The start for the 2018 Cape Town Cycle Tour will move from its traditional position on Hertzog Boulevard to the historic Grand Parade Precinct‚ after the 2017 event was cancelled due to winds of up to 100km/h gusting through parts of the city centre.

The change means that on Sunday‚ 11 March 2018‚ riders will gather on the Grand Parade and line up in Castle Street alongside the Castle of Good Hope and will follow the usual route around the Peninsula to the finish.

“Our participants’ safety will always come first‚” said David Bellairs‚ director of the Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust.

 “2017 was a year of incredible learnings. We believe now – as we did then – that the right decision was made on the day. Nothing could have prepared the team for the challenges thrown at us in the lead up to the 2017 Cape Town Cycle Tour and nobody was more disappointed at the cancellation than the team who had spent the entire year preparing for the 40th Cape Town Cycle Tour. After the issues we had with wind at this year’s start‚ we immediately reviewed and re-assessed our options for 2018.”

“We needed to be responsive in respect of this year’s challenges and look to mitigate the wind risk. We realise that there are very few areas in Cape Town that are immune to the Cape Doctor (the wind)‚ but believe with this move that at least participants will not again be subjected to the sort of wind vortices created by the tunnels at the base of the civic centre‚ these being exacerbated by the extraordinarily strong winds prevailing on the morning of this year’s event.”

The extreme wind conditions came after the 2017 race was shortened from 109km to 78km due to fire damage to certain sections of the route near Hout Bay and fears of expected protests along the route in the South Peninsula.

In 2009‚ the race was also plagued by a gale-force southeasterly wind that played havoc with portable toilets‚ scaffolding‚ sponsors’ billboards and anything else that was not nailed down.

Experts have been roped in to ensure a smoother ride in 2018.

 Bellairs said: “An extensive amount of work has gone into understanding and looking into risk mitigation procedures and we are in the process of revising our wind guidelines as they relate to the start‚ route and finish precinct. This is being done in conjunction with Disaster Management Services‚ City of Cape Town‚ Pedal Power Association and experts in the meteorological field.”

The Grand Parade precinct is overlooked by City Hall with the backdrop of Table Mountain.

Bellairs said there is a historic connection with the site: “In 1978‚ 525 cyclists set off from the roads outside the castle on the first ever Cycle Tour (then called The Argus Tour).”

A breakfast hospitality zone and a more expansive offering of services are being considered for the new site as it is larger. Bellairs said space constraints in Hertzog Boulevard had mitigated against these types of improvements.

“Changes are also in the pipeline for the race village at Green Point‚ which will see a substantial new offering to both corporate and general entrants‚” he added.

Bellairs confirmed that every rider who entered and registered for the 2017 Cape Town Cycle Tour by collecting their number/race pack at the Cape Town Cycle Tour Expo‚ will receive a preferential entry prior to general entries opening. Entry fees for these riders will remain fixed at 2017 rates.

General and international entry applications to the 2018 Cape Town Cycle Tour will open on 20 September 2017.