Norwegian cyclist Vita Heine (HITEC Products) won her second KZN Summer Series title in the Queen Sibiya Classic over 118km at Midmar Dam yesterday.
Top women cyclists in action during the Queen Sibiya Claasic race in Pietermaritzburg yesterday. Photo: Stuart Pickering
The overseas star came home in a time 3:18:10, finishing ahead of Dane Marie Vilmann (Cervelo-Bigla, 3:18:18) and South African Carla Oberholzer (Demacon Cycling Team, 3:18:19.)
With Heine always prominent in the front, the peloton remained together through the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands towards Nottingham Road.
After several attempts were unsuccessful, five riders eventually made a decisive break after 46 kilometres, with the group consisting of Heine, Vilmann and Oberholzer, Candice Neethling (Pretoria Box Pro Cycling) and Namibian Vera Adrian (Time Freight eTeam).
With a tough climb at the 100km mark, Adrian and Neethling dropped back slightly as Heine, Vilmann and Oberholzer set the pace up front.
As she had done on Wednesday Heine timed her push for victory to perfection at Midmar Dam to take the honours.
“At about 40 or 50 kilometres, our team was covering every attack so we started to attack as well,” said Heine.
“When it was my turn I was lucky and got a big gap with four others. On the gravel section, I put in a little bit more speed until there were only three left before my final attack.”
See more news, results and photos at KZN Summer Series.
