Modern Cyclist Magazine Issue 1, September 2014 | Page 31

Each month, Modern Cyclist will ask its intrepid Italian roadie to tap
into his wealth of ready rides and tell us about a road that got his
lycra flapping. For this issue, we just managed to tear him away from
watching his countryman secure the yellow jersey in the Tour de
France for long enough to tell us all about a very special ride in the
Western Cape.

Dodging
wind-swept
surfers

rob’s ride MC

With the mountains to your left, the sea to
your right and a head wind to the front …
perhaps that’s Cape cycling bliss? Photo by
Chantal Grobbler.

surfers tip-toeing their way across zebra
crossings to the Strand beach.

By Roberto Riccardi

O

nce you have sufficiently
tapped Cape Town’s cycling spoils in
and around all-roads-lead-to-Chapman’s
Peak, it’s time to look beyond Table
Mountain towards Somerset West.
This hidden gem lies nestled beneath the
Helderberg Nature Reserve and offers airbrushed views over False Bay.
Somerset West is a town with a village
feel. Every year, Somerset College waves
goodbye to its children who trek into
the forested mountains for a month. It
is part of their journey to environmental
consciousness and adulthood eliciting
a sense that this is where Mother Nature
came to set up shop.

Bay serves well as the target pit stop. This
marks the ride’s half way point.

Turn a sharp right at Gordon’s Bay and
hug the coast line for the rest of the
ride. You’d have to try really hard to get
lost making this a perfect ride for out of
towners.

After Betty’s Bay, be prepared to
encounter strong port-side winds until the
R43 T-junction. If riding echelon, it’s wise
to have an experienced support driver
protecting your rear.

The stretch across False Bay is
breathtaking as the morning sun lights up
the tips of the spine from Table Mountain
across to Cape Point. Ultra runners will
recognise the profile of the Tuffer Puffer
160 kilometre trail run. For everyone else,
we’ll recognise the need to Instagram it
to our mountain biking friends.

Turning right on the R43, look out for
the Botrivier dip in the road at the 73
kilometre mark. This acts as an ideal point
to unload any excess energy and fight
to the 77 kilometre mark for King of the
Mountains.

The road meanders along the craggy
coastline under the stalwart gaze of
the Steenbras Dam. The four significant
climbs on this ride all occur within the first
40 kilometres and take the zip out of your
cruising speed. The undulations settle
around Pringle Bay, where after Betty’s

Switch off the engines and cruise into
Hermanus. Be wary of traffic lights and
vehicles. Hermanus is a great place
for your support team to load up on
cappuccinos and curios, keeping an
eye out on the seas for the southern right
whale as they await your arrival. Don’t
forget jackets to deal with the feisty
Hermanus winds.

As such it is the ideal backdrop to launch
your 100 kilometre ride to Hermanus.
True beauty: Arguably one of South Africa’s
most picturesque beaches is The Strand.
Photo by Rob Riccardi

Park your car at the Waterstone Village
shopping mall alongside the morning gym
bunnies and set off.
Roald Amundsen said “Adventure is just
bad planning”. Heeding the words of the
Norwegian polar explorer, it is a good idea
to carefully plan your route, supplies and
timing for the ride.
If you leave with the rising sun, the only
traffic you’re likely to encounter are

Betty’s Bay serves as a perfect midway
point between Somerset West and
Hermanus. Photo by Chantal Grobbler.

As Cape riders will know, there are a few days
a year when cycling in the Cape reaches
perfection. Photo by Chantal Grobbler.

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