Wellington gears up for the return of the Winelands Cycle Race

The annual cycling race organised by the Rotary Club of Paarl is set to take place on Sunday, January 25, next year. 

The Rhodes Quality Winelands Cycle Race is a major fundraising event of the club, with proceeds going towards social upliftment projects and local charities in the Drakenstein community. It also serves as an official seeding race for the Cape Town Cycle Tour.

The event attracts close to 2000 cyclists annually and features a vibrant race day atmosphere with food stalls, vendors, and family activities at a neutral zone. 

It offers cyclists two distances to accommodate different skill levels.

The 102km race is the main event route that takes cyclists from Wellington through scenic vineyards and wheatfields to Riebeek-Kasteel, over Bothmanskloof Pass, and back to Wellington via the R45 and R44. It will start at 6am.

The 52km race, starting at 7:30am, is a shorter route designed for newer or junior cyclists, following a portion of the long route before splitting off and returning to Wellington via a different path.

Both races start at the Hugenote Primary School before finishing at Piet Retief Street by 12:30pm, with the post-race activities, such as medals, refreshments, taking place in a neutral zone, which is back at the primary school. 

The minimum age requirement for the 102km event is 16 years, and for the 52km event is 12 years. Tandem participants must be at least 12 years of age when accompanied by an adult.

Originally launched as the Paarl Cycle Race by the Rotary Club of Paarl in 1993, this annual event was renamed the Winelands Cycle Race in 2021, and the start/finish location was moved to Wellington to provide easier access to safer, rural roads. 

For details regarding the cycling race entry, including requirements and associated fees, you can visit the website.