The Argus Cycle Tour is the biggest timed bicycle race in the world and one of the greatest events each year on the international cycling calendar. Basically unknown in the US, the race attracts riders from throughout Europe, a large number of expatriate riders in the middle east and tons of Aussies and Kiwis. However, this is, by and large, a national event and a South African "rite of passage." Last year, after the race, I saw an article about South African corporate executives posting their Argus time, comparing executives' times across organizations. Cycling is big in South Africa and this is their biggest event.
I've come in for business meetings, which I held yesterday and have the weekend free for the race. Then, after taking Monday off to recover, I'm heading to Germany and the Netherlands for fundraising events. But, for today and tomorrow, I'm just one of the 39,000 riders starting the 110 km race on Sunday morning.
Last year, in a fast, hot ride, I'd managed to finish the 108 km route in 3 hours and 33 minutes, which earned me a nice seeding in this year's event. Since this is a timed event, they can't have everyone starting at the same time, but thanks to RFID technology each rider has his or her own timing chip and they can send off the riders in several dozen groups, beginning at dawn.
So, the riders are released from pens into the starting area in big groups. Here is a picture of some of the workers erecting the pens today near the starting area. And this is the starting area around mid-day on Saturday. By tonight this will be ready to go for the first (and fastest) riders in the professional seeded groups. The Giro goes out at 0615, the licensed riders in groups that start at 0620, 0625 and on until 0636. Our "pen" starts at 0718 and I'm about in about the first third of the seeded groups. Then the other pens full of cyclists are released until almost 1000.
Today was registration pick-up and the huge cycle fair, with both international vendors but some national vendors with cool products not available outside of the country.
So, this morning I went on a quick tune-up ride. It was quick (only an hour) because I was heading along down the coastline when that awful sound started. It was a pop and then a spinning whistle, and since I was riding with some other cyclists, I hoped that it was not me. But, it was my flat tire and I pulled off to the side of the road to deal with it.
It was a stupid pinch flat and was my own dumb fault for not putting enough air in my tires. I should have used that hand pump to get them up above 100 psi, but I figured that nothing would happen. Well, that was enough to anger the flat tire gods. They are fickle. They are vigilant and they abhor hubris. Just when you think that you are somehow better than the flat tire gods and tempt them, by going out without a tube, without a pump, without a patch kit, or without enough air in your tires, they will give you a flat.
So, I have publicly made my peace with the flat gods, purchased a new tube and will ride tomorrow with a spare tube, a patch kit, a can of compressed air and a pump. I will pump up my tires. I promise. So, please, NO FLATS.
Tomorrow, I'll be roaring up this coast with the finish line in sight. But, starting at 0718, as the doctor might say, "the following procedure will involve some minor discomfort."
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