As predicted, the opening stage of the Wines2Whales ‘Race’ was an exciting battle between the top teams, but it was the Investec-Songo.info pairing of Konny Looser and Christoph Sauser that emerged victorious when the stage concluded at Oak Valley Estate today.
Looser and Sauser completed the 68km in 2:49:37, followed closely by PYGA EuroSteel’s Matthys Beukes and Philip Buys, who stopped the clock less than a minute later in 2:50:28. Gawie Combrinck and Nico Bell completed the podium for the first day in 2:53:26.
Alan Hatherly and Matt Beers, who won Cape Pioneer Trek last month, were slowed down by technical issues roughly 38km in, shortly before the portage over Gantouw Pass, and finished fourth.
Jennie Stenerhag and Adelheid Morath were the first women’s team to cross the line after they were a dominant combination throughout the day. They finished in 3:19:50, just ahead of dormakaba’s Candice Lill and Vera Adrian. They finished in 3:20:10, four minutes ahead of third place finishers Carmen Buchacher and Michelle Vorster.
Team dormakaba, lead by Candice Lill, chase after eventual stage winners, Jennie Stenerhag and Adelheid Morath during the first stage of Wines2Whales Race. Photo: twitter.com/w2wmtb
Provisional results are as follows:
Day one – 68km
Men’s teams
1. Konny Looser, Christoph Sauser (Investec-Songo.info) 2:49:37
2. Matthys Beukes, Philip Buys (PYGA EuroSteel 1) 2:50:28
3. Gawie Combrinck, Nico Bell (NAD Pro) 2:53:26
4. Alan Hatherly, Matt Beers (Team Spur Red E) 2:55:51
5. HB Kruger, Waylon Woolcock (BCX) 3:00:42
6. Tristan de Lange, Dylan Rebello (In the Moment) 3:02:00
7. David Benjamin Snyman, Daniel Steenkamp (KidneyStones) 3:03:25
8. Jurgens Uys, Nicol Carstens (Team Giant Bicycles ZA) 3:03:26
9. Wessel Botha, Leeroy Emslie (Think360) 3:05:06
10. Julian Jessop, Phillimon Sebona (PYGA EuroSteel 2) 3:07:50
Women’s teams
1. Jennie Stenerhag, Adelheid Morath (Meerdendal CBC) 3:19:50
2. Candice Lill, Vera Adrian (dormakaba) 3:20:10
3. Carmen Buchacher, Michelle Vorster (Velocity Sports Lab) 3:24:52
4. Robyn de Groot, Sabine Spitz (Ascendic Health) 3:25:44
5. Samantha Sanders, Amy McDougall (Valencia Ladies) 3:26:15
6. Ariane Luthi, Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (Team Spur) 3:29:32
7. Mari Rabie, Katie Lennard (Lennard and Rabie) 3:36:35
8. Hanlie Booyens, Fienie Barnard (Tiletoria Ladies) 3:59:57
9. Nadia Visser, Tandi Kitching (Kitvis) 4:00:11
10. Jeanie de Villiers, Marleen Lourens (Citricom) 4:01:33
Mixed teams
1. Martin Dreyer, Jeannie Dreyer (Merchants) 3:35:22
2. Darren Stow, Ila Stow (SAICA) 3:37:08
3. Natalia Bergstrom, Warren Price (Jowetts Racing) 3:43:25
4. Ian Martin, Louise Ferreira (Avontuur) 3:44:34
5. Corne Swart, Sarite Louw (Fruitways 2) 3:46:54
6. Deon du Toit, Melanie Roux (Pain Cave Montana) 3:53:52
7. Theresa Ralph, Pieter Bezuidenhout (Galileo Risk) 4:03:32
8. Leorine de Wet, Robert Kitching (Biosport) 4:04:20
9. Megan Carmichael, Duncan Carmichael (IHASA) 4:05:18
10. Liesel Prentis, Ken Prentis (Team Prentis) 4:08:40
