cyclingnews july 2014

VOL 15 NO 5 JULY 2014

For the latest news visit www.cyclingnews.co.za

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ANRIETTE’S GAMES HAT-TRICK A LANDMARK FOR SA CYCLING

COMMONWEALTH GAMES

HOW EVANS WON UMKOMAAS– STAT BY STAT

PULSE PAGES

• BESTMED JOCK CYCLE CLASSIQUE • 2015 BESTMED TOUR DE BOLAND• BESTMED POWERADE LOST CITY CYCLING FESTIVAL

RANGER MEL ALREADY PLANNING ANOTHER SONDELA WINNER

RACE PREVIEWS

THE TOUR TAKES OFF AS THE

WE REVIEW THE FIRST 10 DAYS

CONTENDERS

CRASH

CONTENTS

01Cyclingnews July 2014

headingheadingSub header

EditorWynand de Villiers [email protected]

Consulting editorGerhard Burger

ContributorsPhil Liggett, Coetzee Gouws, AndrewMclean

PicturesPhotosport International, Michelle Cound,Frank Bodenmueller, My Picture

DesignCinnamon Graphix C.C.Chris Dawson – [email protected]

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Advertising email [email protected] or phone 083 269 7659

Published by ASG Events 116B, Glen Avenue, Willow Glen, Pretoria. Tel no: 012 751 4130/31/32/33Fax: 086 730 3099

REGULARS

2 From the Editor: Questions raised about Impey’s test results

4 In the Bunch: The search for Alejandro

20 Product Feature: Every pocket should have a pOcpac

23 Pulse pages: How Evans won Umkomaas – stat by stat

32 Bike Shop Feature: Solomon’s Cycles now also in Durban

35 Legends of the pedal: Alan Dipple

FEATURES

9 2014 Tour de France: Blood, sweat, tears... and big gears!

17 Anriette’s Games hat-trick a landmark for SA cycling

27 Ranger Mel already planning another Sondela winner

30 Race to Truth

RACE REVIEWS

41 Williams wins at Walkerville

RACE PREVIEWS

6 Tar junkies gear up for another tough Jock

38 Bestmed Tour de Boland: 2015 route unveiled as entries open

44 Enjoy the Lost City experience while you cycle to fight cancer

TOUR DE FRANCE GETS UNDERWAYPAGE 9

FROM THE EDITOR

02 Cyclingnews July 2014

Questions raised aboutImpey’s test results

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THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF DARYL IMPEY’S positive dope tests, together withthe reaction of the Orica-GreenEDGE team leader and management, leaves alot of questions about the validity of the test.It is well known that Orica-GreenEdge’s Simon Gerrans and Impey are

good friends, but even so it was noticeable how strongly Gerrans backed hisfriend as Impey began fighting the doping accusations.Impey, who insists he is innocent, was forced out of their Tour de France

team after he returned positive A and B samples that indicated the use of thebanned substance Probenecid. Gerrans immediately came out in support of the rider. He said he really felt

for Impey “in his current situation. I hope it’s something he can get sortedout quickly.” He added that the process was a long way from over and that Impey had a

good chance to try to prove his innocence.Orica-GreenEdge manager Shayne Bannan defended the team’s

anti-doping regime and also stood up for Impey, saying he had a clean recordsince joining the team and was “an honest guy”.Impey’s A sample tested positive at the South African Championships in

February, but he was informed only during the week leading up to the Tourde France at the end of June.Bannan questioned the reason for the time it took for Impey to be made

aware that his A test sample had been positive, saying it was one of thequestions that the rider’s legal team would probably ask.The timing of the announcement could not have been worse because the

2014 Tour started the next weekend.Whether the test was conclusive or not, it will not change the fact that it

had a massive impact on Impey’s career. Getting to the Tour de France startline just once in one’s career is a huge achievement and there is noguarantee that it will happen again.When Impey became the first South African to wear the Tour’s yellow

jersey last year, he also became the SA flag bearer for the sport. Let’s hope there is some acceptable explanation for Impey’s predicament.

He comes from a family that is synonymous with SA cycling and if the resultsof the tests are allowed to stand it could be the worst blow the sport hasbeen dealt locally.Cycling is still trying to rebuild its reputation in the post-Armstrong era,

and it would be tragic if a South African is regarded as proof that the sporthas not eliminated the abuse of drugs.

Wynand de Villiers

THESE ARE AFTER ALL the two toptune-up races for the Tour de France andexperts – those who do not believe inthe curse of the Dauphiné – will tell youdecent form here should translate intothe same a few weeks later.A case in point is Sir Bradley Wiggins

and Chris Froome, who notched up theirmaiden Tour victories off the back ofwinning performances at the Dauphiné.The latter has become especially

enticing since the organisers of the Touracquired it and developed a habit ofmirroring key stages, like the time-trial in Wiggo’s year.A look back at this year’s Dauphiné

tells us Andrew Talansky is at long lastcoming of age; Alberto Contador isapproaching his best form since thedid-he-or-did-he-not doping saga; andChris Froome is human.Meanwhile, across the Alps, world

champion Rui Costa threw his hat intothe mix of favourites by winning theTour de Suisse for an unprecedentedthird year in a row.The Merckxs and Ullrichs of this world

– as well as Armstrong, who finishedsecond in his comeback year beforepodiuming at the Tour – have chosen to

test their form in Switzerland in the pastand there can now be no doubt aboutCosta’s ambitions.With these races clearly giving us

insight into who among the Tourfavourites are sleeping well at night andwho are not, I found it surprising thatValverde did not surface at either.If Movistar are sending the Spaniard

to France for July instead of NairoQuintana, they are clearly stating that he is a Tour contender. Surely?

A young Valverde announced himselfat the highest level when he beatArmstrong on a mountain stage – atCourchevel – in the 2005 Tour.Although he has not been able to

string together three faultless weeks inFrance, and possibly spent two of hisbest years on the sidelines after aquestionable doping suspension, he haswon just about every other importantrace on the planet, including theDauphiné and Vuelta.In 2012, his first season back, Valverde

won a mountain stage at the Tour as heeased himself back into the peloton. Lastyear, a mechanical problem at the worstpossible time saw him losing ten minutesand, along with it, his status as theteam’s protected rider.Despite this bad luck, he rode

impressively as a super domestique tohelp an up-and-coming Quintana on tothe second step of the podium while herose from the depths of the field into thetop ten.With Quintana being sent to the Giro

to further his apprenticeship, this is nodoubt the year in which Valverde canright the wrongs of the past. At 34, andwith the Colombian obviously being

THE SEARCH FOR

ALEJANDRO

IN THE BUNCH WITH COETZEE GOUWS


Picture: Radu Razvan / Shutterstock.com

When I failed to spot Alejandro Valverde at this year's Dauphiné, conventional wisdom dictated that he would line up at the Tour of Switzerland the following week.

FEATURE


groomed for 2015, it might also be his onlychance.It therefore begs the question: Where is

Alejandro?I trawled the ‘net and came up with the

answer surprisingly easily in a Velonewsarticle headlined Valverde’s indirect road tothe Tour.In it, the writer suggests the Spaniard is

hoping to rewrite the script on how toapproach the Tour by taking what he callsthe “... back roads to the Tour de France”.These roads included the much shorter

Route du Sud across the French Pyrénées,where Alejandro very interestingly placedsecond.And before that, while the rest of the

Tour contenders were sweating on thevolcanic island of Tenerife, he spent fourweeks training obscurely at altitude inSpain’s Sierra Nevada mountains.Bar Froome, who missed out on some

early-season races because of illness, thenet result is that he will be hitting the Tourwith the fewest racing days in his legs outof all the contenders.The theory is to be as fresh as possible;

both mentally and physically. Or, inAlejandro’s words, “... motivated to race.” •CN

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“Last year, a mechanicalproblem at the worst possibletime saw him losing ten minutesand, along with it, his status asthe team’s protected rider.”

NOW IN ITS 31ST YEAR, the three-stageBestmed Jock Cycle Classique will seeriders cover a total of 151km on theroads around Nelspruit, White River andSabie.According to race director Wynand de

Villiers, the Mpumalanga-based stagerace remains a perpetual challenge for tar junkies everywhere, with participantsreturning year after year.“The Jock represents the toughest day

a rider can spend on his road bike. Atleast three-quarters of the field has riddenthe Jock at least once, with some ridershaving completed as many as 25.”De Villiers says it is with good reason

that the race motto states: “With everyJock medal worn, again a cyclist is born”.

“I suppose this speaks for itself,” hesays.Two-time winner Dylan Girdlestone will

head the field as he defends his title fornew team Bonitas against assaults fromthe top domestic pro teams.Thanks to special dispensation from

the Mbombela traffic authorities, at leasta thousand additional riders will beaccommodated beyond the usual limit of 1 500 participants this year.De Villiers says more than 150 marshals

and metro police officials will provideexcellent intersection control and roadpatrols for safe riding.“Once out of Nelspruit, the roads are

quiet and the road surfaces are verygood.

“The race has a very good safety trackrecord and the new route allows us tobring in more riders because it passesalong the outskirts of Nelspruit and notthrough the centre of town as in thepast.”The traditional Jock route, which saw

riders gritting their teeth on the infamousBoulders and Hilltop climbs, wasabandoned last year due to roadworks.With construction still ongoing,

organisers have been forced to keep to thenew course, which bypasses the originalout-and-back route from picturesqueBarberton via Nelspruit and Kaapmuiden.The race now starts and finishes at the

world-class Mbombela Stadium on theoutskirts of Nelspruit.

BESTMED JOCK CYCLE CLASSIQUE

Tar junkies gear up for another tough Jock

RACE PREVIEW


Roadies across the country are gearing up for South Africa’s toughest one-day cyclechallenge, which is all set to roll through the mountains of the Lowveld on July 19.

RACE PREVIEW


The 43km breakfast stage heads outtowards White River before turningtowards Sabie for the 45km lunchtimeleg. In the afternoon, riders take on the63km final stage back to Nelspruit.But, says De Villiers, as 2013 finishers

will attest, participants will not beshort-changed in terms of the challenge.He says riders will once again do

battle against another two-headedmonster in the form of the 7kmSpitskop climb on stage two and thefinal 10km ascent up Long Tom Pass,which has a gradient of seven per cent.The 108km two-stage option, for

riders disinclined to push their bodies to the limit, will still be a fierce challenge as it includes both climbs,adds De Villiers.“If you’re feeling that the winter has

been a bit too long, the one andtwo-stage options are a safe bet and allfinishers will receive medals.”As far as cut-off times are concerned,

he says organisers will allow riders tocontinue with the next stage if they

finish the previous leg before theirscheduled start time.“The average rider takes around six

hours to complete all three stages. Wedo however enforce a cut-off of 5.30pmfor the last stage due to safety reasons.”De Villiers says returning to the old

route may still be a possibility onceconstruction works are complete but thefinal choice will be a democratic one.“We will send out a survey to riders

following this year’s race and adhere tothe majority’s wishes. In other words,we’ll let the riders decide.”Registration for the event, which is

presented by ASG, takes place from10am to 4pm on the Thursday beforerace day at Cycle Lab Fourways, andfrom 2pm to 6pm on the Friday at thestadium. Late entries are available atregistration venues.A portion of all entry fees will be

donated to the Cancer Association ofSouth Africa.Go to Facebook and @jockcycle for

updates. •CN

“We will send out a survey to ridersfollowing this year’s race and adhereto the majority’s wishes. In otherwords, we’ll let the riders decide.”

FEATURE


2014 TOUR DE FRANCE

BLOOD, SWEAT, TEARS...

AND BIG GEARS!Join Cyclingnews on a wonderful pictorial journey through the first ten days of one ofthe most eventful Tour de France in recent history.

Pictures: Photosport International

FEATURE


STAGE 1190.5km • Leeds / Harrogate

Just as in 2013, Marcel Kittel won stage 1 of the Tour as he avoided all the chaos. The dream of yellow for hot favourite MarkCavendish ended with a nasty crash 300 metres before the finish in Harrogate. The Brit took Simon Gerrans down, making theambitions of the Australian to ride in yellow a much more complicated task. Peter Sagan's quest of the green jersey started on ahigh note with second place.

STAGE 2201km • York / Sheffield

The Shark of the Strait, aka Vincenzo Nibali, claimed his first Tour de France stage victory as he rode away from the main pelotonwith 2km to go after surviving all the climbs of West and South Yorkshire. The Italian champion became the new race leader withan advantage of two seconds over Peter Sagan who lost the stage but took the lead in the points classification, his main goal this year.

FEATURE


A second victory for Marcel Kittel who outsprinted Peter Sagan on The Mall in London. It was a brilliant victory as he continued todisplay the form that took him to victory in Harrogate on the Saturday. Vincenzo Nibali retained the yellow jersey as the Tourcompleted its extremely popular trip to England.

Another notch in Marcel Kittel's belt. The best sprinter in the world claimed his third win in four stages, but his triumph oppositeStade Pierre Mauroy in Lille was much more difficult than the previous ones. The Giant-Shimano colossus failed to anticipateAlexander Kristoff's burst of raw power and had to squeeze every ounce of power he had to overtake the Norwegian, taking aNorthern-flavoured stage which also saw Chris Froome take a tumble at the very beginning. >

STAGE 3155km • Cambridge / London

STAGE 4163.5km • Le Touquet-Paris-Plage / Lille Métropole

FEATURE


STAGE 5152.5km ª Ypres / Arenberg Porte du Hainaut

The legendary stage of the north of France, including some cobbled sections, saw the abandon of defending champion Chris Froome who crashed on two occasions, before the pavés. On a rain soaked day of racing, Lars Boom took a famousvictory in Arenberg-Porte du Hainaut, Vincenzo Nibali retained and increased his lead in the overall classification while AlbertoContador lost more time to the other GC contenders.

STAGE 6194km • Arras / Reims

Germany's André Greipel claimed stage 6 in Reims – the town where the kings of France were crowned – as his compatriotMarcel Kittel was let down by a mechanical issue in the last two kilometers. Vincenzo Nibali retained the lead on another rainedsoaked day with echelons on the roads chosen to remember World War I.

FEATURE


Matteo Trentin of Omega Pharma-Quick Step scored his second stage win at the Tour, one year after taking the laurels in Lyon. He passed Peter Sagan on the line, as the green jersey holder had done everything he could by putting his Cannondale team atthe front of the peloton all day. He attacked in the last climb and sprinted in a crash marred finale but had to accept anotherdefeat.

Blel Kadri of AG2R-La Mondiale was the only survivor of a breakaway. He delivered the first French stage win of the 2014 Tour while the battle of the giants gave a slight advantage to Alberto Contador who moved up to the top ten on the GC. The Spaniard only regained three seconds from Vincenzo Nibali who reached a new summit: the 200th day of an Italian in thelead of the Tour. >

STAGE 7234.5km • Épernay / Nancy

STAGE 8161km • Tomblaine / Gérardmer La Mauselaine

FEATURE


STAGE 9170km • Gérardmer / Mulhouse

For the first time, Tony Martin won a stage other than a time trial but it looked like a time trial as he used the mid mountainsstage in the Vosges to ride away, with Alessandro De Marchi for 90 kilometres, and solo for 59 kilometres! It was an enormousexploit by the time trial world champion but was not the only amazing achievement of this eventful day as Frenchman TonyGallopin took over from Vincenzo Nibali in the overall lead.

STAGE 10194km • Arras / Reims

The speculations around an expected duel between Chris Froome and Alberto Contador have completely vanished. Five days after the defending champion, the Spaniard was forced out of the race after crashing badly before the real fight between thefavourites even begun. Following the sad exit of the leader of Tinkoff-Saxo, Vincenzo Nibali caught the last attacker Joaquim Rodriguez with 1.2km till the finish and regained the yellow jersey. •CN

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FEATURE


“I WAS SO OVERWHELMED when I heard[of the selection] that I actually cried,”says Schoeman, who joins AshleighMoolman-Pasio, Cherise Stander, An-LiKachelhoffer, Heidi Dalton and Lise Olivierin the road line-up.The seven-time Argus winner notched

up another cycling record by becomingthe first woman to represent South Africaat three Commonwealth Games. The firsttime was in Kuala Lumpur in 1998 andtwelve years later she competed in Delhi.Schoeman, who rides locally in the

colours of Africa Silks-Bestmed, says thisyear’s selection has been the high point ofa tumultuous season. “The Commonwealth Games has been

one of my main goals for the year butthere have been a lot of ups and downs,so that has made it extra special for me.” Knowing that 2014 would probably be

her last chance to compete at the Gamesshe set her focus on producing consistentresults over the past 12 months. >

Anriette’s Games hat-trick

a landmark for SA cyclingWhen eight-time national road champion Anriette Schoeman (BESTMED-AFRICA SILKS) was selected for this year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, it was a landmark moment, for her personally as well as for SA women’s cycling.

Eight-time national road champion Anriette Schoeman,who rides locally in the colours of Africa Silks-Bestmed,will soon represent South Africa for the third time as aCommonwealth Games cyclist.

Words: Coetzee Gouws • Picture: Alex Cooper

“But after trying to defend my Argustitle while I was ill, and after taking timeoff afterwards to recover, I thought Imight not be considered any more. WhenI made the shortlist for selection, I wasover the moon. I think my experiencemay have counted in my favour.”Schoeman’s other highlights of the

season include a win at The Herald VWCycle Tour in her hometown of PortElizabeth and second-place finishes at theCape Argus Pick n Pay Momentum CycleTour and Emperors Palace Classic.The five-time national track champion

attributes her longevity in the sport to herlevelheaded approach in dealing with thegood as well as the bad times.“I’ve learned that you have to focus on

being the best version of yourself, beingconsistent and not letting success go toyour head or failure to your heart.”Schoeman is more than willing to

sacrifice for her team-mates to get thebest result for Team SA. “I believe this isone of the most balanced teams I haveever been part of. “We have three possibilities for

sprinters in Ashleigh, Cherise and An-Li,

and Heidi is exceptionally good inbreakaways. Lise’s ability to read raceswell will be crucial in different scenariosduring the race.”Final team dynamics will be

determined closer to the event, butStander and Olympian Moolman-Pasio,who finished fourth in Spain’s UCI2.1-rated Emakumeen Euskal Bira racerecently, will probably be their strongestcontenders.“Both of them have had incredible

results in overseas bunch sprints,” saysSchoeman. “I think we have a veryrealistic chance of medalling given thecalibre of talent in the team.”She believes defending champions

Australia will be the team to watch.“Great Britain have strong sprinters and New Zealand are always theunderdogs. We must be careful that one of their riders doesn’t slip away in a breakaway.”Schoeman was shocked to hear

that South Africa won’t have a men’steam at the Games, especially with riders such as U23 world silver medallistLouis Meintjes.

“I have no doubt that the guys wouldhave made an impact. I know ourfederation fought hard for them.”Meanwhile she planned to use the

Knysna Cycle Tour and the Bestmed Jock Cycle Classique as her final warm-upevents before leaving for Scotland.Looking further ahead, she says she has

already begun working off the bike withher sponsor, Africa Silks.“I’ll eventually work with them

full-time, but in the meantime I’ll still beriding my bike because it’s my passion. Iwill always find new goals to accomplishbut I’ll find them as I go along.”After 22 years of competitive cycling,

she has much to share in her capacity asbrand ambassador and as mentor to theyoung riders in the Bestmed ASG team.“I want the younger riders to see that

even though riding at top level takes a lotof sacrifice, if you love it and it’s yourpassion it’s not really a sacrifice after all.“Dedication and discipline can take

you places you have never been; you just have to believe.”For Schoeman, those places now

include Glasgow 2014. •CN

FEATURE


BROTHERS ANDREW AND PANOGEORGEOU came up with the conceptand have been rolling the products outto SA markets since 2010 and in theUnited Kingdom since 2012. It is nowdistributed in 30 countries.“Before pOcpac, my money and spares

were in little plastic bags, which eithertore easily or got lost,” says pro cyclistand pOcpac designer Adriaan Louw. “It’s great to be able to keep everythingin one place.”The bags are made from durable,

waterproof PVC and equipped with a zipthat locks tightly, ensuring that goodsstay dry. But it is also recyclable, so theold ones won’t be cluttering landfills.“We do thorough research on

materials and design before we takeanything to the market,” says Louw. “There’s no point in manufacturing

something when the market for it isalready saturated. We rather take ourtime developing something that is simplebut indispensable and made to a highstandard.”To this end, he says, the decision to

manufacture locally was taken largely toensure that the stringent qualitystandards are met.

“Manufacturing in China would meanthat you’re removed from your product.By keeping things local, we can keep aclose eye on the quality and guaranteethat consumers buy a product that willlast.”Three pouch types are available to suit

specific circumstances. For roadies andmountain bikers, the “Pro” and “MTB”versions offer a slightly flexible case thatfits easily into a standard cycling jerseypocket to carry essentials, including CO2canisters.The Mobi range, introduced in late

2011 to accommodate smartphones,offers three sizes.It comes with a transparent front that

allows you to operate your phone while itis safely encased, including a strategicallyplaced “window” to allow photographyon the go.It comprises a separate slot for bank

cards and a driver’s licence, should youneed to take these along on longer orgroup rides.To ensure that the most popular mobile

phones are catered for, pOcpac designedthe Mobi 3 for iPhones, the Mobi 3X forSamsung Galaxy S4s and the Mobi Utility for the Samsung Note 2.

In keeping with their mission ofpresenting simple solutions to commoncycling problems, they collaborated withtwo European companies to bring ridersthe eloquently named Ass Savermudguard, which you attach to thesaddle rails, and the Finn smartphonehandlebar mount.“At the moment, we’re researching

a lot of options for new products, butwe’d rather partner with a brand thathas proven itself to be reliable andsuccessful than try rushing our ownthing to market without due care anddiligence,” says Louw.They are determined to give customers

what they want. “We want the brandand the product to be part of people’slives, not something that breaks and istossed away.”Visit www.thepocpac.co.za and

selected retailers to view their range ofproducts. •CN

PRODUCT FEATURE


Words: Coetzee Gouws

Not many things say “South African” like an outdoors accessory made to withstand extreme conditions. The pOcpac range of pocket pouches, initially designed as a convenient way to take cycling spares and mobile phones along on rides, is just that.

EVERY POCKET SHOULD HAVE A POCPAC

PULSE PAGES


MANY AMATEUR RIDERS may struggleto hold their line and nerve on thehigh-speed switchback descent into theUmkomaas River Valley, but the prosoften appear to sail down thesingle-track and barely register the climb out on the other side.After browsing his racing data on

www.strava.com, Cyclingnews soughtout six-time champion Kevin Evans, who won the stage and overall race

alongside Max Knox, for his take on day two.Evans’s data reveals that he reached

top speeds of 62.6 km/h and averaged27.2 to finish the stage in a record timeof 3 hours 36 minutes 58 seconds.“I felt good throughout the stage,”

says the FedGroup-Itec rider, who knewwhat to expect after riding the sameroute as part of the Old Mutual joBerg2c ten days earlier. >

How Evans won Umkomaas – stat by stat

Widely regarded as one of the best days you’ll ever spend on a mountain bike, the 99km queen stage of the three-day Nedbank sani2c offers both literal and figurative highs and lows.

Words: Coetzee Gouws • Picture: Kelvin Trautman


PULSE PAGES Picture: Full Stop Communications

“I knew to eat and drink a lot to fuelup for the effort, as we were planning onattacking out of the Umko Valley. It was a fast start to the stage and I activatedthe unit only after the first kilometre.”

Young cross-country specialists RourkeCroeser and Travis Walker (Kargo Pro), aswell as Arno du Toit and Brendon Davids(Trek Racing), were firing on all cylindersas they led the charge into the valley,forcing Evans and Knox and the other pro teams to give chase.

Descending 715m over 19.2km, Evansclocked an average speed of 30.4km/h,with a power output of 201 watts andheart-rate of 142 beats per minute.

On the valley floor his heart ratedropped by around ten beats per minutebefore a collision with Andrew Hill(Red-E/TIB) brought them both up short at the 40km mark.

PULSE PAGES

“I had a bad crash behind anotherrider, falling heavily on to my badshoulder and hurting my ribs. You mightsee on the graph where the speedobviously stops, I guess about 5km afterwaterpoint one,” said Evans.

“It was mentally tough from there tokeep my head intact while trying not topush too hard to catch the small groupwe were with at that stage.”

Evans and Knox kept it steady on thelong climb out of the valley as theychased back to close the three-minutegap between them and the leaders.

At around the 55km mark, Evans’spower output spikes as he and Knoxlaunched their planned attack on thecategory four climb.

“We caught the lead group and putour effort in on the big climb as soon aswe exited the Umko Valley. From there

we rode a very hard but steady tempo,feeling good.”

Evans’s average heart rate (161 bpm)and power output (308W) reflect thepush they made on the steep Nando’sClimb leading up to the second feedingstation at 67km.

By then Du Toit and Davids had blown,leaving just the FedGroup-Itec duo andRECM’s Erik Kleinhans and Nico Bell 40seconds adrift of Croeser and Walker.

“Unfortunately,” said Evans, “wecouldn’t stop to fuel up at the secondwaterpoint and raced hard until thethird, where we refuelled.”

At that point Evans and Knox werealone with the lead pair, who could notkeep up after pacing out front all day.

“We had a two-minute gap over ournearest challengers but this had beenchased down to twenty seconds with

10km remaining.”Little knowing that second-placed Bell

and Kleinhans had suffered a severecrash on Charlie’s Catwalk that leftKleinhans with a torn shoulder joint, thechampions turned on the afterburners inthe closing kilometres.

With power outputs peaking at over 1 100W and a heart rate spiking to 164 bpm, the two sprinted towards thefinish line at Jolivet farm near Highflats.

“You will see the heart-rate graphshould increase again in the final 10kmas we pushed hard to try extend ourlead, which we managed to do and winthe stage by around a minute,” saysEvans.

Log in to you profile and follow thislink to view the full stats:www.strava.com/activities/141817114/analysis. •CN

FEATURE


MORE THAN 4 500 VISITORS turned out at the end of June for the biggestmountain biking bash in the Bushveldand enjoyed a weekend of real familyentertainment and top-quality trails.“We had about 1 400 riders taking part

over the two days and they brought theirfamilies and friends,” says Meyer. “Sondelasleeps 1 800 people and we were full. Wehad lots of day-trippers too.” >

Ranger Mel already planning another

SONDELA WINNERFormer executive chef turned group operations manager Melgard “Ranger Mel” Meyerdished up another winner at this year’s Bestmed Sondela Mountain Bike Classic near Bela-Bela.

Words: Coetzee Gouws • Pictures: Jetline Action Photo

The numbers are impressive, butMeyer says the highlight for him wasseeing so many families taking part inthe 60km, 40km and 20km events andthe kiddies’ races.“We’re a family resort and our aim is

to see this sport grow among people ofall ages. I get more pleasure from seeingone family – pa, ma, boetie en sussie –on bicycles than 1 400 individual cyclistsin a race.”The event has come a long way since

it began with 60 participants seven yearsago. “At first we increased to around300 or 400 riders. But the moment ASGEvents got involved three years ago, westarted growing exponentially.“Wynand de Villiers brings a huge

amount of experience to event

organising. He just has a different way of looking at an event.”His career may have taken detours

through various aspects of the hospitalityindustry, but Meyer says cycling has alwaysbeen a part of his life, and a naturalextension of his love for the outdoors.“Being on a bicycle is where I find

myself, where I’m cut off fromeverything else, in my own space andtime. It’s my place of dreaming.“When I came to Sondela twelve years

ago, I started putting down some trails.We then decided to develop those trailsand later to start some mountain bikingevents.”The resort now offers six events

annually, two of which fall under theauspices of ASG. The others offer

practical training for Sondela’s eventmanagement students, with Ranger Mel keeping an ever watchful eye.“We’re not just a race village; we’re a

genuine mountain-biking destination.”And that, he says, makes all the

difference when it comes to setting upthe trails, which include 78km ofhand-cut single-track across the 4700-hectare reserve.“If you’re just a one-off race village,

you want a route that is tactical andtough. But if you have trails that aremarked 24/7 and 365 days a year, thenyour trail setup must look different.“It must be safe and fair to everyone

but serious riders must still be able topick up speed on the single-track andget in some proper training.”

FEATURE


“If you’re just a one-off racevillage, you want a route that istactical and tough. But if youhave trails that are marked 24/7and 365 days a year, then yourtrail setup must look different.”

The students at the Sondela Academyare completely involved in all aspects ofthe trail development process.“One of my real passions in life, aside

from food and cycling, is developingpeople. The academy brings all of thesetogether,” Meyer says.“As part of our ecotourism courses,

our conservation, guiding and eventsupport, students prepare and maintaintrails. The roles they play are linked tospecific outcomes for each of thesequalifications.”Although mountain biking is essentially

an eco-friendly sport, he says it still has asignificant impact on the environment,which must be planned for andmitigated.“Trails are not there forever; they can

become eroded. Game can also startusing the trails, so you’re changinganimal behaviour patterns.“It’s important to analyse your trails

and change portions where necessary.You want to help those areas recover butyou also want to take people there sothat they understand their impact onnature.”Farming and conservation principles

have been in his blood since the day hewas born, says the 47-year-old Meyer,who grew up on a farm.As group operations manager for the

past two years, he has been able toinfluence the direction that Sondela istaking at all levels of the business.“Mountain biking is a big part of our

vision because we aim to become the

default destination for the sport. Evenour executives are now on bicycles; theyall ride.”The dust from this year’s Sondela

Mountain Bike Classic has barely settled,but Meyer is already making plans for2015.Aside from growing the number of

participants in the feature race, he alsoplans to give children their own batchstarts in the 20km fun ride to improvethe enjoyment and safety factors.“We don’t just want to maintain our

results; we want to exceed everyexpectation as far as we go, and justkeep on making it a better experienceyear after year.”For more information, visit

www.asgevents.co.za. •CN

FEATURE


WHEN EMMA ASKED ME to write theforeword of her book, I was surprised. Buteven more so, I was both humbled andhappy to do it. Our shared history hasbeen a very interesting one to say theleast and there was a time I didn’t expectto hear from her again.Prior to my admission, I had tried to

reach out and apologise butunderstandably didn’t hear anything back.Then months later I got a message out ofthe blue. My former soigneur had takenher time to consider events and wanted to talk again, which was incredible for meto hear.Before meeting Emma in Florida in

January 2014, all those years later, I wasthinking: ‘Shit is this going to be totallyawkward?’ But within sixty seconds wewere totally at ease, a testament to thefriendship we’d once shared. We haven’tstopped speaking since.All credit to Emma as she’s always been

a very direct no bullshit kind of girl, even if90% of the time I cannot understandwhat she’s saying she speaks so fast in herthick Irish accent! She says what is rightand what is wrong and for a time thatworked against the lies I was telling theworld. Overnight my story as sportinghero and Tour de France champion wentfrom a lily- white picture to jet black. But,unlike many others, who have an investedinterest for financial or ego reasons Emmadoesn’t view it like that. She wasn’t goingto sit there and say: ‘It’s black or it’swhite’. She sees the cool shades of grey.From the start, when Emma spoke up

to try and clean up cycling, she showedenormous courage. Without a doubt Iwas the brashest when it came todefending myself and the sport and I tookit too far. For this, I am eternally sorry toher. My behavior was totally inexcusable.However, while others, who’d also gothurt, danced on my grave, Emma did notjoin in and I really respect her for that.On the US postal team, we got on very

well together and it was an extraordinarything Emma was given the role of

soigneur in such a male dominated sport.She was a vocal, outspoken, fun personback then and we got on just great.When she left the team we didn’t keep in touch but after she spoke out aboutdoping, the lawyers rolled in and ourpositions were staked out. On both sidesthings became aggressive and I said wordsno man should ever say about a woman.We’d never fallen out personally, butpublicly it got nasty.Today the ‘Lance Armstrong’ story has

become a cottage industry, with manybooks, movies and a whole lot of dramaout there for people to see. And while alot of it’s true, some of it’s beencompletely embellished and exaggerated.Yes, I doped but from what I can tell sodid many pro-cyclists and while I’ve beenbanned for life, hundreds of othersinvolved will go unpunished. Thehalf-truths and varying accounts frustratedEmma. She was a member of our team atthe time and now finally she gets to sharethe eye- witness account of her story. For ten years, when my image as

sporting icon was that lily-white colour,nobody wanted to listen to Emma thewhistleblower talking of the dark side.And now she’s staked out anotherposition centred round forgiveness andreconciliation some don’t want to hear

this either. But Emma O’Reilly doesn’t givea shit. She just marches to the beat of herown drum and she’s fine with that. Iadmire her deeply, as I’ve come toappreciate just how tireless she is in theface of naysayers.Since those days of fighting for my

corner and career my life has changedconsiderably. Not only from the outsidebut also from the inside. Although I amstill under plenty of stress, I am beholdento nobody, no sponsors, no teams and insome ways feel happier than ever. If Icould sum my life up in one word it wouldbe ‘fearless’, not in cavalier, crazy way butit’s neat to be free. Being forgiven bypeople like Emma only adds to my peaceand humility, something I’m hugelygrateful for.Of all the characters in this saga,

Emma has handled her experience verydifferently to most. In spite of what shewent through, she took her time andcame to a very mature and reasonedplace. This position is one most peopleinvolved in this story will never reach. I honestly don’t know if I’d have thecourage and character to do what Emmadid. This won’t come as a shock toanyone but this woman is a muchbetter person than I am or ever willbe. •CN

RACE TO TRUTH

FEATURE


Picture: Photosport International

In her book, Race to Truth, former US Postal soigneur Emma O'Reilly reveals her version of the drugs scandal which saw Lance Armstrong fall from grace. In a startling revelation, Armstrong agreed to write the foreword to the book:

FEATURE


“For ten years, whenmy image as sportingicon was that lily-whitecolour, nobody wantedto listen to Emma thewhistleblower talkingof the dark side.”

THE EVIDENCE LIES in the fact thatSolomon’s Cycles, with locations inPretoria and Johannesburg, recentlyopened a fourth branch in Durban as aresult of popular demand. Owner Arshad Dockrat says: “I had

customers phoning me from Durbansaying ‘I need someone to service my bikebut I can’t travel as far as Pretoria. Can’tyou make a plan?’”The cycle-shop brand started as a

general dealer run by Dockrat’sgreat-grandfather, Suleiman. Customerswho frequented the shop kept calling himSolomon, and the name stuck. In 1999 the business, which had grown

into a large department store, diversifiedinto two divisions, Solomon’s Cycles andSolomon’s Lifestyle and Fishing. The latterwas headed by Arshad’s brother Rashid.At the time the cycling division stockedmainly leisure bicycles.The first Solomon’s Cycles, which

became a speciality cycling store in 2000,occupied a floor space of 131 squaremetres. In just three years it expanded toa whopping 900 square metres. In 2009, the family opened a second

shop in Woodmead, Johannesburg. The expansion, Dockrat notes, was

driven by their commitment to bringingcustomers a wide selection of products atthe best possible price.“Because of how we’re structured, we

can afford to buy in bulk, and offer ourcustomers great deals.

“We stock everything a cyclist couldneed, from shoes to bikes andaccessories.““And when you’re spending a few

thousand kitting yourself out and buyinga bike, the savings really add up to a significant amount.” Customers are spoilt for choice when

they are comparing brands, and Arshadguesses that it is one of the reasons whythey keep coming back. “We cater foreveryone; from your beginner cyclist topro.” Most cycle shops in South Africa are

headed by former professionals, semi-prosand passionate amateurs, and Arshadsays he would like to ride more than he isdoing at the moment. But his real satisfaction lies in seeing the

massive positive impact cycling has on hiscustomers. “You’ll get someone coming into the

store saying they’re thinking of getting abike because they don’t have energy andthey’re not sleeping well. After a fewmonths of cycling they return and they’retotally different people. “They rave about how great they feel

and how they’ve lost weight. For me,that’s really rewarding.” He expects cyclists are really going to

enjoy his coastal venture, which willbenefit from a few tweaks to his successformula.The Durban store, which opened earlier

this year, places the workshop closer to

the door and more prominently in theshop. “Cycling retail is not just about selling

bits and pieces anymore; it’s providingservice to the client and keeping his bikein top shape.”To ensure customers receive premium

service, Dockrat prides himself on findingmechanics who boast specific skills andextensive experience. “People who workfor us know we’re an established familybusiness and when you join the business,you join the family.“Most of our mechanics have well

over seven years’ experience and I lookfor skills such as shock servicing, greatwheel building and the ability to servicedisc brakes ptroperly. Our staff stay withus for many years.” The flagship Durban store, which has

upmarket shop fittings in keeping withthe high-profile brands it sells, will stockthree cycling brands that are not widelyavailable, namely Merida, Cervelo andthe ASG-exclusive import, Pinarello. Customers can also look forward to

meeting store manager Yusuf Kadwa,who is not only a school friend ofDockrat’s, but a keen triathlete andknowledgeable about everything fromnutrition to training programmes.The Solomon’s Cycles store in Durban

is open Monday to Friday from 08:00 to17:00 and on Saturdays from 08:00 to13:00 On the last Sunday of every monthit trades from 09:00 to 13:00. •CN

Solomon’s Cycles now also in Durban

BIKE SHOP FEATURE


The Dockrat family has been perfecting good business practices and excellent customerservice for four generations.

LEGENDS OF THE PEDAL


DIPPLE LEFT SOUTH AFRICA in the early eighties when he was 25 years old,having won the big two on road andtrack: the Rapport Tour and the PaarlBoxing Day 25-mile race.Only a few years later he became the

Australian 50km point score championon the track and the 200km roadchampion.“I believe I always had a good

finishing sprint on both track and road,”says Dipple. “I was able to read a racewell and rode good positions in abunch.”Those are only some of the skills that

saw him pip Mark Beneke by 15 secondsto win the Rapport Tour in 1979.“That was a great win for me because

we had a number of international teamscompeting and especially since I stillconsidered myself a track rider.”Three years later he set a Paarl Boxing

Day record (55:38.9) before anotherBeneke brother, Gary, rewrote the record books.“At that time, it was a huge event

that attracted many great riders andmassive crowds,” he recalls. “Winning it was as great a feeling as winning anational title.”Dipple grew up riding his bicycle

around the Johannesburg suburb wherethey lived. “I enjoyed this and somehowended up joining a club. I guess the restis history.” >

ALAN DIPPLE

He bounced with the Boksand waltzed with the Wallabies

More than 30 years ago, former SA cyclistAlan Dipple achieved something few of hiscontemporaries even dared to dream –home-ground success on two continents.

Words: Coetzee Gouws



“I was always a trackcyclist but in those yearsthere seemed to be morehappening on the road,because of races such asthe Rapport Tour. So Istarted riding on the roada little more seriously”



That history included Springbok trackcolours at the age of 18 when he rodeagainst a combined international teamand touring Belgium two years later, in1977. That is when he developed ahunger for international competition.“I was always a track cyclist but in

those years there seemed to be morehappening on the road, because of racessuch as the Rapport Tour. So I startedriding on the road a little more seriously.“Seeing that South Africans were

banned from competing in world tourraces and world championships, therewas no point in specialising in one or theother. I enjoyed both even though I stillconsidered myself a track rider.”Dipple says one of the lowlights of his

career was the frustration of sharing thestage with so many talented riders whowere not allowed to compete among theworld’s best.“We had riders such as Alan van

Heerden, Ertjies Bezuidenhout, RobbieMcIntosh, Jack Lester, Mark Beneke,Willie Engelbrecht, Chris Willemse, ButchWebber and Tony Impey, to name a few.There were others too; we had enormoustalent at that time.”

In 1982, Dipple captained the SA trackteam to a 3-0 test series victory over aSwiss team in Johannesburg, Durban andCape Town. It proved to be a decisiveperiod for the young rider.“I don’t believe I had reached the

heights of my career at that stage but Ihad a strong desire to compete overseasagain because I had achieved as much asI could locally,” says Dipple.Emigration seemed the only way to

enhance what was clearly a promisingcareer. The opportunity came while hewas racing under an assumed name inBelgium later that year.“I’d met a few Australian cyclists who

invited me to come over and have aholiday in Australia that summer. Thisholiday became an extended stay and Ieventually applied for residency, whichled to citizenship.”The road to Australia was not without

bumps, however. “When I arrived, I wasunable to race as it had been discoveredthat I’d competed in Belgium under afalse name and licence.”Dipple was finally given a licence

but he was allowed to compete forAustralian titles only once he had gained

citizenship and relinquished his SApassport.“I went on to win four national titles

and numerous Victoria state titles,” he says.But then, just when he seemed ready

to conquer the world, fate dealt him anunexpected blow.“By the time I was selected to represent

Australia at the world championships, I found out I had thyroid cancer. I had to have an operation and by the time Istarted training again I’d lost all fitness.So I withdrew from the team.”However, he went on to build a happy

and successful life Down Under with hisAustralian wife Sally and two sons, Joshand Kyle. Now 57 years old, he is anational account manager for Pilot Pensand he looks after some big-brandaccounts.After 22 years off the bike, Dipple,

who lives in Sydney, began riding againtwo years ago. “I no longer race. I try toget out most weekends to keep fit and Ireally enjoy my rides,” says the formerJohannesburg boy who became a cyclinglegend on both sides of the IndianOcean. •CN

1979 Rapport Tour title 1987 Australian road title

THE TOUR CATERS FOR ALL CSAcategories as well as open/seeded fun ridecategories and presents four road stagesand a 53km individual time trial. The field will be limited to 500 riders.Emulating the finest European cycling

traditions, the 2015 Tour is again set for ascintillating grand finale with riders havingto summit the Paarl Mountain to finish atthe Taal Monument on the final day.The Tour de Boland is at the forefront

of rekindling the tradition of classic roadtours in South Africa. The organisers’ aimwith the event is to present a truechallenge to road riders while showcasingas much as possible of the Boland region.It’s such a beautiful place to ride your

bike and the roads lend them to cycling.

Traffic is generally calm and road users a lot more forgiving than in most otherparts of the country.The race organisation like keeping

things interesting, and hence the routechanges this year with only one stageremaining from last year – the 138km 4thstage from Tulbagh to Riebeek-kasteel.The format will change every year to

provide a different racing experience andalso take the tour to different areas. Theroads in the Boland are absolutelystunning and the Tour will pass throughsome of its most historic and beautifultowns, including Franschhoek, Worcester,Ceres, Tulbagh, Riebeeck-kasteel andPaarl.While finishing the event within the

allotted daily time frames will be thesingular focus for the open/seeded riders,up front some of the sport’s finest riderswill fight it out for top honours. All of South Africa’s pro teams will be

present as well as a strong contingent ofinternational riders, including a solidline-up from multiple world and Cape Epicchampion Christoph Sauser.

No better place to ride your road bike!The Boland presents some of the country’sfinest tarred roads in the most beautifulsetting and calm traffic areas – it all addsup to an unequalled road ridingexperience.All traffic intersections will be

marshalled by Drakenstein Traffic Dept.,Boland Cycling and ASG marshals. On-road support will include neutral

service vehicles and medical support byHelivac Event Medical Specialists. Fantastic water points along the route

will be manned by schools and charityorganisations.

Format• Cash prizes for top five overall elite menand women on GC

• Cash prizes for top three overall in alllicensed veteran categories

• No cash prizes for open/seeded riders.Open/seeded riders will receive acommemorative trophy uponcompleting the entire event in theallotted time frames

BESTMED TOUR DE BOLAND

2015 route unveiledas entries open

RACE PREVIEW


Picture: Capcha

The route for the 2015 Bestmed Tour de Boland, presented by Pinarello from 2-6 March next year, has been unveiled. A total of 430km awaits riders over 5 stageswith a total vertical ascent of 7 128 metres.

RACE PREVIEW


• Prizes for top 3 elite men’s teams withbest 4 riders in a team to count – notmore than 6 riders per team to enter

• Daily elite awards presentation 10minutes before the start of the followingstage

• No daily presentations for licensedveterans categories and women’s riders

• All stage winners in women’s andveteran’s categories will be honoured in the final prize giving following thetour.

Entry for the event is R1 850 per rider and includes:• Tour de Boland Fleece Jacket• Cocktail function at Solms DeltaRestaurant during race briefing

• Special Bestmed finisher’s trophy• A tog bag shuttle service• Goody bag with High 5 nutritionalsupplements and other rider aids

• Well stocked water points andwonderful local hospitality

• Neutral service vehicles• Well marshalled roads• Excellent race control• Some of the finest cycling roads thatSouth Africa can offer

• R30 000 Prize money

AccommodationAll riders have to book their ownaccommodation for the duration of the event. For accommodation optionsemail [email protected] further information email

[email protected] or phone076 621 1807 •CN

STAGE 1: MONDAY 2 MARCH

Franchhoek to Worcester, via Villiersdorp

Distance: 92km; total ascent: 1942m

After a fan-fare ride through Franschhoek,the killer 2014 final climb awaits –Franchhoek Pass. It’s only 7 km long, butguaranteed to split the sprinters off theback. Villiersdorp sees the first sprintprime of the Tour and, as seen in the Giro del Capo of yesteryear, the sprinterswill re-join the peloton shortly beforeVilliersdorp – or not.The finish is in Worcester, with no climbs

to worry about, but definitely somecross-winds.

STAGE 2: TUESDAY 3 MARCH

Worcester to Op-die-Berg, via Ceres

Distance: 73.8km, total ascent: 2013m

The stage starts with rolling hills and endswith two signature climbs. Some wouldreckon this is the killer stage, since both of the major climbs at the finish offer norespite after summiting. First MitchellsPass, outside Ceres, and then the GydoPass between Prince Alfred Hamlet andOp-die-Berg.

STAGE 3: WEDNESDAY 4 MARCH

Individual Time Trial: Op-die-Berg toTulbagh, via Ceres

Distance: 53km, total ascent: 614m

The benefit of yesterday’s up is today’sdown. Few climbs to consider and it’s ashort ride to Tulbagh – but the fact thatit’s an individual TT will make it a veryimportant stage for the overallcontenders.

STAGE 4: THURSDAY 5 MARCH

Tulbagh to Riebeek-kasteel, via Piketberg


The classic separator of the 2014 edition.There are no climbs, just rolling hills afterthe first 60km. The first prime is atPorterville, which usually sets the racingalight. The wind and heat play a big rolein this long stage.

STAGE 5: FRIDAY 6 MARCH

Riebeek-kasteel to Paarl, via Wellington


The finish is on the signature Tour deBoland Jan Phillips dirt circuit – packwalking shoes! The line is at the very top,at the Taal Monument!”

ROUTE DESCRIPTION

“The Boland presents some of the country’s finesttarred roads in the most beautiful setting and calmtraffic areas – it all adds up to an unequalled roadriding experience.”

MOUNTAIN-BIKING AT ITS BEST IN THE HEART OF THE WESTThe Pennypinchers Silverstar Mountain-bike Challengeshowcases some of the most beautiful spots andawesome riding terrain in Gauteng. The route is oneof the most picturesque you’ll find anywhere in SouthAfrica and riders truly feel a part of nature withunsurpassed views and great riding.

DATE: 6 September 2014

START AND FINISH: Silverstar Casino

ON-LINE ENTRIES: www.asgevents.co.za

CLOSING DATE: 31 August 2014

TIME: 40km (08h00), 20km (08h15)

ENTRY FEES: 40km (R170), 20km (R130)

For further information email [email protected] or phone 076 621 1807.

RACE REVIEW


THE FORMER TOYOTA CYCLE LAB riderslew mentor Andrew Mclean in afinishing sprint battle to take the 60kmtitle by a single second in 2:20:20. Greg Anderson was third across the lineat the Walkerville Showgrounds in2:20:42.Williams, who is currently in his third

year of optometry studies at theUniversity of Johannesburg, said racingconditions were far milder than he had

anticipated for what was billed asGauteng’s coldest off-road race.“That made things a lot easier on the

body. Today I was feeling pretty good, so I went hard from the beginning.”The 21-year-old pushed the pace from

the start, opening up a gap of at least aminute over the Platberg climb.He held the chasers at bay until the

halfway mark, when he saw abreakaway group of three riders

attempting to reel him in.“The last half of the race is quite flat

and windy, so to stay away by yourself isa lot harder,” said the Alberton resident,who trains regularly in the area.“So I just backed off and waited for

the other three to catch up.”The four riders worked together over

the remaining kilometres until Williamslaunched a series of attacks in theclosing stretch. >

WILLIAMS WINSat Walkerville

Two-time Momentum 94.7 Mountain Bike Challenge winner Kallen Williams showedhimself to be one of South Africa’s rising young talents when he claimed his first everwin at the Bestmed Walkerville Mountain Bike Classic in Gauteng.

Words: Coetzee Gouws • Pictures: Jetline Action Photo

“I started making a couple of movesabout 5km out and eventually there wasjust the two of us (Williams and Mclean).I’ve raced against Andrew before, so Iwas confident that I could take him inthe sprint.”As a former roadie, Williams said he

knew he could respond quickly in thesprint and that his background incompetitive motocross would stand himin good stead on the speedway circuitleading up to the finish.“Overall, it’s a very technical course –

lots of rocks and lots of climbing. It’s avery tough race.”While his studies remained his primary

focus, Williams said the result wasencouraging and he was lookingforward to attempting a hat-trick at the94.7 Momentum MTB Challenge laterthis year.In the women’s race, cross-triathlete

Sylvia van Tromp showed her off-roadmettle to take an uncontested win in2:51:02.Runner-up Ronel van Straaten trailed

her home in 2:57:21, with third-placedJana Jonker a further seven minutesback in 3:04:15.A delighted Van Tromp said she had

merely intended to ride the race as part

of her preparations for the ITU CrossTriathlon World Championships, whichtake place in Zittau, Germany, nextmonth.“I really didn’t go out intending to

win today, I just wanted to see how mytraining was progressing and to test thelegs,” said the Sasol Cross Tri Serieswinner.“But I rode as hard as I could and

was alone for most of the race.”

The Vanderbijl resident, who alsoplaced third at the African cross trichamps in May, said she was very excitedto be representing her countryinternationally.“It has taken me 35 years to finally

get my elite Protea colours!”For more information on the 17th

edition of the event, which waspresented by ASG, find the race onFacebook or follow @WalkervilleMTB. •CN

RACE REVIEW


RESULTS

60km MEN1 Kallen Williams 2:20:20

2 Andrew Mclean 2:20:21

3 Greg Anderson 2:20:42

4 Julius Cobbett 2:21:04

5 Greeff Moolman 2:21:11

60kmWOMEN1 Sylvia Van Tromp 2:51:02

2 Ronel van Straaten 2:57:21

3 Jana Jonker 3:04:15

30km MEN1 Luke Ellard 1:25:23

2 Joshua Windt 1:31:30

3 Andrew Hill 1:35:05

THE WEEKEND FESTIVAL of cycling is allabout pedalling for a purpose. Proceedsfrom the event go to the North-WestProvince branch of the Cancer Associationof South Africa, which runs screening and prevention campaigns in the area.Since its inception in 1998, the event

has raised well over R3 million for thefight against the disease. More than 5 000participants are expected to do their bitthis year.The festival starts with the 115km

Powerade Lost City Classic and shorterroad races on the Saturday. The BestmedLost City MTB events bring the weekendto a close on the Sunday.The road classic, one of the premier

seeding events for the Cape ArgusMomentum Pick n Pay Cycle Tour, followsan undulating course on quiet roads thatwill be well policed by the local trafficauthorities.As the first spring classic, the race draws

all top SA professional teams. Last yearArgus champion Nolan Hoffman took thelaurels for Team Abantu in a thrillingbunch sprint.Riders get a taste of the local culture as

they pass the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, aswell as a traditional village and the king’spalace.

For riders who are just emerging fromtheir winter break, there is a less testing66km alternative, with 12km and 1kmoptions for little riders.Organiser Wynand de Villiers says the

big news for mountain-bike riders is thatthe 50km feature race will return to the25km circuit-based route that wasintroduced four years ago.“This means participants in the feature

race will now complete two circuits of theshort course but with some additionaltechnical challenges thrown in on thesecond loop.”De Villiers says the organisers decided

to go back to the loop-based optionbecause the riders asked for it. “Thegeneral consensus was that this courseoffered an amazing experience, both froma route and scenic point of view.”Participants traverse large sections of

the resort’s grounds, including a palmplantation and the renowned Gary Playerand Lost City golf courses. They also gothrough the neighbouring LetsatsingGame Reserve.“The route is absolutely stunning,” says

De Villiers. “The game rangers actuallykeep the elephants and rhinos to one sideto allow our riders to pass through theheart of the reserve.”

But it is not all game viewing andleisurely pedalling. “This route delivers anice sting in the tail, ending with a goodtechnical section on the Sun Citymotocross track before riders hit the tarfor the finish at the Sun City parking lot.”The route change means that the

half-distance or single-circuit race is nowalso suitable for children older than 12who want to enjoy a family ride with theirparents.For the really little ones, the Sparletta

4x4 Kiddies’ Experience offers a tricycleride, fun run and a walk over 1km,offering medals to all finishers.All participants and their families will

receive free entrance to Sun City and theValley of Waves on race day, with specialaccommodation packages available at theresort.Registration takes place from 09:00 to

16:00 on the Wednesday before the eventat Cycle Lab Centurion, between thesame hours on the Thursday at Cycle Labin Fourways and from 11:00 to 19:30 onthe Friday at the Sun City Sport Village.Entries for the kiddies’ events will beaccepted on race day.For more information, visit

cansalostcity.co.za. Enter online atwww.cycleevents.co.za by August 5. •CN

Enjoy the Lost City experiencewhile you cycle to fight cancer

RACE PREVIEW


Words: Coetzee Gouws • Picture: Wayne Hayward

The 17th annual Bestmed Powerade Lost City Cycling Festival, to be held on August 16 and 17, will again offer riders an opportunity to enjoy the roads and offroad trails around Sun City.

cyclingnews july 2014

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