Cancellation 'hasn't put a spoke in Cape Town Cycle Tour's wheels'

The Cape Town Cycle Tour has denied that an extension to its entry closing date means people are losing interest in the event after this year’s last-minute cancellation.

The 109km ride around the Cape Peninsula in March was called off due to high winds with more than 35‚000 riders already on the start line.

Race director David Bellairs said the closing date for 2018 entries had been extended to Tuesday October 3‚ but he denied on Friday that this was because there had been a lack of interest.

“We had a staggered entry system‚” he told TimesLIVE. “First we offered places to those who weren’t able to ride last year‚ then it was Club 21 [riders who have completed 21 tours]‚ then anyone who has done more than nine tours.

“At that point an e-mail should have gone out calling for other entries‚ but that did not happen as it should have. That is the only reason for the extension.”

Bellairs said that as of Friday there were only 3‚500 entries left for the event on Sunday March 11‚ and international entries were up 30% year-on-year.

The Cape Town Cycle Tour exhibited at the Ride London mass-participation event in July and received “phenomenal support”‚ said Bellairs.

The biggest worry for tour organisers was the possibility that a terrorist organisation or another group of activists would target the event. “All events in South Africa‚ and indeed around the world‚ are at risk‚” he said.