ProTouch’s Reynard Butler is hoping to lay down a marker for the second half of the season in the 103km Cycle4Cansa Road Classic at Sun City on Sunday.
Butler said this race fell into “that part of the season where we kick off the classics again”, indicating the importance of the event.
ProTouch’s Reynard Butler (pictured) is hoping to lay down a marker for the second half of the season in the Cycle4Cansa Road Classic on Sunday. Photo: Rob Ward
After racing with Team Office Gurus as a guest rider at the Lowveld Tour a couple of weeks ago, Butler is back with ProTouch and said they aimed to again make a statement. The team will comprise Butler, James Fourie, Myles van Musschenbroek, Jayde Julius, Mitchell Eliot, Pieter Seyffert and junior rider Tiano Da Silva.
“Many of the guys have just come out of winter and are normally eager to impress at the Cycle4Cansa,” Butler told In the Bunch today.
“Some of us have also been racing in Europe, especially in our team, so we are highly motivated for the race,” he said, adding that the last time a full ProTouch team rode together was at the 100 Cycle Challenge on May 5.
BCX’s Nolan Hoffman won that race and he will target his third successive Cycle4Cansa victory this weekend. He said however in a press release that Butler would be one of his key threats.
Butler was in good form at the start of the season, winning three classics – the Ride for Sight and Berge en Dale in February and the Emperors Palace Road Classic in March.
He however described the Cycle4Cansa route as “flat and fast”, which “doesn’t suit us, per se”.
“But we have guys who really are keen to race for the win, so we’re definitely up for it,” he said.
“For me personally, the form is there and coming from Belgium – where I spent July racing – I feel like I have the speed.
“It will just come down to the race day and how all our plans might or might not come together in the final.”
Butler described the race as an “out-and-out sprinter’s race”, saying they could definitely expect a bunch finish.
“It is difficult to predict how the race will unfold seeing that most of the teams in South Africa are sprinting teams,” he said.
“You always get the guys who are normally opportunistic, but we will be as aggressive as we can while also bearing in mind that we need to have cards to play in the sprint finish.
“In that sense, it can sometimes be better if the race comes down to a bunch sprint.”
They would be keeping a close eye on BCX, he added. “They will be highly motivated to start the second half of the season with a win.
“We need to be careful and be sure to place our riders in breaks. It will be important not to get placed on the back foot at any given time.”
