Kruger enjoys local win at Stellenbosch MTB Challenge

HB Kruger added yet another local win to his palmarès when he came out on top in the 50km Stellenbosch MTB Challenge on Sunday.

Kruger, from Paarl, said he was glad to see so many competitors at the event, with the entries having been capped four days before the race.

However, the competition at the top end of the field “wasn’t too great”, Kruger said.

“I’m not too sure why; many of the top professionals just didn’t pitch up,” he told In the Bunch yesterday.

“Other than that I enjoyed the race.”

The route was smooth sailing but enjoyable, he said. “It was pretty straight-forward. It had a lot of flat farm roads and trails through the vineyards.

“It made for quite a fast-paced race. It was short and sweet and the weather was wonderful as well.”

ASG Ellsworth’s Kruger completed the race in 1:54:01. He got ahead early on in the race to eventually beat Ryan Kellerman into second by over two minutes. Nico Pfitzenmaier completed the podium another 33 seconds later.

“I attacked on the first little incline and got a bit of a gap. I kept it quite steady until the first water point.

“I then just rode at my own pace and fortunately I was able to pull the win off. The only challenge I had was a soft sandy section, about one to two kilometres long, which was a bit tough.

“Fortunately it was very short though,” he added.

Kruger finished fourth at the SA national marathon championships some two weeks ago.

He said his form and fitness had definitely picked up since preparing for that event and, as recognition, he got selected for the SA team to take part in the UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships.

“I’ve received a lot positive feedback after the SA champs and I hope to build on that,” he said.

“Getting selected to take part in the world marathon champs was very uplifting.”

Kruger will turn his focus to the Race to the Sun this weekend, a 162km race from Hartebeespoort to Sun City.