![\"image.jpeg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image.15cdf89ccac48be7b4b880799e5a285d-1.jpeg\" "\\"\\"")
Riders tackling the 2021 Switchback route. Image by Sam Clark<\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\t\u201cFNB Wines2Whales is usually our team’s last high-profile race for the season and has great publicity, so it\u2019s important for us to end the year off on a high note for ourselves and our sponsors,\u201d Buys stated. Before confessing: \u201cI\u2019m scrambling a little bit in terms of training, because I\u2019ve already taken my 4 week end of season break. This time off the bike meant I only had about 7 weeks to prep for FNB W2W. This is a bit short, but it is important for us to draw that line somewhere and take the break. We\u2019ve had a good year and our team partners are all satisfied, so there is no outside pressure on Gert and myself. The only pressure would be from ourselves. That said, we want to win!\u201d
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\n\tWith the route returning to the classic, Lourensford to Onrus, direction the question was put to Buys if the Switchback course did not perhaps better suit his and Heyns\u2019 strengths? \u201cI actually prefer the original direction of the route like we are going to do it this year,\u201d the double 2022 South African champion said. \u201cThe key with any team stage race is how well the partnership works. In mountain biking things are going to go wrong somewhere; it’s about how you can handle those issues, quickly recover and adapt as a team. Gert and I have done quite a few races together now and I enjoy riding with him.\u201d
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\n\tBuys and Heyns\u2019 main rivals for victory are likely to be the Toyota Specialized team. Matt Beers won FNB Wines2Whales in both 2018 and 2019, alongside Wessel Botha. 2022 marks his first start in this event with Tristan Nortje at his side. \u201cIt\u2019s definitely been a while since we raced together as a team!\u201d Nortje allowed. \u201cWe always race \u2018with\u2019 each other during single day events, but it\u2019s been a long time since we raced a team event. Lining up with Matt [Beers] is always exciting. I can\u2019t wait to race the last team race of the year together and hopefully finish the season on a high!\u201d
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\n\tThe stacked field means Nortje is under no illusions of how difficult finishing on a high will be. \u201cAll the top SA riders will line up at the FNB W2W,\u201d he reiterated. \u201cAlong with Pyga Euro Steel the likes of Imbuko {type}DEV, Insect Science and Valley Electrical Titan Racing are all scheduled to start. It makes for exciting racing.\u201d
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\n\t\u201cWe have plans already,\u201d Nortje hinted. \u201cBut you must also be able to scrap those plans in the race and think of a new one! In mountain biking but especially at FNB W2W anything can happen. We\u2019ll see how it plays out\u2026\u201d
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\n\t \n\t \n\t When the 2022 FNB Wines2Whales Shiraz race gets underway from Lourensford, on the 4th of November, there will be 20 top teams in the Men\u2019s start group. While not all of them may stand a realistic chance of reaching Onrus, on the 6th of November, in the yellow Ciovita leader jerseys, all of them have […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":22743,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"featured_location":[],"class_list":["post-12883","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12883","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12883"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12883\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":62063,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12883\/revisions\/62063"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22743"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12883"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12883"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12883"},{"taxonomy":"featured_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/featured_location?post=12883"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"image.jpeg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image.81bab025bf2d23d4e3182e2ce9cfc999-1.jpeg\" "\\"\\"")
Image by Nick Muzik<\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n
\n\tA squad who has raced creatively in 2022 is the Imbuko {type}DEV outfit. With two evenly matched teams, they have multiple cards to play and will be looking to put Botha back on the top step of the FNB Wines2Whales podium. The 2018 and 2019 winner will pair up with Pieter du Toit for the Shiraz event, with Marco Joubert partnering Rudi Koen. \u201cWe have four strong riders at the moment and I’m sure both teams will be in the mix and able to help each other\u201d Botha confirmed. \u201cI’m happy to be partnering with Pieter [du Toit] this time as we have always wanted to race together but haven’t had the chance yet. I think we will be a good match for the punchy flat out racing that FNB W2W always provides.\u201d
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\n\t\u201cThe racing at FNB W2W is normally super tight and all the editions which I have raced were won in a different way\u201d Botha said of the tactics required for victory. \u201cWith the classic route I don’t think there will be a specific point where the race will be won or lost. We will just try to race smart and take any opportunity where we can gain time.\u201d
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\n\tLike the other big favourites, the Insect Science team are eagerly anticipating an almighty battle at the FNB Wines2Whales. \u201cThe FNB W2W is a real iconic and fun event,\u201d Arno du Toit began. \u201cIt is very important for us individually, as well as for the team as a whole. This year will be special with two racing teams and a corporate team. It is the last big goal event for the year and of course it’s always great to finish the season on a high note, but we’re just excited to have some fun out there.\u201d
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\n\t\u201cWith all the top teams in the country taking part it will require a lot of full gas racing and a bit of luck to win!\u201d Du Toit, who will be lining up alongside Keagan Bontekoning emphasised. \u201cTo win will be challenging, given not only the level of the competition but also the diversity and punchiness of the route. Looking after our equipment and ourselves will be a key aspect. The days are shortish, but managing your effort over the three days will still be important.\u201d
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\n\tAlong with the five-star favourites, Team Honeycomb Procycling\u2019s Konny Looser, himself a former FNB Wines2Whales winner in 2014 and 2016, and Marc Pritzen are another team to watch. As are HB Kruger and Matthew Keyser, of Valley Electrical Titan Racing. Cycle2Ride\u2019s Jaco Venter and Jan Montshioa, as well as 1RACE\/Caleo\u2019s William Mokgopo and Namibian Xavier Papo should also be in contention for a top result. The ultimate dark horses of the field, however, are the 24\/7 Security team of Jan Withaar and Pieter Korkie.
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\n\tWhile the Imbuko {type}DEV powered by Giant combination, of Joubert and Koen, are likely to be the most influential of the back-up teams. CP van Wyk and Alan Gordan will have a roll to play for Insect Science; as will the Pyga Euro Steel support teams of Ruan van der Westhuizen and Wian van den Bergh, plus Pressmore Msundi and Michael Foster. Young Herman Fouche meanwhile will be gaining experience alongside the under 23 Swiss racer Maxime L\u2019Homme for Insect Science\/Davos Klosters Scott.
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\n\tFurther down the field former Exxaro Jersey winners Lorenzo Leroux and Luyanda Thobigunya, of Fairtree Cannondale, will be taking another shot at the men\u2019s category race looking to improve on the 12th place they achieved in 2021. To do so they will need to beat the Gear Change team of Matthew Leppan and Kai von During, as well as the ASAP-World (Joshua Louw and Gavin Cannone), Acepak Automation (Matthew Grobler and Christoff van Heerden) and Mohein (Heinie Beukes and Zandre Gerber) squads. The final team in the Men\u2019s line up is made up by the old hands of South African marathon and stage racing, Nico Bell and Gawie Combrinck. Though technically retired as professional riders, the Bell\u2019s Cycling pairing will still be tough to beat for all but the very best teams in the race.\n<\/p>\n![\"image.jpeg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/image.12cd884a9cd05aa0bb80ad251be97c44-1.jpeg\" "\\"\\"")
Defending champions, Philip Buys and Gert Heyns of Pyga Euro Steel celebrate their 2021 victory. Image by Nick Muzik<\/span><\/span>
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\n\tMen\u2019s Line-Up for the 2022 FNB Wines2Whales Shiraz Event:
\n\t1. Pyga Euro Steel: Philip Buys (RSA) & Gert Heyns (RSA)
\n\t2. Toyota Specialized: Matt Beers (RSA) & Tristan Nortje (RSA)
\n\t3. Imbuko {Type} Dev: Wessel Botha (RSA) & Pieter du Toit (RSA)
\n\t4. Insect Science: Arno du Toit (RSA) & Keagan Bontekoning (RSA)
\n\t5. Imbuko {Type} Dev powered by Giant: Marco Joubert (RSA) & Rudi Koen (RSA)
\n\t6. Team Honeycomb Procycling: Konny Looser (SUI) & Marc Pritzen (RSA)
\n\t7. Valley Electrical Titan Racing: HB Kruger (RSA) & Matthew Keyser (RSA)
\n\t8. Cycle2Ride: Jaco Venter (RSA) & Jan Montshioa (RSA)
\n\t9. Insect Science 2: CP van Wyk (RSA) & Alan Gordan (RSA)
\n\t10. 24\/7 Security: Jan Withaar (RSA) & Pieter Korkie (RSA)
\n\t11. Fairtree Cannondale: Lorenzo Leroux (RSA) & Luyanda Thobigunya (RSA)
\n\t12. Gear Change: Matthew Leppan (RSA) & Kai von During (RSA)
\n\t13. Pyga Euro Steel 3: Pressmore Msundi (ZIM) & Michael Foster (RSA)
\n\t14. 1RACE\/Caleo: William Mokgopo (RSA) & Xavier Papo (NAM)
\n\t15. Acepak Automation: Matthew Grobler (RSA) & Christoff van Heerden (RSA)
\n\t16. ASAP-World: Joshua Louw (RSA) & Gavin Cannone (RSA)
\n\t17. Bells Cycling: Nico Bell (RSA) & Gawie Combrink (RSA)
\n\t18. Mohein: Heinie Beukes (RSA) & Zandre Gerber (RSA)
\n\t19. Pyga Euro Steel 2: Ruan van der Westhuizen (RSA) & Wian van den Bergh (RSA)\u00a0
\n\t20. Insect science\/Davos Klosters Scott: Herman Fouche (RSA) & Maxime L\u2019Homme (SUI)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"