In the men’s race Tyler Lange’s 2 hours, 25 minutes and 48 seconds is 1 minute and 41 seconds faster than Robbie Hunter’s 17-year-old previous best of 2 hours, 27 minutes and 29 seconds. Elite women’s race winner, Pia Grünewald went on a 50 kilometre solo break and still took 2 minutes and 30 seconds of Cherise Willeit’s 2020 course record. The new mark to beat on the 78 kilometre route is 2 hours, 5 minutes and 18 seconds.
The Executive Mayor of Cape Town. Geordin Hill-Lewis was among the grinning finishers. “It was an amazing fun day out, with incredible weather,” he smiled. “Even though it was just my third Cape Town Cycle Tour it was definitely the best so far. It was a wonderful day, thank you!”
Electric Atmosphere Along the Route
Having set 57 start groups underway, master of ceremonies Paul Kaye set off with the final group at 09:00. “Today had the best weather I’ve ever ridden a Cape Town Cycle Tour in,” he noted. “There was a slight cross wind down the Blue Route and then a headwind from the top of Smitswinkel to Ocean View. Thereafter it was a tail wind all the way home. It blew us to Chappies, up the climb, over Suikerbossie too, and all the way home.”
Due to the second Sunday of March and the event’s historic slot on the calendar falling within Ramadan the Cycle Tour Trust introduced the Prelude Challenge, during which riders could take on any 109 kilometre ride and maintain their streek of Cape Town Cycle Tour finishes as well as their seeding.
“We’d like to praise every finisher,” Bellairs concluded. “From those of you who knock off a 109 kilometre ride without any stress, to the riders who experience the Cycle Tour as a significant personal challenge. This race wouldn’t be possible without you and the gracious people of Cape Town who open the streets to us. It’s wonderful to see so many people on bikes, because the event started in 1978 to raise awareness of the need for safe cycling routes. Cape Town has in recent years become a very cycling friendly city and it’s very rewarding to see.”
“I hope we see every finisher and those who for whatever reason couldn’t finish back next year!”
