Cape Cycle Tour about fynbos not the bikes

About 34000 cyclists took to the streets yesterday for a shortened edition of the Cape Town Cycle Tour.

There were quite a few mamils (middle-aged men in Lycra), cyclists in firemen's outfits, one in a tutu and a portly competitor in a pink speedo.

T he route was abbreviated from 109km to 47km because of last week's fires, which scorched large parts of the original route.

Dubbed the Show You Care Solidarity Ride, the event ended a week of cycle tour events that included a weekend Mountain Bike Challenge, a three-day Lifecycle Expo, and Saturday's junior tour, a family event in which parents tried to keep up with their offspring.

David Bellairs, director of the Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust, said this year's event would "go down in history as the sporting event that united us as a community to selflessly recognise the efforts and suffering of others".

Nolan Hoffman, who clinched the title in the men's race last year, retained his crown.

Lynette Burger took top honours in the women's race.