After a cool first day, riders faced completely opposite conditions today as stage one leaders Pieter Seyffert and Travis Walker consolidated their overall lead in the TransCape mountain bike race.
The Ellsworth-ASG duo again controlled things from the start to end comfortably in front after a hot and dusty Karoo leg between George and Van Wyksdorp.
The Ellsworth-ASG team of Travis Walker (front) and Pieter Seyffert consolidated their overall position at the front on the second day of the TransCape mountain bike race. The queen stage of the seven-day journey from Knysna to Franschhoek took the riders on a 135km ride between George and Van Wyksdorp. Photo: Jacques Marais
The 135km queen stage is the longest of the seven-day event and the pair came home in 5:30:24 to lead the standings in an overall time of 8:50:10.
Belgians Eddy Feliers and Kristof de Neys (Cicero Baik) hung on to their second place overall after taking second place on the podium in 5:40:42 for a total time of 9:23:25.
Chasing them all the way were David and William Wertheim Aymes (Bromance), who finished in 5:45:12 to remain third overall on 9:27:55.
After creating a decent buffer on the opening stage, the 30-year-old Seyffert from Helderkruin on the West Rand said they had targeted an easier ride on the second day.
However, his younger partner could not contain his competitive streak and they quickly opened up a gap on Montagu Pass.
“Although the intention was to ease off a bit, I got a bit excited going up Montagu Pass,” admitted the 25-year-old Walker from Hilton in KwaZulu-Natal.
“Going up the pass the breeze was into us, so climbing was a bit slower than usual. About halfway up I rode to the front and from there we were by ourselves for the rest of the stage.”
Seyffert said he would speak to the organisers about the pace his partner was setting and for “always putting me in the hurt box”.
“Jokes aside, he’s an awesome teammate, waiting for me on all the climbs,” he said.
Seyffert, who will target the Cycling South Africa-sanctioned Bestmed Tour of Good Hope road race in the Cape Winelands next month, said the heat and the wind had provided a good challenge.
“We rode into a wind for most of the day and when there was a tailwind for the last 10 to 15km, it became very hot.”
Although Montagu Pass, which came early in the leg, was the major ascent on the day, Seyffert said the smaller climbs later on had proved to be a challenge.
“In the last third of the leg, you get those district roads and rolling hills, which I found much tougher. And then, right at the end, the organisers have put in a nasty little 1km climb.”
In the men’s solo category, defending champion Billy Stelling bounced back to take the stage in 5:40:46 for third place overall with an aggregate time of 9:59:22.
Belgian overnight leader Karl Dossche kept the top spot after finishing second in 5:51:23 for a total time of 9:39:38. Alan Tilling completes the overall podium on 9:52:40.
Hannele Steyn (right) and Spar teammate Catherine Williamson (second from left) continued to enjoy the journey on the second day of the TransCape mountain bike race. The queen stage of the seven-day event from Knysna to Franschhoek took the riders on a 135km ride between George and Van Wyksdorp. Photo: Jacques Marais
Britain’s Catherine Williamson and Hannele Steyn (Spar) lead the women’s category on 9:23:24 after finishing the stage in 5:40:40 and Alma Colyn heads the solo women on 9:41:04 after crossing the line in 5:44:54.
Matthias and Denise Kubli won the mixed section in 6:55:49 to remain third overall on 11:40:13.
Ian and Jane Seggie remain at the top in 11:25:00 after finishing second in 6:59:08, with Craig Chidrawi and Charmaine Werdmuller third on the day in 7:06:56 to stay in second overall on 11:39:29.
The third stage of 81km will take riders over two major climbs between Van Wyksdorp and Riversdal.
