Tyler Lange wins Cape Town Cycle Tour, making family history

Tyler Lange carved his name into the annals of cycling history by clinching victory at the Cape Town Cycle Tour, which marks his success and heralds the Lange family’s fourth title in this prestigious race. 

Cycling in the elite men’s category for the ASAP World Team, Lange faced fierce competition on a day marked by near-perfect weather conditions and an impressive field of 186 elite cyclists.

With a strong, windless morning greeting participants, the stage was set for a record-breaking race. As the competitors sped through the 109-kilometre course, the intensity of racing ratcheted up, demonstrating that the field was aware of the potential to shatter existing records. 

Lange’s determination culminated in a new benchmark of 2 hours, 25 minutes, and 48 seconds, surpassing Robbie Hunter’s 17-year-old time of 2 hours, 27 minutes, and 29 seconds by an impressive 1 minute and 41 seconds.

The race unfolded with early breakaways that showcased the aggressive spirit of the peloton. It took merely 10 kilometres for the first significant attack to develop, with Dylan Geary setting the pace as he surged ahead during the ascent of Edenborough Drive. However, a series of tactical developments saw the race regroup before new attackers, including Jaco van Dyk, tried and failed to maintain a lead.

The most aggressive move of the day came through the combined efforts of Chris Jooste and Casper Kruger. 

Their formation became a chasing group over a challenging 25-kilometre stretch from Fish Hoek to Red Hill, briefly holding a 40-second advantage over the peloton. Yet, the relentless tempo set by Marc Pritzen and his RDX Realty squad transformed the race dynamics, pulling in the leading group at an astounding pace as they tackled Chapman’s Peak Drive.

As riders raced down towards Hout Bay, the dynamics shifted again with a split on Suikerbossie when Sascha Weber surged forward, joined by a pack of formidable competitors, including Travis Stedman and Kent Main. However, The front group found themselves stalling in anticipation of a sprint finish as they reached the race’s final stages, allowing a larger chase group to close in.

Within the final kilometre, it was Lange and fellow sprinter Reinhardt Janse van Rensburg who surged past the front group, their powerful finish setting the scene for a thrilling conclusion. Lange demonstrated immense tactical acumen by expertly riding the slipstream of Janse van Rensburg before launching himself past in the final 100 metres to seize the title. Janse van Rensburg crossed the line shortly after, claiming second place, with Terlouw, Stedman, and Moir rounding out the top five finishers.

“The last kay was super-fast, and I wasn’t actually sure if it was going to come back together,” Lange reflected after his monumental win. “Then with about 400 to go we made contact, and I managed to get on Reinhardt’s [Janse van Rensburg’s] wheel and kicked past him.”

For the elder Lange, the emotion of watching his son triumph was palpable. “I tried to get him into every other sport – growing up – be it cricket, tennis, or golf, but he kept choosing cycling,” Malcolm Lange shared proudly.