The Cape Argus Pick n Pay Momentum Cycle Tour – also known simply as The Argus – was held last weekend during what was one of the Mother City’s windiest mornings. It was always going to be an uphill battle for the riders and the gale force winds didn’t help; 109 kilometres around the peninsula, kicked off at 06h15 on Sunday, 09 March 2014, with over 35,000 cyclists taking part.
Once a simple cycling event, the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Momentum Cycle Tour has grown in popularity. No longer is it a simple ride-in, drawing eager riders; it is now the largest individually timed cycling event in the world. Originally meant to be a 140km circular stretch, the bike race was reduced to a mere 104 kms after the Cape Point Nature Reserve refused entry for the leg that would have seen riders going through Cape Point.
Nolan Hoffman won the men’s endurance race in a sprint finish of 2:39:31 and his female counterpart, Cherise Stander, riding for the RECM team maintained her momentum to win the women’s title in 2:51:00. Stander, following a hard year, came back with a bang. Last year, she had lost her husband, a former professional mountain bike rider – Barry Stander – and her grandmother. Stander last won the women’s leg of the race in 2011
Other winners included Meron Teshome Hagos, of Eritrea, who finished second and HB Kruger, of Team Bonitas, following in third place. Seven-time winner Anriette Schoeman came in second, with 2:51:00, and cycling veteran, Dee Joubert taking third position in 2:53:03.