Sunday, March 8, 2009

Hot off the Pedals: Argus Cycle Tour update

My dad, Henri Viljoen, 76, finished The Argus today in 5 hours 40 seconds. Correction, 03-09-2009: 5 hours 52 minutes! His time in 2008 was 4 and a half hours (his first Argus was 6 hours 38 minutes).

Because:

It was described by the organizers as the toughest Argus ever (in 32 years of the race's history), as it was held in the midst of gale force winds. 50km to 70 km an hour winds meant that the riders had to stand and pedal downhill. No rest for the weary.

My father said that many riders gave up on the first stretch out of town when the wind hit full in the face. He availed himself of one of the 300 physical therapists stationed around the course, when his legs cramped. He said that when she was on his second leg her mother called her on her cell so she massaged him with one hand and talked to her mom with the other. Only in Africa.

The professionals who led the race said it was the hardest race they had ridden.

Announcements at the start warned each group of 600 starting out to watch out as they rode underneath the Civic Centre, a notorious wind tunnel. Every starting group had at least one cyclist blown off their bike at this point

My dad started cycling for exercise when he was told that hiking and running were no longer an option because of his bad knees, and that he would be a candidate for knee replacements. He still has his knees.

When I called Cape Town to check whether he was still alive my mom said he was out. Doing what, I asked. Walking the dogs, she said.

Couldn't Matt Damon have done that for him?

8 comments:

  1. congratulations to your father! that is quite a physical AND mental feat!

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  2. i just had read both these argus-related entires aloud to j. how incredibly inspiring! congratulations to your dad - i would have been blown away for certain.

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  3. Congratulations Mr. Viljoen! Sounds like a hell of a ride.

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  4. oh good heavens.
    bravo to your Dad.

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  5. Well done, Marie's Pa! May you ride in many more.

    We just had the Amgen Tour come through our town of Mariposa,CA a few weeks ago in between rain and snow stoms.

    Keli'i

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  6. Well done, that man!
    Marie, your Pa is a beacon for all whose doctors say "you can't."
    And while I was keeping an eye on our cyclone I was also aware of the smoke haze at the Cape.
    Mr. Viljoen, I salute you and your co-cyclists.

    PS I see Estorbo's blog's been nominated. I'll have to vote for him!

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  7. Hearty congratulations to your dad. One had to have been there to fully appreciate how tough the Argus was this year. I completed my ninth consecutive Argus yesterday in conditions that were just unbelievable. Just to have finished safely was a feat in itself! The fact that more than 10000 riders did not arrive to start, is a good indication of the phsycological effect the wind had on participants. Very well done Mr. Viljoen ( Hy is 'n vasbyter! )
    Johan de Wet.

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  8. Quite amazing indeed, but then again I never doubted he would do well. :-)

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