Giro del Capo action for Paarl
2007-03-01
THE Giro del Capo cycling race takes place next week with Paarl making up an integral part of the preliminary event and first stage.
The Giro takes place from 7 to 11 March and features a host of international cycling teams with some 160 cyclists taking place.
Spectators will also be able to see in action the only South African who competed in the 2006 Tour de France, Robert Hunter of team Barloworld.
The race officially starts on Wednesday, but Paarl residents can enjoy some racing action beforehand with a time trial at the Faure Street Stadium on Tuesday.
In this prologue to the actual event the Giro racers will compete in a 5,5km time trial which starts at the Stadium at 18:00.
The cyclists will exit towards Main Street, where they will do a loop of Main Street and Berg River Boulevard before returning to the stadium for the finish. Cyclists will start a minute apart (traffic will be restricted to single lanes at that time).
The overall winner will wear the pink jersey for the start of the Giro.
Apart from the time trial there will also be preliminary events, including school team races which will start at 15:00.
Riders in the u.12, u.14 and u.16 age categories will be able to compete in several events.
The following day the first stage of the Giro will get underway at 11:00 at the Faure stadium.
In this 118km stage, favouring climbers, the riders will travel through the Paarl regions before heading for Stellenbosch.
This stage also sees the inclusion of the Helshoogte loops after a two year absence, providing the riders with an up-hill finish. The third stages will continue towards Cape Town with the fourth and final stage being the Cape Argus Pick ‘n Pay Cycle Tour on Sunday 11 March.
Newly appointed tour director Carinus Lemmer hopes to bring competitive cycling to the spectators. It is with this goal in mind that the Giro time trial is hosted in the Faure Stadium in the centre of Paarl.
People or businesses interested in manning a stall at the stadium during the time trial event, can contact Ian Goetham on 083-949-4501.
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