Every March, 35,000 riders line up in Cape Town for the largest individually timed cycle race on the planet. The route is 109km around the Cape Peninsula — one of the most visually spectacular courses in world cycling — past Muizenberg, through Simon's Town, around the base of Cape Point, over Chapman's Peak Drive and back into the city along the Atlantic coast.
It is also the race where more well-trained riders are humbled by conditions than by the course itself.
The Cape Town Cycle Tour (formerly the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour until 2014) is not a climbing race. The 1,300m of total ascent is spread across rolling terrain with no single climb lasting more than 9km. By European gran fondo standards, the elevation is moderate. Riders who train as though this is a mountainous sportive miss the point entirely.
The point is the wind. And the heat. And what the combination of both does to a rider's body across four to six hours of exposed coastal riding.
The Cape Doctor will rewrite your race plan
The Cape Doctor is Cape Town's south-easterly wind. It blows throughout summer and into March with a regularity that locals treat as a fact of life. On race day it regularly hits 40-60km/h.
Here is what that means on the bike. The section from Simon's Town around the Cape Point area to Noordhoek — roughly 30km of exposed coastal road — puts you directly into a headwind or crosswind for the best part of an hour. A 50km/h headwind adds the aerodynamic drag equivalent of riding up a continuous 3-4 per cent gradient. Except a gradient ends. The wind does not.
Most sportive training plans are built around climbing. Interval sessions target sustained power for 15-40 minute ascents. Long rides simulate mountainous courses. That approach misses the specific demand of Cape Town. The wind does not ask for threshold power for 20 minutes. It asks for sustained aerobic output — 65-75 per cent of FTP — held for two to three hours in a position you might not be used to holding.
The riders who handle the wind well share three traits. They ride an aerodynamic position without being asked to. They know how to sit in a crosswind echelon. And they have practised riding at steady power in headwinds rather than surging and fading.
How to train for wind
You cannot replicate a 50km/h Cape Doctor in most training environments, but you can train the adaptations that matter.
Aerodynamic position work. Spend 20-30 minutes of every second ride on the drops or in a tucked position on the hoods. The power you save at 35km/h by dropping your frontal area 10 per cent is roughly 15-20 watts — free speed that costs nothing but hip flexibility and core strength. If you cannot hold the drops for 20 minutes without lower back pain, your bike fit needs attention before your training does.
Sustained sub-threshold efforts in headwinds. When the wind picks up on training rides, do not hide from it. Ride the exposed sections at 70-80 per cent of FTP for 20-40 minutes. Practise holding power steady rather than surging when the gusts hit. A power meter is essential here — perceived effort spikes in headwinds and riders without data will overcook themselves.
Echelon practice. If you ride with a group, practise crosswind formation. The correct position in a crosswind is not directly behind the rider in front — it is offset to the sheltered side, staggered so each rider catches a sliver of draft. Third or fourth wheel in a good echelon saves 15-20 per cent of the energy cost of riding alone. If you have never ridden in echelons, find a group ride with experienced riders and learn before race day. This single skill is worth more than any interval session.
Heat: the other opponent
March is late summer in Cape Town. Race-day temperatures regularly sit between 25 and 35 degrees Celsius, and on hot years the mercury pushes past 35. For riders arriving from the Northern Hemisphere winter, this is a physiological shock.
The research on heat and cycling performance is unambiguous. Core temperature above 39 degrees Celsius degrades power output, impairs cognitive function, and increases perceived effort at any given wattage. A rider producing 250 watts at 20 degrees will produce 230-240 watts at the same perceived effort in 35-degree heat. That is a 4-8 per cent performance hit before the race even gets hard.
The fix has two parts: acclimatisation and hydration strategy.
Heat acclimatisation. If you are travelling to Cape Town from a cooler climate, arrive at least five days before the race. Ten days is better. Even passive heat exposure — walking, sitting outside — begins the plasma volume expansion that protects performance. If arriving early is not possible, a structured heat training protocol on the indoor trainer in the weeks before the race is the next best option. Three sessions per week at elevated core temperature for two to three weeks before travel produces meaningful acclimatisation.
Hydration strategy. At 30-35 degrees, sweat rates for a working cyclist hit 1.5-2 litres per hour. That is more fluid than most riders can absorb, which means you start the deficit clock the moment the gun goes. The strategy is pre-loading, consistent intake, and sodium.
- Pre-load: 500ml of electrolyte drink in the 90 minutes before the start. Not plain water — you need sodium to hold the fluid.
- During: 750ml-1 litre per hour, with 500-1,000mg of sodium per litre. Use our hydration calculator to set a target based on your bodyweight and the forecast temperature.
- Feed zones: refill both bottles at every opportunity. Do not skip a feed zone because you still have half a bottle. In the heat, half a bottle is 20 minutes of riding.
Sunscreen matters more than most riders admit. A sunburn on the arms and legs in the first two hours increases skin temperature, accelerates fluid loss, and makes the final 40km measurably harder. Apply before the start and carry a small sachet for reapplication at feed zones.
The course, section by section
The Cape Town Cycle Tour is a loop. It starts and finishes in the city centre and runs anti-clockwise around the peninsula. Each section has a different character.
Start to Muizenberg (0-25km). Flat to gently rolling through the southern suburbs. This is where 35,000 riders sort themselves into groups. The seeded start system means faster riders leave first, but the sheer volume of riders creates congestion. Ride conservatively. Stay in the wheels. Do not chase faster groups. Average power here should sit at 60-65 per cent of FTP. You are warming up, not racing.
Muizenberg to Simon's Town (25-45km). The road hugs the False Bay coast. Gently undulating, often with a tailwind in this direction. This is the section where the race feels easy and the scenery lulls you into a false sense of how much is left. Keep eating and drinking. Hold your pacing discipline.
Simon's Town to Cape Point area (45-65km). This is where the race changes. The road becomes exposed and the Cape Doctor hits you full force. Headwind or crosswind, often gusting, with no shelter. The terrain is rolling rather than steep, but the wind makes every rise feel twice as hard. Find a group. Get into an echelon. Ride at 70-75 per cent of FTP and accept that your speed will drop to 22-28km/h regardless of your fitness. Riders who try to maintain their early pace through this section blow up before Chapman's Peak.
Cape Point area to Noordhoek (65-80km). Still exposed, still windy, but the road begins to trend towards Chapman's Peak. The landscape here — raw coastline, mountains dropping into the sea — is extraordinary. Use this section to eat, drink, and mentally prepare for the two climbs ahead.
Chapman's Peak Drive (approx 80-89km). The signature climb. Roughly 9km with an average gradient of 4-5 per cent, but the profile is uneven — easier stretches broken by ramps of 7-8 per cent. The road is carved into the cliff face above the Atlantic, and the views would be worth stopping for if your legs were not on fire.
Pacing on Chappies matters. Run your numbers through the Climbing Time Estimator beforehand so you know what a controlled 9km ascent looks like at your power. Target 80-85 per cent of FTP. The steep ramps will tempt you to stand and attack — resist it. Every surge above threshold costs more than it gains at this point in the race. The wind here can be a headwind, a crosswind, or occasionally a tailwind depending on the year. A group is your greatest asset. Sit in, hold your effort, and save something for what comes next.
Hout Bay to Suikerbossie (89-97km). A fast descent into Hout Bay, then the road kicks up again. Suikerbossie is the last significant climb — short but steep, and it arrives at the 95km mark when legs are at their worst. This is where the riders who went too hard on Chapman's Peak walk. Keep 5-8 per cent of your threshold in reserve through Chappies and Suikerbossie becomes a hard but manageable effort. Stay seated, hold your cadence at 75-85 RPM, and grind through it.
Camps Bay to finish (97-109km). The final descent along the Atlantic seaboard and into the city. Fast, scenic, and the most dangerous section for tired riders on tired legs. Hold your line, keep your speed sensible on the descents, and enjoy the finish. You have earned it.
Fitness benchmarks: where do you need to be?
The Cape Town Cycle Tour rewards aerobic endurance more than peak power. Here is what the finishing brackets look like by fitness level.
| Finishing Time | Average Speed | Approx. W/kg Required | Rider Profile | |---|---|---|---| | 2:45-3:15 | 35-40km/h | 3.5-4.5 W/kg | Competitive club racer, strong group | | 3:15-4:00 | 28-34km/h | 3.0-3.5 W/kg | Fit amateur, good group riding skills | | 4:00-5:00 | 22-27km/h | 2.5-3.0 W/kg | Well-prepared mid-pack rider | | 5:00-6:00 | 18-22km/h | 2.0-2.5 W/kg | Recreational rider, conservative pacing | | 6:00-7:00 | 16-18km/h | 1.5-2.0 W/kg | Finishing is the goal |
These numbers assume moderate wind. In a heavy Cape Doctor year, add 20-30 minutes across the board for mid-pack and slower riders. The wind tax is real and it is not linear — weaker riders in smaller groups pay a disproportionate penalty because they cannot shelter effectively. If you want a more granular projection that factors in your power, weight, and the course profile, the Race Predictor will map your W/kg to a finish-time estimate for a course like this.
Check your current W/kg and FTP zones before building your training plan. If your W/kg sits below 2.5 and your target is sub-5 hours, you have twelve weeks of specific work ahead.
12-week training plan structure
This is not an alpine preparation. The Marmotte demands repeated 30-60 minute climbing efforts at threshold. The Cape Town Cycle Tour demands four to five hours of aerobic output with two moderate climbs and sustained wind resistance. The training plan reflects that difference.
Phase 1: Aerobic base and position work (weeks 1-4)
The foundation phase builds time-in-zone and practises the aerodynamic position that saves energy in the wind.
Weekly structure (8-10 hours):
- Monday: Rest or 30-minute easy spin
- Tuesday: 90 minutes with 3x12 minutes at tempo (83-88 per cent FTP), done on the drops or hoods in a tucked position
- Wednesday: 60-90 minutes zone 2
- Thursday: 75 minutes with 4x8 minutes at sweetspot (88-93 per cent FTP)
- Friday: Rest or 45 minutes easy
- Saturday: Long ride 3-4 hours zone 2, with 30 minutes of aerodynamic position work
- Sunday: 90 minutes zone 2
Long ride progression: 3h, 3h30, 4h, 3h (recovery week). The recovery week drops volume by 30-40 per cent. Do not skip it.
If you do not know your FTP, test it in week 1. A 20-minute all-out effort multiplied by 0.95 gives a reasonable field estimate. Set your FTP zones from that number and anchor every session that follows.
Phase 2: Sustained power and wind simulation (weeks 5-8)
The quality sessions shift towards longer sub-threshold efforts that mimic the sustained demand of riding in a headwind. If your training routes have exposed windy sections, use them deliberately.
Weekly structure (10-12 hours):
- Monday: Rest or 30-minute spin
- Tuesday: 90 minutes with 2x20 minutes at threshold (95-100 per cent FTP)
- Wednesday: 90 minutes zone 2
- Thursday: 2 hours with 3x15 minutes at upper tempo (88-93 per cent FTP), on the drops
- Friday: Rest or 45 minutes zone 2
- Saturday: Long ride 4-5 hours with 2x20 minutes at 75-80 per cent FTP inserted at hours 3 and 4
- Sunday: 2 hours zone 2
Long ride progression: 4h, 4h30, 5h, 3h30 (recovery week).
The Saturday ride in this phase is about riding hard on tired legs. Inserting tempo blocks three and four hours into a long ride simulates the effort of Chapman's Peak after 80km of racing. Fuel these rides at 60-80g of carbohydrate per hour. Use the fuelling calculator to set your target.
Track your training load through this phase. Chronic training load should be climbing steadily, not spiking. A spike in week 6 followed by illness in week 7 is the most common amateur pattern. Build progressively.
Phase 3: Race specificity and taper (weeks 9-12)
The final four weeks sharpen fitness and rehearse race-day execution.
Week 9: Hardest week. Tuesday: 5x5 minutes at VO2 (110-115 per cent FTP). Thursday: 2x25 minutes at threshold. Saturday: 5-hour ride at race pace with a simulated Chapman's Peak effort — find a 8-10km climb and ride it at 80-85 per cent FTP after 3 hours of zone 2.
Week 10: Similar intensity, slightly less volume. Race-simulation ride on Saturday: 4 hours at event pace with wind exposure if available. Practise full hydration and fuelling strategy. Wear race kit.
Week 11: Volume drops 25 per cent. One threshold session, one VO2 session, both shortened. Saturday ride 3 hours with 2x15 minutes at tempo.
Week 12 (race week): Monday and Tuesday easy. Wednesday 60 minutes with 3x3 minutes at VO2 — keep the engine ticking. Thursday 45 minutes easy. Friday 20 minutes with 2-3 short openers. Saturday rest. Sunday: race day.
Race-day execution
The seeded start changes everything about the first hour. Faster riders leave in early batches, slower riders later. Your batch determines your group for the first 20-30km.
If your batch is faster than you: sit in. Do not try to match the pace of riders who are 0.5 W/kg stronger than you. Draft, conserve, and let them ride away when the road opens up. You will find your natural group by Muizenberg.
If your batch is slower than you: ride through carefully and find a faster group. Do not burn matches weaving through traffic. Be patient until the road spreads out.
Group dynamics in the wind. The exposed sections from Simon's Town to Noordhoek are where group riding ability pays for itself. A solo rider in a 45km/h crosswind will produce 30-40 per cent more power than a rider sitting third wheel in a functioning echelon. If you can find a group and contribute to the rotation through the wind, do it. If you cannot hold the pace of a rotating group, sit at the back, take shorter pulls, and save yourself.
When to push, when to sit in. Sit in from the start to Muizenberg. Sit in through the wind section. Push on Chapman's Peak only if your legs and power meter agree that you have the watts. Sit in on the descent to Hout Bay. Push through Suikerbossie — it is short enough to hurt and close enough to the finish to empty the tank. Roll home along the coast.
Fuelling a hot race
The Cape Town Cycle Tour is shorter than a European mountain gran fondo, but the heat makes fuelling more complex, not less. In 30-35 degree temperatures, your body diverts blood to the skin for cooling, which reduces gut blood flow and slows absorption. The window for effective fuelling is narrower than you think.
Pre-race (3 hours before): Carbohydrate-focused breakfast — 2-3g per kg of bodyweight. Rice, toast, banana, sports drink. Nothing new, nothing high-fibre.
Pre-race (90 minutes before): 500ml electrolyte drink. Sip, do not gulp.
During the race:
| Hour | Carbohydrate Target | Fluid Target | Notes | |---|---|---|---| | 1 | 60g | 750ml | Start early — gut function is best now | | 2 | 60-70g | 750ml-1L | Conditions warming, increase fluid | | 3 | 60-70g | 750ml-1L | Pre-Chapman's Peak — eat before the climb | | 4 | 40-60g | 750ml-1L | On or post-Chappies — gels and liquid only | | 5+ | 30-40g | 500-750ml | Final stretch — sip and maintain |
Total target: 250-310g of carbohydrate and 3-4.5 litres of fluid across a 4-5 hour finish. Use a 2:1 glucose-to-fructose ratio for absorption above 60g per hour.
The critical difference between this race and a cooler European sportive is the fluid-to-calorie ratio. In the heat, dehydration will end your race before energy depletion does. Prioritise drinking over eating. If your stomach rebels at solid food past hour three, switch entirely to liquid carbohydrate — sports drink plus gels. The fuelling calculator and hydration calculator together give you a per-hour plan specific to your bodyweight and the forecast conditions.
Carry electrolyte tabs in your jersey pocket. If the feed zones run low on sports drink — it happens in a 35,000-rider event — you can turn plain water into something your body can actually use.
The atmosphere and why it matters
One more thing worth saying. The Cape Town Cycle Tour is not just a bike race. It is a one-day cycling festival with an energy that is hard to describe if you have not stood on that start line. The crowd support through the suburbs, the cheering at Chapman's Peak, the riders from 30 countries sharing the road — it is an event that reminds you why you started riding in the first place.
South African cycling culture runs deep. Many riders in that field have trained year-round for this single day. They take it seriously, and that seriousness is infectious. If you have the chance to ride it, ride it.
The ballot fills up fast. Entry through official tour operators is the most reliable route for international riders. Start planning twelve months out if you can.
Companion reads: pacing strategy for a cycling sportive, cycling nutrition plan for a 100-mile sportive, and the heat training protocol that the World Tour uses for hot-weather racing.
Got a specific question about your Cape Town preparation — your power numbers, how to handle the wind section, what to do about the heat? Ask Roadman for an answer drawn from the actual coach conversations on the podcast. Or come and talk about it inside the Roadman Cycling community on Skool where riders who have done the race share what they wish they had known.