Bolandcycletour joined Tourdeboland in 2025
Did you know? The first ever Bolandcycletour (3 weeks, about 1500kms in 2025) group joined the tried and tested and well-established Tourdeboland (10 years in the making, and usually around 500-600kms during the week before the CTCT, or Argus) this year. This lightened the infrastructure and overheads requirement and gave the riders exposure to a wider audience of riders. Make the circle bigger.
- Part 1: Bolandcycletour first two weeks
- Part 2: Tourdeboland final week below
13—Bolandcycletour in Melkbos
Tourdeboland day 1 with a 12pm noon gun start on the steps of the City Lodge V&A Waterfront hotel. New faces and indemnities including death. Then 1.3kms on the N1 before hook a left onto bicycle lanes up the coast with both a lead and follow vehicle and larger crowd all getting to know each other. Stop in Blouberg as Mark thought on his feet (theme for the week). Photos with Table Mountain. Tailwind Jeff. Blouberg WP. Biltong. Beers. Pool. No golf despite driving range. Laughs. Damhuis. Jerseys. Glad to see I was not the only one on a laptop afterwards as Willem also settled behind the screen.
**photo suggestion maybe group shot from the steps at the start as a before pic
14—Bolandcycletour to Riebeek
Tourdebland day 2. Never pass up on an invite. Wise man told me. Albert and Linda. RVH my favourite. Feels like home when you arrive at the hotel. Nici ahead to bike addict. And Willem Cloete who knows Reinette Geldenhuys. Jeff told us about cycling with Tom Ritchey and Gavia and Supertours. Kloovenburg. Olive tasting. Ribs. Lorenzo piano. John night run. And had some wine till late with Paul and Albert and Willem was last to leave. Argus timing checked and sorted for the international start group of the Bolandcycletour and Tourdeboland riders.
**photo suggestion hoping for something around 8ft climb or Riebeek valley below
15—Bolandcycletour in Tulbagh
Tourdeboland day 3. Slow start towards Du Vlei, then split and 6 went in front, CJVZ joined from Paarl again, stopped in Wellington at the secret waterpoint hidden behind the concrete wall at the replacement to the Old Tannery coffee shop and I found a Wellington bicycle shop that I didn’t know existed. Tourdecap was busy with a TT up Bainskloof. While we were busy sightseeing. Windy TT down towards the familiar WP at the round 1 coffee stop. The road after Wolseley to Tulbagh was busy. Tour de wind farm; wind turbines in transit. Swim, beer. Nap. Historical town walk. Great dinner. Discuss 200km options for the next day.
**photo suggestion something to do with the historical town walk or buildings
16—Bolandcycletour the Magic day
Tourdeboland day 4. Split up for the day each to his own and Jen and I started before the sun was up to tackle the first of 3 mountain passes for the day in both directions. We went up Mitchells pass to Ceres, then bike shop for new cleats, and immediately on to PA Hamlet then the smooth tar of Gydo pass. Which led onto the wide open void at the top and turned at Op die Berg where Tourdeboland finished as a race back in was it 2014? Either way, over to Wellington and back again, seeing other on the first round at the Bergsig wine estate WP and secondly at Calabash where I had two beers. Then down Slanghoek, at lesser pace as ‘we are your customers not your competition’ rang true.
**photo suggestions the one where we pointed to each other at op die berg
17—Bolandcycletour French connection
Tourdeboland day 5. Own breakfast at the Slanghoek villas before a very easy 50 around Brandvlei dam and on the wide yellow shoulder to Stettyns where we chatted away and didn’t realize that kms ticking by. Long first coffee stop at the bike friendly Stettyns, seeing the Freedom challenge omens on the mountain. Some riders in van after long yesterday. FHK pass with Peter and Nic and Albert and Lorenzo. Into the LAB upmarket. Hugenote museum. Wine. Chamonix. French connection. Last night celebrations, remember for next year.
**photo suggestion somewhere on FHK pass
18—Bolandcycletour Jonkershoek gate
Tourdeboland day 6, or Tourdewinefarm? Right direction. Perfect last day. Paul over Helshoogte. Arrived at the LAB. Coffee and impromptu breakfast. High spirits all round. Host took tiktok videos, using fresh techniques. Remember to tag them in social media. HEL(shoogte). Man! Jonkershoek. Last sprint to catch 2x Epic riders from NZ. Roll to Lanzarac finish. Spoils at the deli amongst the vines overlooking STB before shuttle into CPT. And some did registration to have Saturday completely open.
**photo suggestion completely up to you, maybe Lanzerac
19—Bolandcycletour on Tafelberg
Tourdeboland day 8. This was the first day off for our Bolandcycletour riders after 18 straight days of cycling so well deserved indeed and just as well as the Argus happens tomorrow. Management didn’t attend this one as all he riders had the day off to explore CPT and all its splendor as they saw fit. Activities ranged from shopping to expos and SILO museums and more. But the most important part is that everyone had fun, and rested, and enjoyed the Cape, and was ready for the cycle tour.
**photo from stock as we were not there on the day, maybe Robben Island
20—Bolandcycletour does Argus
Tourdeboland day 9. Everybody say Hopla! National anthem early in the morning. Group start for all the Bolandcycletour and Tourdeboland international riders. Which was around 7.30. I didn’t get to see them because I was pulling Bellingan in a buggy. We had the best of time this year and arrived in Simonstad still doing around 27kmh avg for the nearly 200kg vessel. But then a waterpoint and two puncture on Chapmans peak – one going up and the same wheel again while coming down into Houtbaai, hampered our progress. Alas, great day out. and the best braai at Nic in Constantia afterwards where we gained so much valuable rider feedback – more on that separately.
**photo def from the CTCT
21—Au revoir Bolandcycletour
Tourdeboland day 10. Arrive as a stranger. Depart as family. I think we got that right this year. and had the most homogenous group of cyclists in the 10 years of the Tourdeboland (and the first year of the Bolandcycletour). I am proud of what we have achieved, put my name to it, and cannot wait to do so again next year. Thanks to all our participants, who are now back home scattered across the globe. Till next time!
**some funny photo from anyone during the week, depart with laughter
Want to ride with us next year?
Book on cyclotourism.co.za for the 1300km+ 3-week Bolandcycletour or the week-long pre-CTCT Tourdeboland annual road bicycle spectacular.
