Once again Joburg proved it could host a world-class event, hosting a successful Pick n Pay 94.7 Cycle Challenge, the biggest mass-participation, timed sporting event in the world.

A MOSAIC of cyclists braved the heat yesterday to take pedal power to the streets of Jozi, during the 12th annual Pick n Pay 94.7 Cycle Challenge. 

Female winner: Acting mayor and MMC for community development, Nandi Mayathula-Khoza congratulates winner of the women’s race, Anriette Schoeman Photo: Enoch Lehung

Known as Joburg's safest race, overall the event, on Sunday, 16 November, "went very well" said Tanya Harford, the director of the Cycle Challenge. Thousands of cyclists took part, with only a single incident reported. 

"We were thrilled with the 24 000 cyclists who took to the start line. The city was stunning, but as Joburg residents we have to be a bit more patient when it comes to such events," Harford said. Many motorists were disgruntled with the road closures.

Because safety was paramount for cyclists, the City granted the right of full road closure and its roads were monitored by the Johannesburg metropolitan police department (JMPD), the Johannesburg Roads Agency and the Gauteng department of public transport, roads and works.

Harford said all credit for the success of the race was owed to those stakeholders who contributed "150 percent". "That goes to show why the event was a major success. It shows how far Joburg can go; we praise the City for making it possible."

In the single incident, Carel Nordin, riding in tandem with his wife, suffered a heart attack during the race. He was rushed to the nearby Life Fourways Hospital, but subsequently passed away.

"We tried everything in our power to resuscitate him, but with no luck. We would like to send our condolences to his family," Harford noted, adding that despite this, "the event showed how capable our world-class city is in hosting world-class events".

JMPD spokeswoman Edna Mamonyane confirmed that her department had deployed 392 metro cops to man the closed intersections from the early hours of the morning until the late afternoon, ensuring that the race lived up to its moniker. "The event on our side went very well."

Accident
A fatal accident was reported on the day, although it did not take place on a Cycle Challenge route. The driver, who was taken for blood alcohol testing, drove his Toyota Condor southwards on the northbound lane at the Buccleuch interchange in the east. He smashed into a white Citi Golf heading north towards Pretoria.

"The accident that happened on Sunday morning didn't happen on the side of the road which was chosen for the Cycle Challenge," she confirmed.

Details are still sketchy, but Mamonyane said the head-on collision led to the death of five people, with the driver of the Toyota sustaining only minor injuries.

The M1 South between the Buccleuch interchange and Selby Road, among many other Joburg roads, was closed to traffic to allow a smooth flow for cyclists; motorists driving from the north to Joburg were diverted to alternative roads.

Mamonyane noted that the driver took the off-ramp on the wrong side of the road, driving into coming traffic and later causing the grisly crash.

The race
However, by the break of dawn hordes of cyclists had parked their vehicles and were ready for the contest. One cyclist noted afterwards that it was the first time he had taken part and he had enjoyed the experience.

Malcom Lange crosses the line to win the 2008 Cycle Challenge Photo: Enoch Lehung

"We are chuffed with the whole turn out and organisation of the race, and we are happy that we had no major hassles," said Pippa Rowles, the public relations and communications co-ordinator at Primedia Broadcasting, the race owners.

Top honours went to the MTN Energade and Konica Minolta teams.

MTN Energade speedster Malcolm Lange won the men's race, registering a record time of two hours and three minutes. Another of the team's riders, Jay Thompson, came third after of last year's winner, Herman Fouche of Konica Minolta, who was in second place.

Lange last won the Joburg race in 2001. His team manager, Douglas Ryder noted that although he had been at the helm of many teams in the 12-year history of the event, he had never registered a victory until Lange. "It's been a long time coming ... It was Malcolm's last race for the team and he gave us the best send-off present we could have hoped for."

After his win, Lange said: "I came into the race as the favourite and my form over the past few months has certainly been great. But you've still got to pitch up and pull it off on a day when so many things can go wrong."

Proline's Anriette Schoeman secured her fourth win in the women's Cycle Challenge, with Lynette Burger of team Toyota Cycle Lab SuperCycling and South African champion Cherise Taylor of MTN coming second and third, respectively.

Among other safety precautions, the event had the full support of 1 000 traffic advisories, 609 marshals, 120 South African Police Service cops, over 300 medical personnel, and more than 25 ambulances and response vehicles. There were also 147 physiotherapists and chiropractors and 14 000 parking bays available; the value of bikes in the race was about R250-million.

Hailed as the city's safest race, the annual Pick n Pay Cycle Challenge is ranked as the biggest mass-participation, timed sporting event in the world. It supports the Homeless Talk Crèche in Joubert Park, a centre which provides day care for the children of Homeless Talk vendors, with the aim of keeping the children off the streets while their parents earn a living.

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