If you can't cycle on the day: Cape Town Cycle Tour's Prelude Challenge underway until 2 March

CapeTalk's Lester Kiewit speaks to David Bellairs, Director of the Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust, about the exciting launch of the 2025 Prelude Challenge.

The Cape Town Cycle Tour takes place on 9 March 2025.

If you can't race on that date, the Prelude Challenge is for you. 

The Cape Town Cycle Tour's Prelude Challenge kicked off on 22 February until Sunday, 2 March 2025.

The Prelude Challenge allows you to race 109km in seven hours on one ride from anywhere in the world.

Your ride, pace and performance will be recorded digitally to STRAVA. 

"We needed to ensure that people who have been keeping unbroken runs of participating in the Cycle Tour still had the opportunity to get it in the bag," says Bellairs.

"It's about being inclusive and a chance for everyone to obtain unbroken records," adds Bellairs.

What's the prelude challenge all about?

For those living abroad, having scheduling conflicts with race day on 9 March due to work or travel commitments, or religious observations such as fasting during Ramadan, the prelude challenge is for you. 

Extending the event this way enables more people to participate and contribute to the charities that benefit from race entries.

Here's how it works:

• Register via the Cycle Tour entry portal.
• Cycle 109km within seven hours in one ride, anywhere in the world - outdoors or in a virtual setting on a stationary bike.
• Upload your ride to STRAVA.
• This can be done either on a bike outdoors or on a stationary bike in a virtual environment.

Every participant in the prelude challenge will receive a medal, and their efforts will be officially recognised in the 2025 Cape Town Cycle Tour results. 

Cape-based prelude challenge participants can still join fellow cyclists at the Cape Town Cycle Tour Expo to collect their goodie bags, souvenir race numbers and medals.

For more information, go to the Cape Town Cycle Tour's website.