Taking the lead soon after the neutral zone, HB Kruger and Stuart Marais rode steadily throughout the stage to take the honours on the opening day of the Liberty TransCape MTB Encounter today.
The seven-day race between the Western Cape towns of Knysna and Franschhoek, supported by STANLIB and Volvo Cars, will take riders on a 614km challenge, ending at La Couronne Wine Estate on Saturday.
The ASG-Ellsworth pair finished the 71km stage to Wilderness in 2:23:47, about three-and-a-half minutes ahead of Norway’s Eirik Fiskvik and Thomas Engelsgjerd (Team Happysalmon) in the UCI men’s category.
The ASG-Ellsworth team of HB Kruger (front) and Stuart Marais claimed victory in the men’s Elite category on the first stage of the Liberty TransCape MTB Encounter from Knysna to Wilderness in the Western Cape today. The seven-stage 614km race finishes in Franschhoek on Saturday. Photo: Rob Ward
Hanco Kachelhoffer and last year’s champion along Travis Walker, Pieter Seyffert (Ellsworth-ASG), took third just over two minutes later.
The Paarl-based Kruger said although they had a comfortable ride, they would not take anything for granted.
“Anything can happen in a mountain bike race and you never win an event of this nature on the first day.”
“Happily we were able to set our own pace and that was enough to get a bit of a gap. After that we just maintained it and tried to keep it steady.”
The South Africans took the lead on Phantom Pass, just after the 5km neutral zone.
Kruger said they had about a minute’s lead over Fiskvik and Engelsgjerd early on, but gradually increased the gap as the day unfolded.
Britain’s Catherine Williamson (left) and Belgian Kristof de Neys (LawPack) took the mixed category honours in the opening stage of the Liberty TransCape MTB Encounter from Knysna to Wilderness in the Western Cape today. The seven-stage 614km race finishes in Franschhoek on Saturday. Photo: Full Stop Communications
He said their strategy in the Liberty TransCape Encounter, supported by STANLIB and Volvo Cars, was to build a lead but also to keep something in reserve.
Britain’s Catherine Williamson, who won the mixed title last year, and Belgium’s Kristof de Neys led the way in this category after joining a group of about 10 riders after the first climb.
Williamson and De Neys, who rides under the LawPack banner, finished in 2:38:05 to establish a comfortable lead over Reinette Geldenhuis and Wolf Stinnes (Woolies Trance) and third-placed Donald and Nicolle Weir (Weirdos).
The UCI women’s category was won by TransCape debutants Janine Muller and Mari du Toit (Oakley Group), both from Pretoria, in 3:08:19.
The Oakley outfit of Mari du Toit (left) and Janine Muller won the opening stage in the women’s Elite category in the Liberty TransCape MTB Encounter from Knysna to Wilderness in the Western Cape today. The seven-stage 614km race finishes in Franschhoek on Saturday. Photo: Full Stop Communications
Tomorrow’s second stage will take riders over 86km and 1 900m of ascent from Wilderness to Mossel Bay.
