Damon Fouchee continued to make strides in his young career when he came up trumps in the Thanksgiving Sportive cycle race at Rooiwal yesterday.
Fouchee soloed to victory in the 92km feature race in 2:09:07, beating his Vandergroup teammate Christiaan Klopper into second place by some three minutes.
The 17-year-old, who attends Hoërskool Garsfontein in Pretoria, has made a strong statement in recent races, finishing among the elites in three of his last four events.
Damon Fouchee (pictured) continued to make strides in his young career when he came up trumps in the Thanksgiving Sportive yesterday. Photo: Supplied
The teenager claimed the top step of the podium in the Rooiwal race, an event he used as preparation for the 947 Cycle Challenge in Johannesburg next weekend.
“I feel happy [with the result]. It was a race that I used for training and it was hard like any other Rooiwal race,” Fouchee told In the Bunch today.
“It was an awesome preparation ride for the 947.”
The race, which comprised four laps of a 23km circuit, was “a bit hectic”, Fouchee said, with a good pace set from the outset.
“There were various attacks in the first two laps and the pace was cracked by my teammate Christiaan and Morne [van Niekerk],” he said.
“Close to the end of the second lap Christiaan and I launched another attack and we got away. From there we worked together in a team time-trial fashion.”
Fouchee said it was the first time he and Klopper had been able to work together this season.
“We complemented each other well in the breakaway, which resulted in a comfortable lead.
“At around the 70km mark I began lifting the pace and that is where Christiaan indicated that I must go.
“I felt strong, kept pushing and felt comfortable that my teammate had my back,” he said, adding that it had been a challenge to establish and maintain a gap on such a flat circuit in windy conditions.
He did, however, admit that the competition was somewhat diluted due to the Joburg Grand Prix track event having taken place the same day.
However Morne van Niekerk, who has made much headway in Europe this season and who recently signed for a French pro-Continental team, took part to show his support for the race organisers.
Van Niekerk was full of praise for Fouchee, saying he had a “very bright future”.
Fouchee was flattered. “I am humbled by that compliment from such a successful icon,” he said.
“Morne is starting to make it big in Europe and his road to success is a story to admire.
“His mere presence in the race yesterday provided mentorship on its own.”
