The first South African pair home, Graeme Ockhuis and George Perrins, lost out in the final event on the sixth day to finish third at the Paarl 6 endurance track cycling event in Paarl last week.
Ockhuis and Perrins were lying in second for the duration of the race, behind the dominant British pair, Micheal Mottram and Stephen Bradbury, who claimed the title.
George Perrins (left) and Graeme Ockhuis in action at the Paarl 6 last week. Photo: Owen Lloyd
It was the Dane pair of Anders Fynbo and Arne Birkemose that overtook the South African duo in the Madison on the final day, which was the last event of the whole race.
“We lost our second place on the last day, in the last lap,” Ockhuis told In the Bunch today.
“George and I were in contention for most of the race before that, but we still feel great to have finished on the podium.”
He identified general fatigue to have been their setback in the Madison.
“It was very close between the second-, third- and fourth-placed teams. We put pressure on the team who were coming fourth and they were dropped [as a result].
“We were a bit tired and then the Danish pair put pressure on us. That’s when they just went ahead.
“They were the biggest challenge throughout the race.”
The teams took part in six events in each of the six days, the longest lap, Madison, elimination, points race, time-trial and scratch race.
The pairs accumulated points after each event, with their total score after the six days deciding the final standings.
“It was my second time taking part and George’s first time. Next year it will be bigger,” Ockhuis said.
“George and I want to go overseas [in 2019] and compete in six-day events in Europe. We want to return and do the Paarl 6 again next year and see what happens.”
Ockhuis added that their strengths laid in the scratch race, points race and time-trial, with the elimination being their speciality.
Both he and Perrins will also be taking part in the Paarl Boxing Day track event later today. Ockhuis identified Nolan Hoffman, Clint Hendricks, David Maree and Brandon Christians as some of the threats.
