In 1997, 94.7 Highveld Stereo (Cycle Challenge owners) together with Midrand Country Cyclists, decided to organise a cycle race for Gauteng. The idea was to create a world-class mass participation sporting event that would touch the heart of Joburg and capture the city's competitive temperament.
4 500 cyclists participated in the event that year making this the biggest cycling event in Gauteng. Great fun was had by all, but it was clear that the Cycle Challenge had quite a way to go before it could claim the status of Gauteng's biggest sporting event.

In two years, the race figures nearly doubled and by 1999 the event was beginning to take shape as a prominent feature on the sporting calendar, in that year, 10 500 cyclists joined this yearly ritual and took to the streets of Joburg.
1999 also saw the introduction of the Childrens Cycle Challenge – designed to give under 14’s a chance to have fun on their bikes in a series of age-group based events. The Children’s Cycle Challenge has grown to accommodate 4 000 kids and last year the organisers chose to move it to the weekend before the main race, so that they could dedicate all their attention to this successful stand alone event.

Following the massive growth in race figures for the Cycle Challenge, the organising committee approached Johannesburg Disaster Management with the view of instituting safety standards - a collaboration that led to the race attaining partial road closure in 2001.
As Joburgers' pride in their city grew, so too did the number of participants. Through the years, they came in all shapes and sizes and claimed this race as their own. Never before had a sporting event so clearly defined this city, its aura, its competitiveness, its strength, as well as the Cycle Challenge did. It was becoming clear that this was a race for the City of Joburg, through the streets of Joburg, by the people of Joburg.
The growth rate was phenomenal. The theme "Joburg's Toughest Race for the World's Toughest People" had obviously touched a nerve. Here were people who thrived not only on meeting the challenge, but overcoming it.

In addition to being one of the City of Joburg’s flagship events, there is also no doubt that the race has had a positive impact on the local cycling, health and related industries. The Cycle Challenge has received recognition from the UCI, the International Governing Body of Cycling, as a model to the cycling world. It is these achievements that have led world-famous cycling commentator Phil Liggett and respected journalist Jeff Quenet to remark that the Cycle Challenge is the best-organised event in Africa, and that leading cycling nations could learn from what is achieved in Johannesburg.

Evolving from the theme of “Joburg’s Toughest Race for the World’s Toughest People”, the collaboration between the City and the organisers, combined with full road closure, led to the tagline “Joburg’s safest race” which encompassed every aspect of the event organization as well as cycling on the day.

For those who still preferred to take their bikes off-road, a Mountain Bike Challenge was instituted in 2006 and was an instant hit with the public. Last year, entries were capped at 4 000 riders in this event, which organisers refer to as an “urban trail”. A new 10km route was added in 2008 as a race for families and novices to take part in. All the events have strong family appeal and aim to be accessible to everyone.

25% of the race entries are from females who compete on equal terms with the men. The Cycle Challenge was the first major cycling event to have a separate women's category.

This year marks the second year of the Cycle Challenge’s partnership with Momentum. The sponsor’s tagline is “making a success of life” and what signifies personal success better than completing the Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge? The race will once again focus on being “everone’s race”. This highlights the inclusiveness of the race – not only for cyclists of all abilities and backgrounds, but also the supporters who line the streets and the residents of Joburg who make this event what it is.