Matthias Stirnemann won the elite men’s race at the first SA MTB Cup Series XCO event in Bloemendal, Cape Town, today.
The Swiss completed the seven-lap course in 1:25:24, edging New Zealand’s Sam Gaze and Ben Oliver into second and third respectively.
Alan Hatherly, pictured here during the Cape Pioneer Trek last year, was the highest-placed South African at the the first SA MTB Cup Series XCO event today, finishing fifth overall. Photo: Carli Smith
South Africa’s Alan Hatherly, who will be riding in his first year as an elite this year, finished fifth in 1:26:24.
Stirnemann was reportedly giving chase in the last couple of laps, before putting the hammer down on the final lap to overtake the New Zealand duo.
View provisional results below.
Elite men (seven laps)
1. Matthias Stirnemann (Switzerland) 1:25:24
2. Sam Gaze (New Zealand) 1:25:35
3. Ben Oliver (New Zealand) 1:25:38
4. Joel Roth (Switzerland) 1:25:41
5. Alan Hatherly (South Africa) 1:26:24
6. Matt Beers (South Africa) 1:26:47
7. Jonas Lindberg (Denmark) 1:27:32
8. Filippo Colombo (Switzerland) 1:27:44
9. Sean Flynn (Britain) 1:27:47
10. Gert Heyns (South Africa) 1:28:12
Elite women (six laps)
1. Annie Last 1:25:40
2. Kathrin Stirnemann 1:25:54
3. Mariske Strauss 1:26:55
4. Candice Lill 1:30:08
5. Cherie Redecker 1:30:27
6. Sarah Hill 1:31:33
7. Tiffany Keep 1:34:55
8. Lehane Oosthuizen 1:39:52
9. Janice Venter 1:40:49
10. Amy Tait 1:30:07
Junior men (five laps)
1. Lukas Malezewski 1:00:39
2. Daniel van der Walt 1:01:38
3. Jaume Bosch-Pico 1:02:07
4. Luke Moir 1:02:09
5. Yotam Deshe 1:02:13
Youth boys (four laps)
1. Aidan Penfold 53:53
2. Ian Els 54:10
3. Kai von During 54:27
Sub-junior boys (three laps)
1. Hendre de Villiers 39:44
2. Luke Kavanagh 40:59
3. Alec Coleske 41:21
Sprog boys (four mini laps)
1. Jeandre Ungerer 36:16
2. Josh Johnson 36:46
3. Samuel Cleary 37:11
