The University of Stellenbosch secured overall honours in the inaugural Varsity MTB Challenge in the Cape Winelands at the weekend.
CP van Wyk, Ian Lategan and Jacques Lloyd put the hammer down during the 49km second stage, opened a gap and held on to take the win by just over a minute from the hard-chasing University of Pretoria (Tuks).
Varsity Sports MTB Challenge winners CP van Wyk and Ian Lategan, of Maties, cross the finish line on day two. Photo: Robert Ward
The University of Cape Town (UCT) rounded out the podium.
The final general classification reflected the Stellenbosch team’s dominance. Maties finished in a cumulative time of 4:47:50, followed by Tuks in 4:53:33 and UCT (4:56:14).
“Because of the wind, we worked together a lot more. We knew the trails, so we knew what to expect.
“The hills in Boschendal are really steep and ‘switchbacky’, but the trails are virtually hand-built, with berms and jumps everywhere. It was definitely tough,” said Maties strongman Van Wyk.
Although the official varsity teams were predictably at the sharp end of the race, the Varsity MTB Challenge offered a world-class riding experience to both alumni and non-varsity-affiliated mountain bikers as well.
View more results here.
