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Something for everyone at Satellite Classic
In a first for South African cycling, one event will offer two seeding options for next year’s Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour. The Jacaranda Satellite Classic, formerly the Telkom Satellite Classic, this year offers 97km and 119km distances options and both distances will be taken into account for seeding into next year’s Argus.
The Satellite Classic, which takes place on 23 October 2010, moves to a new venue at Necsa. The event takes place on the same route as previous years with the only difference being the 6km stretch added from Necsa onto the established route, joining at Broederstroom, and back again to Necsa once riders have completed the loop.
With the 97km distance also a seeding event this year, improving their seeding will now be within reach of a large group of cyclists for whom the previous long distance ride would have been a yard too far – 10km shorter makes a big difference when the Hekpoort climb is one of the obstacles you have to overcome on the ride.
McCarthy Audi, PowerAde and Cyclingnews are on board as main sponsors and the event is organized by Johan du Toit and Wynand de Villiers in conjunction with the Jacaranda Cycling Club, formerly known as the Telkom Club.
Du Toit organises the Cansa Lost City Classic annually while De Villiers has events such as the Emperors Palace Classic and Berge en Dale in the Cyclingnews stable. It bodes very well for the event this year with the two experienced race organizers working as a team on the Satellite Classic.
Eight waterpoints will feature on the route and they have all been snatched up by private companies and corporates who have all come on board to support the event.
They will man the stations along with helpers from Cansa and the Jakaranda Club and no doubt go all out in the rivalry to be crowned as best waterpoint on the day.
The route of the Satellite Classic is traditionally tough and includes the famous climb of Hekpoort – a 3.5km monster at an average gradient of 7 percent. With the start and finish venue changing to Necsa, the Hekpoort climb now presents itself just after the halfway mark on the route, which will make it significantly more manageable.
In the past Hekpoort presented itself around 17km from the finish at a time when most riders’ legs would have been shouting for mercy.
The route past the Satellite station all the way to Broederstroom is predominantly downhill, which means the final 20km on the new format will make for much easier riding and will likely get riders home a lot quicker.
Over the past ten years the race has served not only as a seeding event for the Cycle Tour, but has also traditionally been the last significant training ride for cyclists taking aim at the Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge.
Proceeds of the race go to the Cancer Association of South Africa.
