The decision to stop the Cape Town Cycle Tour was the right one: City
The City of Cape Town says the decision to stop the 2017 Cape Town Cycle Tour was the correct one. The race, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, was cancelled this morning due to extreme weather conditions.
The city's Director of Safety and Security Richard Bosman says the weather was truly awful this year.
"The weather has never been as bad as it was this year. The decision to stop the race was the right decision. It would have caused serious injuries to people," says Bosman.
Organisers say the decision was taken due to winds in excess of 100km/hour on parts of the route, and the need to urgently clear the roads for emergency vehicles to attend to fires.
"Based on consultation with all the emergency services, the Joint Operations Centre of the Cape Town Cycle Tour 2017 regrets to announce that they have had to take the unprecedented step of cancelling this year's 40th Cycle Tour," the organisers say in a statement.
Bosman says some cyclists were injured before the decision was taken to stop the race.
" Lots of falls and bumps, scrapes, knees and elbows. There are a couple of fractures, arms and elbows. One would assume that is when people fell off the bike," says Bosman
Jacaranda FM New's Dianne Broodryk's interview with Bosman