Oberholzer dedicates Amashova victory to Burger

South African national road champion Carla Oberholzer dedicated her Amashova Durban Classic victory today to her Demacon teammate Lynette Burger.

Burger was hospitalised at the end of September after being hit by a taxi while out on a training ride.

She was admitted to the intensive care unit but made a steady recovery and was moved to a general ward earlier this month.

Oberholzer won the Amashova this morning in 3:02:57, beating her teammate Kim le Court to the line. She dedicated the win to Burger, who she said “really wanted to win this race”.

“This one is for her [Burger],” Oberholzer told In the Bunch today.

“I’m obviously very happy with the win today. Tactically we [Demacon] rode a great race and I’m happy to pull off a win for the team.”

The 31-year-old from Clarens said the racing only basically started at the halfway mark on the decisive Inchanga climb when Cycle Nation’s Joanna van de Winkel attacked.

“That’s where Joanna rode quite hard and caused a split in the bunch,” Oberholzer said.

“Heidi Dalton then bombed it on the downhill section which created a further split and eventually it was just Joanna, Kim and me left,” she said.

Oberholzer added that Team Clover’s Zanri Rossouw later joined them at the head of affairs on the highway section.

“It came down to a four-rider sprint. I just sprinted as hard as I could until the finish line.

“I really love this race and I think the route suits me as it has some climbing and descents.

“You have to be strong in the wind as well as be able to sprint,” she said, of the “all-rounder’s course”.

The victory was an important confidence-booster for her ahead of the conclusion of the season, Oberholzer said.

The team will next turn their focus on the National Classic Cycle Race next weekend, followed by the Tshwane Classic on November 4 and then the 947 Cycle Challenge on November 18.