Matthys Beukes defended his title when he won the Attakwas Extreme MTB Challenge for his third time in Great Brak, Western Cape, today.
Matthys Beukes, pictured during the Trailseeker Series, defended his title when he won the Attakwas Extreme MTB Challenge in Great Brak, Western Cape, today. Photo: Henk Neuhoff Photography
The Pyga-Euro Steel rider completed the 121km race in 4:51:46 to beat DSV Pro Cycling’s Gert Heyns and Imbuko-Giant’s Nicol Carstens.
At the start, Beukes was the one driving the tempo in a leading group of 11 men, which also included Heyns and Karl Platt.
Beukes put the hammer down as the bunch (who then consisted of Heyns, Arno du Toit, Julian Jessop and Robbert De Nijs) approached the Sonop Restaurant and Padstal.
Not far behind (about 15 seconds) were a second group comprising Carstens and Marco Joubert.
With an attack at the base of the Attakwas mountain, Beukes got the upper hand and broke away from the rest.
He managed to build up a gap of five minutes when he reached the tar road that heads back to Great Brak. By then he was followed closely by Heyns and Carstens.
Nevertheless, Beukes’ powerful legs were simply too much for the rest and he soloed to victory.
The women’s race came down to a sprint between Yolande de Villiers, Samantha Sanders and Jennie Stenerhag.
In the end De Villiers was the one who came out on top when she finished first in 5:38:05. She was followed by Sanders and Stenerhag.
View the provisional results below.
Men
1. Matthys Beukes 4:51:46
2. Gert Heyns 4:56:00
3. Nicol Carstens 4:57:05
4. Arno du Toit 5:00:58
5. Pieter du Toit 5:02:25
6. Sebastian Stark 5:02:30
7. Karl Platt 5:05:41
8. Roy Beukers 5:05:43
9. Stijn Appel 5:07:32
10. Phillimon Sebona 5:12:17
11. Philip Buys 5:12:50
12. Robbert De Nijs 5:13:00
13. Julian Jessop 5:13:01
14. Timothy Hammond 5:14:15
15. Carel van Wyk 5:15:56
16. Michael Posthumus 5:17:37
17. Aidan Connelly 5:17:38
18. Marco Joubert 5:18:20
19. Jason Peach 5:21:53
20. Alan Gordon 5:23:26
Women
1. Yolande de Villiers 5:38:05
2. Samantha Sanders 5:38:05
3. Jennie Stenerhag 5:38:05
4. Candice Lill 5:39:15
5. Katie Lennard 5:53:19
6. Lisa Kleyn 6:05:01
7. Amy McDougall 6:05:13
8. Sarah Hill 6:06:30
9. Ischen Stopforth 6:34:21
10. Sanet Coetzee 6:38:15
11. Fienie Barnard 6:46:01
12. Dene Conroy-de Wet 6:59:28
13. Hanna Winberg 7:01:52
14. Jana Kruger 7:03:15
15. Sarita Louw 7:04:13
16. Rose Bailey 7:05:40
17. Janine Muller 7:09:30
18. Ilse Viljoen 7:11:36
19. Nickey Botes 7:18:03
20. Martha Koekemoer 7:23:07
