Best spots on the route to watch the Cape Town Cycle Tour

Penned into the cycling events calendar for the second Sunday each March, the Cape Town Cycle Tour is as fun to watch as it is to ride. Or more fun, depending on your need to expose your derriere to one of those tiny saddles…

If you’re not one of the tens of thousands of cyclists participating in this year’s Cape Town Cycle Tour, pack a picnic, slap on some sunblock and come cheer on the riders.

Here are the best viewing spots along the route.

EDINBURGH DRIVE AND BLUE ROUTE

Paradise Road is good for watching cyclists speed past and start the climb up Edinburgh Drive (or Whineberg Hill, as the riders call it), which is the steepest gradient of the Tour. If you’re keen to spot a family member or friend, this is the best vantage point as the cyclists slow down on the ascent. And if they’ve done enough training, they could still give you a smile. The bridges along the Blue Route are also a crowd favourite.

This is also where the 109km riders wave goodbye to the 42km riders (metaphorically, the short and long routes don’t run concurrently on the day) and head down to the Main Road and to Muizenberg. 

GLENCAIRN BEACH

Muizenberg and Kalk Bay locals line the roads, and a little further along, there’s pedestrian access to the grassed area at Glencairn Beach.

SIMONSTOWN

Main Road is the next popular spectator point. Jubilee Square, where Pick n Pay run the refreshment station, is a long-standing favourite and always has a great vibe. Getting in and out will be a challenge, as the roads are obviously closed for the race, but it is worth it: pack a picnic or jol with the locals.

NOORDHOEK

As riders approach Chapman’s Peak, cyclists ride past the Noordhoek Farm Village. Locals access this area on foot or relax at one of the restaurants on the roadside.

HOUT BAY AND SUIKERBOSSIE

After Chappies, the route slices through Hout Bay: Stroll down to Main Road (M65) and give the cyclists a much-needed boost before they tackle the infamous Suikerbossie. Suikerbossie comes late in the day and has a fearsome reputation. It is a great place to watch. You will need to walk a short way as there is no parking on or near the climb itself.

SEA POINT AND THE FINISH

Now the riders speed past Camps Bay beachfront before the thrills at the sharp left turn from Victoria Road into Queens Road, Sea Point. A pedestrian bridge near Camps Bay Hotel gives access to both sides of the road. Lastly, there’s the Promenade and finish line in the shadow of the DHL Stadium.

LIVESTREAMING

For those not in Cape Town or prefer to be reclined in an armchair, you can watch from the comfort of your home on Facebook and YouTube from 06:00 – 11:00. Watch out for the link on Saturday, 11 March.

Be a responsible spectator:

• Do not waste water – as much as the cyclists may want it, don’t use your hosepipe to cool them down.
• This is a NON-SMOKING event. Do not throw cigarette butts anywhere. Fires can take hold in an instant in the Cape’s hot, dry March weather.
• You may not make fires along the route (this includes open and gas fires).
• Stash your trash – if there isn’t a bin or Chuck Zone nearby, carry it until you find one.
• Ignore any baboons that may cross your path, and do not feed them! Keep food out of sight.
• Do not remove or break rocks, pick plants or feed any of the wildlife.
• Be mindful of fynbos: when you drive out to support the cyclists along the route, be careful where you park your car so as not to cause any damage to the indigenous flora.