Heidi Dalton took the SA National Road Championships elite title yesterday and U23 women time trial title on Thursday.
The 127.8km course consisted of ten laps around the Lady Loch circuits.
The elite women’s podium (from left to right) Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (third) Heidi Dalton (first) and An-Li Kachelhoffer (second) at the 2017 SA Road Championships in Wellington yesterday. Photo: Stuart Pickering
The first break attempt came from Sanet Coetsee, 19km into the race, but was quickly swallowed by the bunch.
Michelle Benson then made an attack at 28km, in but was soon also caught.
The real fighting began 49km into the race, where Demacon’s Elmarie de Wet kept her breakaway for close to 40km.
The next 15km displayed aggressive riding and attacks from Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio and An-Li Kachelhoffer, and soon, there was a lead bunch of eight riders, which included Team Demacon’s Dalton, Yzette Oelofse, Juanita Venter, Chane Jonker and Samantha Sanders.
More attacks by Moolman-Pasio and Kachelhoffer were seen, but soon both riders were back in the bunch.
At the start of the last lap, Dalton broke off the leading group to ride solo and open up a gap.
Her time gaps began to grow from 37 seconds, to 47 seconds, and before long, close to two minutes ahead, and rode to victory over the line in a time of 3:43:37.
She was followed home by Bestmed ASG’s Kachelhoffer in 3:57:15 and Cervelo Bigla’s Moolman Pasio in 3:57:16
“Today was absolutely awesome, I mean, I’m still U23 so the main goal was to get the U23 jersey, but to get both of them is just absolutely incredible,” said Dalton.
Benson won the silver medal in the U23 women’s road race, followed by Bianca Haw. In the U19 women’s race, Ashley Parsons claimed the gold medal, with Tiffany Keep coming in behind in second place, and Elne Owen in third.
