Team Demacon’s Kim le Court devoted her Tour Durban victory to her parents after the race finished at the Moses Mabhida Stadium this morning.
Le Court finished the 100km race in 2:44:12, with just youngster Tiffany Keep having pushed her to the line. Le Court’s teammate Lynette Burger completed the podium a hefty 17 seconds back.
She was happy to pull off the victory for her team but more so for her parents, Le Court said.
“I feel great that I could pull it off, especially for my parents,” Le Court told In the Bunch.
“It was my dad’s birthday yesterday and mom’s today, so this one [victory] was for them. I really wanted to win for them.”
Kim le Court (right) alongside her Demacon teammates Lynette Burger (left) and Carla Oberholzer before the Tour Durban today. Photo: Supplied
This was Le Court’s third win in a row after coming out on top in the Cape Town Cycle Tour, followed by the Emperors Palace Road Classic just a couple of weeks later.
She said she was pleased with the victory. “My form is great at the moment and training is clearly working well.
“I still do not feel like I am in top shape but I am happy with what I can achieve for now.
“I missed the one Tour Durban because I was in Australia for the Commonwealth Games [at the time], so I am very pleased [to win].”
Le Court said she and her teammates got off to a slow start after they failed to hear the starting announcement.
“We missed our start because we were too busy chatting to one another. We could not hear the commentator,” she quipped.
“After realising we missed it [the start], we had to pace ourselves and get back into the race for the first 6km.
“Then we planned to see how we felt in order to take the various hotspots, while obviously going for the win.
“We chatted a bit in the race and we [her team] decided that I would take it to the finish.”
Le Court said she and Keep played a game of cat and mouse at the front.
“Tiffany and I got away a few times. Then at Umhlanga Rocks she gave a massive attack and the bunch took long to react. She created a big gap, which is when I decided to go for it.
“Once I caught her, the two of us had a good gap from the bunch. Tiffany kept the pace the whole way and I sat on her wheel, just waiting.
“I was happy if it came down to a bunch or breakaway sprint. I followed the team plans and went for the win at the end.”
In good spirit, Le Court commended Keep on her performance. “I felt kind of bad [beating her],” she said.
“I even apologised to her and encouraged her to keep on going. I am very proud of that young woman.
“She [Keep] is a champ and she actually deserved to win this race. She is really talented and I think she will go far.”
