Cape Town Cycle Tour

The Cape Town Cycle Tour (formerly known as the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Momentum Cycle Tour) is an annual cycle race hosted in Cape Town, South Africa, usually 109 km long. It is the first event outside Europe to be included in the International Cycling Union’s Golden Bike Series. 

South Africa hosts some of the largest sporting events in the world with three being the largest of their type. The Cape Town Cycle Tour, with as many as 35 000 cyclists taking part, is the world's largest individually timed cycle race. The other two are the world's largest ultra-marathon running event, the Comrades Marathon, and the world's largest open water swim, the Midmar Mile.

The race follows a scenic circular route from Cape Town down the Cape Peninsula and back.

Applications can be lodged via the Cape Town Cycle Tour website. The race's capacity is set at 35 000 cyclists, and once this limit has been reached, entries will no longer be accepted. In order to compete in the cycling race, participants must turn 13 years old in the year of the event, and children accompanying parents on the back of a tandem must be 11 years of age or older. For more rules and regulations, consult capetowncycletour.co.za.

It is traditionally staged on the second Sunday of March and has enjoyed well known competitors such as Miguel Indurain, Jan Ulrich and Lance Armstrong.

Fun facts about the Cape Town Cycle Tour:

• The fastest men’s record was set by Robbie Hunter in 2008; who completed the 110-km course in 02:27:29.
• The fastest women’s record was set by Anke Erlank-Moore in 2007; who completed the 110-km course in 02:48:29.
• The fastest average speed of 47.48-km/h was set by Wimpie van der Merwe in 1993.
• Penny Krohn set the record for the highest number of consecutive wins – 25 – within an age group.
• The oldest man to complete the race within the allotted time (7 hours) was Japie Malan who did the race on a single bicycle in 2010 and on a tandem in 2012. He was 92 years old at the time.
• Mary Warner is the oldest woman to complete the race within the allotted time (7 hours), in 2006; she was 80 years old at the time