During the 40th Cape Town Cycle Tour on Sunday, cyclists were faced with gale-force winds that sent them blowing across the roads.

Participants tried desperately to stay upright, and organisers were eventually forced to cancel the event for the first time in its history.

"Based on consultation with all the emergency services, the Joint Operations Centre of the Cape Town Cycle Tour 2017 regrets to announce that they have had to take the unprecedented step of cancelling this year's 40th Cycle Tour," the organisers said in statement.

"This is due to winds in excess of 100km/hour on parts of the route, and the need to urgently clear the roads for emergency vehicles to attend to fires."

Videos of the event quickly went viral as athletes will have to look forward to the 41st edition to finish their race.