Nolan Hoffman was relieved after winning the Fast One cycle race at the Midvaal Raceway in Meyerton today.
“I’m pretty chuffed about putting one on the scoreboard for the year,” he told In the Bunch. “There’s always a lot of pressure to get your first win of the season.”
BCX’s Nolan Hoffman pictured here giving a thumbs up after his Fast One Cycle Race victory today. Photo: twitter.com/TeamBCX
Hoffman had suffered an upset defeat in the Paarl Boxing Day track event, followed by a “suffer fest” in the Mpumalanga Tour last week.
“Today’s win was a big relief after the Mpumalanga Tour. I did not enjoy that one at all; it was a suffer fest for me,” he recalled.
“Bouncing back was a solid result. And I’m impressed with the way my team rode today. I’m feeling positive now.”
Hoffman, riding for Team BCX, said the nature of the Fast One was “more up my alley.
“It suited the sprinters. The speed was perfect for us and the wind was not too hectic.
“The team used the little wind to perfection. We whacked it in the gutter and formed a group.”
Five BCX riders were involved in the final 11-man bunch sprint, prompting Hoffman to say: “That was a plan well executed.”
The first half of the race had been “a real stalemate”, the 32-year-old sprinter said.
“Our teammate Marc Pritzen and Myles van Musschenbroek made a break around the halfway mark and went two minutes clear.
“We left them there, because we knew we would close the gap. Then, just beyond the Suikerbos Nature Reserve, we decided to put it in the gutter.
“That was our only chance to make a move and I think we managed it rather well. As soon as we went ahead, with about 30km to go, I knew I had a chance to win it.”
Hoffman thought his four colleagues in the final bunch would put him into a good position.
“If you have so many teammates around you in the final sprint, chances are you won’t fail. The boys were excellent; I can’t fault them on anything.”
Hoffman, David Maree and Clint Hendricks took the lead in the final kilometre of the race after their other teammates, Pritzen and Chris Jooste, had dropped back with about 5km left.
“We were leading in the last kilometre, with Tyler Day following us. Then, with about 250 metres left, Tyler got a surprise jump on us,” Hoffman said.
“I had to dig really deep to catch him. It was a really close sprint. Fortunately I had the legs to beat him on the line.”
Hoffman will now turn his focus to the SA national road championships to be held from February 6 to 11.
“Success breeds success and this was a great confidence booster, which I needed. I’m pretty focused and motivated to do well in the coming races,” he said.
