Capacity Turnout for Cape Town Cycle Tour as Hoffman, Le Court De Billot Return to Defend Titles

Franschhoek’s Nolan Hoffman (Aluwani) is set to make history at the 44th Cape Town Cycle Tour, presented by Pick n Pay, on Sunday, March 13.

After his win in 2021, the local hero has now won the event four times and is only one behind the legendary Willie Engelbrecht for the highest number of wins in the men’s category. Annriette Schoeman holds the record in the women’s event with seven wins.

“Every year I try not to do much in the first half of the race and keep very quiet. But there is no doubt that I have suffered on the climbs in the past. But my legs are good this year so I’m feeling excited,” Hoffman said, who has won all of his Cycle Tours in a spectacular sprint finish.

Hoffman will have his five-member Aluwani teammates to help him on the day and set him up if he’s in contention for his favourite sprint. Hoffman has also finished second twice and third once in 14 starts..

It is unlikely that Hoffman will have it easy. Newly-crowned SA road champion and former World Tour professional, Reinhardt Janse van Rensburg, and 2020 winner Travis Barrett are all top class sprint specialists while Team Qhubeka’s Nic Dlamini will be looking to get away on his favourite climbs and disrupt the sprint train.

WOMEN’S RACE

Kim Le Court De Billot returns as defending women’s champion, after triumphing in a reduced bunch sprint from the then national champ, and Hout Bay local, Hayley Preen last year. Preen  made the racing out of her home village up the feared Suikerbossie, only to be brought back by Le Court de Billot and British triathlete Emma Pallant in the run into the finish.

Le Court de Billot, who also won the title in 2018, will be joined by five-time champion Cherise Williet as the only previous winners in the Elite group. Preen is back, and in-form, after a strong defense of her SA Champs title in February, where she narrowly lost out to Frances Janse van Rensburg, who is also racing this year’s Cycle Tour. S’annara Grove and Kelsey van Schoor, who rounded out the top five in 2022 with Olympic mountain biker Candice Lill, are also back. Lill won’t be the only strong off-roader making their presence felt, as Tiffany Keep and Vera Looser will also be in the mix, joining Preen in making the racing hard for the sprinters over the shorter 78km distance of the women’s Elite field race.

“There is little doubt that it is a very strong field this year,” Le Court de Billot admitted. “It will be a tough battle, and everyone is in good shape between SA champs and the upcoming Africa champs.”

COVID

Covid-19 restrictions forced the Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust to postpone the 2021 event to October – ironically, the inaugural event was also an October affair, back in 1977 – but for the 44th edition, the race returns to its regular March slot.

The men’s and women’s Elite races will be broadcast live on the Cape Town Cycle Tour Facebook page, from 06h00 for the women’s and 06h15 for the men’s, on Sunday, 13 March.

www.facebook.com/cycletour

For more information, please visit www.capetowncycletour.com.

Franschhoek’s Nolan Hoffman (Aluwani) is set to make history at the 44th Cape Town Cycle Tour, presented by Pick n Pay, on Sunday, March 13.

After his win in 2021, the local hero has now won the event four times and is only one behind the legendary Willie Engelbrecht for the highest number of wins in the men’s category. Annriette Schoeman holds the record in the women’s event with seven wins.

“Every year I try not to do much in the first half of the race and keep very quiet. But there is no doubt that I have suffered on the climbs in the past. But my legs are good this year so I’m feeling excited,” Hoffman said, who has won all of his Cycle Tours in a spectacular sprint finish.

Hoffman will have his five-member Aluwani teammates to help him on the day and set him up if he’s in contention for his favourite sprint. Hoffman has also finished second twice and third once in 14 starts..

It is unlikely that Hoffmanr will have it easy. Newly-crowned SA road champion and former World Tour professional, Reinhardt Janse van Rensburg, and 2020 winner Travis Barrett are all top class sprint specialists while Team Qhubeka’s Nic Dlamini will be looking to get away on his favourite climbs and disrupt the sprint train.

WOMEN’S RACE

Kim Le Court De Billot returns as defending women’s champion, after triumphing in a reduced bunch sprint from the then national champ, and Hout Bay local, Hayley Preen last year. Preen  made the racing out of her home village up the feared Suikerbossie, only to be brought back by Le Court de Billot and British triathlete Emma Pallant in the run into the finish.

Le Court de Billo, who also won the title in 2018, will be joined by five-time champion Cherise Williet as the only previous winners in the Elite group. Preen is back, and in-form, after a strong defence of her SA Champs title in February, where she narrowly lost out to Frances Janse van Rensburg, who is also racing this year’s Cycle Tour. S’annara Grove and Kelsey van Schoor, who rounded out the top five in 2022 with Olympic mountain biker Candice Lill, are also back. Lill won’t be the only strong off-roader making their presence felt, as Tiffany Keep and Vera Looser will also be in the mix, joining Preen in making the racing hard for the sprinters over the shorter 78km distance of the women’s Elite field race.

“There is little doubt that it is a very strong field this year,” Le Court de Billo admitted. “It will be a tough battle and everyone is in good shape between SA champs and the upcoming Africa champs.”

COVID
Covid 19 restrictions forced the Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust to postpone the 2021 event to October – ironically, the inaugural event was also an October affair, back in 1977 – but for the 44th edition, the race returns to its regular March slot.

MESSAGE FROM THE PREMIER OF THE WESTERN CAPE, ALAN WINDE

“The Cape Town Cycle is returning to our beautiful province this Sunday, and with it, bringing a sense of bustle, colour and excitement to each community it passes through. I am looking forward to firing the starter gun marking the beginning of this phenomenal and world-class event, made possible through the unrelenting efforts of the Cape Town Cycle Tour team who I especially commend and thank.”

Premier Winde added: “The Cycle Tour is a major contributor to our local economy – helping particularly in the recovery of our events and our hospitality industry, following the pandemic. It also attracts many visitors and tourists to our province. To those of you who have travelled to the province for this event, I want to warmly welcome you here and hope that you have a wonderful stay. I also want to wish all participating in the tour a safe ride and look forward to getting on my bike and joining you in it!”

BROADCAST

The men’s and women’s Elite races will be broadcast live on the Cape Town Cycle Tour Facebook page, from 06h00 for the women’s and 06h15 for the men’s, on Sunday, 13 March.

www.facebook.com/cycletour

For more information, please visit www.capetowncycletour.com.