Getting the better of the route as a team was what enabled Active Bodies to defend their title at the Double Century in Swellendam yesterday, Bradley Potgieter explained.
Potgieter was part of the victorious 12-man team which also included Gustav Basson, Shaun-Nick Bester, Reynard Butler, Dylan Girdlestone, Clint Hendricks, Jayde Julius, HB Kruger, Kent Main, David Maree, Andrew Hill and WorldTour rider Willie Smit.
“The route is always the challenge. We’re always a little nervous about getting the full team over the few climbs,” Potgieter told In the Bunch today.
“We kept it calm and managed to keep the team together. We did win with all 12 riders crossing the line [within the allotted time] which was our secondary objective.
“We always wanted to cause some damage on the first stage. That’s where we wanted to go out all guns blazing, dominate and then defend from there.”
The 12-man Active Bodies team pictured celebrating on the podium after winning the Double Century yesterday. Photo: Facebook/@CoronationDC
The climbs going up Tradouw Pass were a key moment on the route. It was where “I think we made up time over Alfa Bodyworks-Giant”, Potgieter said.
“We then just had to maintain our five-minute lead on the last stage to get it in the bag,” he said, adding that the team might have finished with a faster time if they didn’t have to ensure all 12 riders finished, not just the top six.
“The team is happy, though. It was very cool that we managed to come out with ‘two wins’.”
The team did not have too much training time as a unit before the 202km team-trial, Potgieter said, but they knew each other from racing against one another “on the weekends”.
“We are friends off the bike and just spent a day or two together [prior to the event].
“Then on the day we just all came together. We didn’t do any special team training.”
Due to having won last year, Active Bodies was the last team to set off, with Alfa Bodyworks Giants starting second last, three minutes before them.
Potgieter estimated that they passed their main rivals roughly 80km in. He attributed their strong ride to the experience in the team.
“We just have a very competitive nature from everyone in the team.
“There are a few experienced guys who kept it calm and motivated. It wasn’t just one guy who made it happen; everyone worked well together.
“We understand each other and we all know how important it was for us,” he said, although admitting it was a challenge adjusting to incorporate everyone’s different riding styles.
Potgieter, who will take on a leadership role for the newly introduced Vandergroup Continental team next year, is done with racing for 2018.
He said the team would have their first official training camp in early January before the Mpumalanga Tour from January 11 to 17.
