Cape Town get ready for Cycle Tour week!

If you've been training for the Cape Cycle Tour, all your efforts are about to culminate in the coming days! For those of us not so adept on a bicycle, well, there's going to be quite a bit (read: MUCH MORE) traffic to contend with as Cycle Tour Week officially gets underway on Thursday, 5 March, with rider registration and the three-day Cycle Tour Expo at the DHL Stadium.

The Expo is expected to attract around 35,000 visitors, with about 30,000 cyclists taking to the streets for the 48th edition of the Cape Town Cycle Tour on Sunday, 8 March 2026.  

Fun Fact: Did you know this is the world's largest timed cycle race, with an estimated 10,000 of the approximately 30,000 cyclists expected to travel from outside the Mother City to take part in the 2026 Cape Town Cycle Tour?

In 2025, 10,091 travelling cyclists represented over 60 countries. "This is a powerful reminder that the Cape Town Cycle Tour is not just a race, but a global drawcard," said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.

The city has deployed Safety and Security personnel from Traffic Services, Metro Police, Law Enforcement and Disaster Risk Management along the route to ensure that participants have a smooth and safe journey around the peninsula, added Smith.

Cape Town Cycle Tour Expo Essentials

• Dates: Thursday 5 March to Saturday 7 March 2026
• Venue: DHL Stadium, Green Point
• Purpose: Rider registration and official Cycle Tour Expo
• Exhibitors: 80+ brands featuring cycling gear, apparel, nutrition, technology and accessories

Opening times:

• Thursday, 5 March: 09:30 – 19:00
• Friday, 6 March: 09:00 – 19:00
• Saturday, 7 March: 09:00 – 16:00

Entry:

• Free for participating cyclists and children under 12
• R50 for non-participants

Parking:

• Paid parking at CTICC P1
• Additional parking at P9, P11, P12 and P13
• Dedicated bike park and disabled parking available at P5 and P13

Road Closures ahead of Race Day:

Residents and motorists should expect increased congestion and plan alternative routes, with closures phased in from Friday, 6 March, and peak restrictions on Saturday, 7 March and Sunday, 8 March 2026. Race day takes place on Sunday, 8 March, with cyclists tackling various routes, including the traditional 109km course starting at the Grand Parade and finishing in Green Point.

 Additional races include:

• the 78km Invitational Women’s Race
• U17 Boys Race starting in Fish Hoek
• 42km route through the southern suburbs.

Residents and motorists are advised to plan ahead, as road closures will be implemented from Friday, with extensive closures across the CBD, Green Point, Sea Point, the Southern Suburbs and the Deep South on Saturday and Sunday. 

Road Closures: Key Information

Key affected areas

• CBD
• Green Point
• Sea Point
• Southern Suburbs
• Deep South

Major routes impacted

• Sections of Helen Suzman Boulevard
• Chapman’s Peak Drive
• M3 Highway (outbound)
• Nelson Mandela Boulevard (N2 outbound)
• Hospital Bend Interchange
• Victoria Road, Camps Bay
• Main Road (M4) through the Deep South

CBD-specific closures

• Castle Street (between Darling and Strand streets)
  • Closed from 19:00 on Friday until 06:00 on Saturday for the start gantry construction
• Additional closures along Castle Street, Darling Street and Strand Street
  • From 14:00 on Saturday through to late Sunday afternoon

Public transport

• Several MyCiTi bus routes will be affected, including services to Hout Bay and Hangberg
• A three-stop shuttle service will operate between Hanover Street and Adderley Street
• Normal services are expected to resume by 15:00 on Sunday

Join the Spectator Experience

Members of the public are encouraged to support the event by lining the route at designated spectator points, including Camps Bay, Hout Bay, the Sea Point Promenade and the race finish in Green Point.   

• Mostert’s Mill (M3)
• Edinburgh Drive (Wynberg Park)
• Ladies Mile
• Steenberg Road
• Jubilee Square in Simon’s Town
• Noordhoek Farm Village
• Hout Bay CBD
• Camps Bay Main Road
• Sea Point Promenade
• Race Finish on Helen Suzman Boulevard in Green Point

For more information on the Cape Town Cycle Tour and other events hosted in Cape Town, visit www.eventsincapetown.com. 

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