Winds of up to 100km/h in Cape Town, South Africa have blown cyclists off their bikes, forcing the race to be cancelled for the first time in its 40-year history.
The extraordinary gusts were caused by a wind known as the Cape Doctor, which blows in from the Atlantic Ocean and is known to knock people off their feet when at its most powerful. The winds are often strongest in the CBD, which is where the starting line was.
Footage shows many of the competitors simply walking alongside their bikes, as attempts to ride them had simply pushed them into other racers.
The tempest was so strong it blew a portable toilet over and pushed it into the street where Cape Town Cycling Tour competitors were trying to race.
The race, which was supposed to be 109km-long, was called off at the 21km mark when organisers said it was too dangerous to continue. They said a nearby fire and protest were also considerations they made when cancelling the event.
Discussions are underway to take the start of the race away from central Cape Town in 2018, to avoid the blustery winds that blighted this year's competition.
Newshub.
