Tiffany Keeps the KZN title, while Sean shows the youngsters how it’s done

Sean Merredew and Tiffany Keep proved too strong for their rivals in the road race at the KZN Road Cycling Championships near Camperdown on Sunday, but the two claimed their respective titles in contrasting styles.

The experienced Merredew, who next year becomes eligible to race in the over-40 veterans category, showed his younger rivals how to manage the final kilometres of the 101km race when he set himself up to sprint to victory from a breakaway group of five riders.

Sean Merredew leads a breakaway group during the KZN Road Cycling Championships on Sunday. Photo: Gavin Ryan, QuickPix

In contrast, the young Keep, who also claimed the U19 junior title with this win, rode away from her rivals with about 20 kilometres remaining of the 89km event. This meant she suffered through a lonely grind to the finish line – but had the benefit of being able to savor successfully defending her title over the final few kilometres.

Following Merredew across the line in the men’s race were Wessel Swanepoel and Luke Chambers. Andrew Hill and Henry Liebenberg claimed fourth and fifth respectively, although they were never really in contention for the final sprint but were integral to the success of the race-defining break.

“The racing started out slow, but by about halfway things really stepped up and started to get going,” said an elated Merredew after crossing the line.

“The bunch split up into roughly half at about halfway and then for the last 30 kays you really have to be awake.

“I was strong enough to counter all the moves and with about 20 kays to go five of us managed to get away. I was keen for the break because I was more worried about my age category at the time, so I was keen to stay away from my age-category rivals.”

Tiffany Keep celebrates her victory as she crosses the line at the KZN Road Cycling Championships on Sunday. Photo: Gavin Ryan, QuickPix

The five eked out a lead and managed to hold off the chasers, setting up an exciting finish as they climbed the last ascent of about two kilometres, before the road flattened out toward the finish.

“I think the others forgot that the finish line is past the top of the final hill and not at the top like it was at other times we have finished here,” said Merredew. “With the finish line a few hundred metres after the top you have to be patient, and more so with a headwind as we came into the finish, so my years of experience paid off – I went late rather than early and that was the right thing today.”

Keep’s race-winning move came at a similar place to the decisive break in the men’s race, but the Thomas More matric pupil was able to ride away with no challengers.

“I got away with just under 20 kilometres to go,” said Keep after crossing the line. “I attacked as we went over the top of a climb and then had to go full gas from there. It was really hard.

“At first, on the climb the chasers were staying with me for quite a while, so I was doubting myself a bit, but then I thought ‘No I can do this,’ and managed to dig deep and stay away.”

The road racing took place on the second and final day of the Championships. On Saturday S’annara Grove and Deno van Heerden won the women’s and men’s time trial titles respectively.

Grove grabs her second title of 2018 at KZN Time Trial Champs

Durban-based S’annara Grove doubled up when she claimed the time trial title on the first day of the KZN Road Cycling Championships on Saturday at Camperdown.

Although less than a month into 2018, Saturday’s time trial title is already Grove’s second provincial title of the year after she took the win at the KZN Triathlon Championship two weeks ago at Midmar.

The men’s time trial title was won by Deno van Heerden who claimed the title with a controlled ride over the 35,4km course in the Lion Park area near Camperdown. His winning time of 50 minutes 26 seconds was a convincing 59 seconds ahead of experienced north coast rider Sean Merredew, with Austin Steyn claiming the third step on the podium, 22 seconds further back.

The podium of the men’s 35-39 age group included the overall KZN Time Trial Championship winner, Deno van Heerden (centre) and the runner up, Sean Merredew (right) as well as Johan Mario Janse Van Rensburg (left) who ended up fourth overall behind Austin Steyn. Photo: KZN Cycling Road Commission.

S’annara Grove was a clear winner of the women’s time trial event at the KZN Road Championships. Photo: KZN Cycling Road Commission

But Grove was the heroine of the day after she obliterated the women’s field with a time of 58 minutes 42 seconds, which left her over four minutes up on her nearest rival Elne Owen with Haley Smith claiming third, 28 seconds further back.

Not surprisingly, Grove claimed the triathlon title two weeks ago on the back of a powerful ride in which she made up over five minutes on her nearest rivals. The young rising star, who recently signed for the Bestmed professional team is obviously in the form of her life, which bodes well for the South African time trial championships in Outdshoorn in just over a week’s time.

In the age group categories, young Tiffany Keep claimed the junior women’s U19 title with a strong ride over her 23,6km distance, while Cian Leveridge was eighth overall over the longer distance to claim the boy’s junior title ahead of Devon Baird.

Tomorrow sees the road races complete the provincial championships with group-riding skills, tactics and a finishing sprint taking centre stage as the riders circulate the Van’s Circuit near Camperdown.

Keep will be defending her provincial title in the 92km women’s race, but she will face strong competition from Grove, while the likes of Pia Fuller and Candice Parker Dennison will provide tough competition, and, if the conditions are hot and tough, then veteran ultra-distance specialist Jeannie Dreyer could spring a surprise.

In the 101km men’s race, the absence of defending champion Brendon Davids opens up the race and leaves the large field of over 100 entrants wide open with no obvious favourites.