Podium finishers in the Pursuit Challenge #3 from left to right: Shaun-Nick Bester (second), Philip Buys (first) and Jan Withaar (third) Photo: Supplied
Philip Buys took the honours in the third leg of the Pursuit Challenge after setting the fastest time on the 45-kilometre course at Buffelsdrift Trail Park in Pretoria yesterday.
The 32-year-old Pyga-Euro Steel pro set a time of 1:28:06 to beat Shaun-Nick Bester (Alfa Bodyworks-Titan Racing) by a fraction over two minutes. Jan Withaar was just over half a minute further back in third.
Speaking to In the Bunch after the race, Bester was in an upbeat mood despite claiming the runner-up spot on the podium.
“I knew the route was short and fast. I started two minutes ahead of Philip (Buys) and my plan was to go hard up the first climb of the route which came 1.5 kilometres into the race.
“After the climb I tried not to make mistakes on the rocky, technical sections of the race that followed.
“About three kilometres from the finish I looked back and saw that Philip was just behind me and when we came out the Secret Forest we were together.
After seeing Buys having closed the two-minute deficit, Bester was worried he had posted a bad time.
“I was worried I had had a bad race, but once all the pros had finished I managed to finish in second place 2:05 behind Philip and the gap to third place was another 31 seconds.
“So I had a good race, Philip was just stronger than me and everyone else on the day. Well done to him,” Bester said.
The women’s event was won by Kim le Court who completed the course in 1:49:59. Samantha Sanders took second place in 1:51:55, with Theresa Ralph third in 1:53:30.
