Since its inception in 1978, there have been 47 Cape Town Cycle Tours. One year, the route was shortened; one year, the race was cancelled. But other than that, the Cycle Tour has been as consistent as Handre Pollard kicking World Cup-winning penalties. 

Selwyn Maggott has completed the event 46 times out of 47. In fact, he’s done so many tours that he never remembers the exact number; when asked his total, he simply says, “All of them, minus one!” 

“I missed that one year because I decided to become a beach bum.”

You would think a man with such a consistent Cycle Tour record would have an outstanding excuse for missing a year. A bad crash the day before. A serious illness. Fighting off escaped lions from the UCT Zoo, an alien invasion. But no, nothing so dramatic. “I missed that one year because I’d just finished varsity, and decided to become a beach bum.” 

It’s such an outrageous response that it demands a double-take. “No, ja, I’m being serious! It was that lazy time after studying and before employment, and I just couldn’t pull myself away from surfing.” 

In the ‘olden days’, the entry procedure involved filling in a form that you had to pick up from a shop, then send it off in the post with a cheque or cash. “I saw that entries were closing, and I was never going to make the deadline.”

Intriguingly, for a man with such a proud Cycle Tour attendance record, Maggott wasn’t a keen cyclist in his youth. “I had a bike that I rode to school, but that was about it. I saw an announcement about a ‘group ride’ and I took part, not really knowing what the Cycle Tour was all about. 

“After that, I simply did it because it was there. I would take the bike out of the garage ahead of race day, and remove the previous year’s race numbers – not very serious at all! Yet I always raced hard.”

Maggott’s conversion to Cycle Tour’s Mr Consistent came on a day when the ‘group ride’ had turned into a race. “In those days, the top guys started after us,” says Maggott. “I remember riding along, wearing my soccer kit, and all these excellent elite riders came past in unison, looking so slick in their team kit… I knew then that I was going to start taking cycling seriously as a sport, and not just focus on the Cycle Tour. After that year’s Cycle Tour, cycling became my thing.” 

Now, at 63, and with all the Cycle Tours (minus one) to his name, Maggott says he probably takes cycling more seriously than he ever did in his youth. “I do as much as I can. Cycling is my sport, and I have the Cycle Tour to thank for that. 

“I usually aim for a sub-3 at the Cycle Tour; but if I’m not going to make it, then I slow down a bit and aim for the sub-4. I usually make the call at Hout Bay. At my age now, I realise that I’m blessed to be able to participate.” 

Every year, he comes back to the Cycle Tour to keep his incredible record going. And to taunt the man who’s done them all – Stephen Stefano. “The record keeps me coming back, but Stephen keeps coming back too! Every year I tell him, ‘This is the year I’m going to catch you.’ But every year, he’s there too – always one ride ahead of me!” 

READ MORE ON: Cape Town Cycle Tour Legends