{"id":13735,"date":"2022-02-06T13:19:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-06T13:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/2022\/02\/06\/cornercard-and-faces-rola-wrap-up-tankwa-trek-titles-r8376\/"},"modified":"2023-03-20T08:52:29","modified_gmt":"2023-03-20T06:52:29","slug":"cornercard-and-faces-rola-wrap-up-tankwa-trek-titles-r8376","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/cornercard-and-faces-rola-wrap-up-tankwa-trek-titles-r8376\/","title":{"rendered":"Corn\u00e9rcard and Faces Rola wrap up Tankwa Trek titles"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tThe overnight leaders, Corn\u00e9rcard and Faces Rola, wrapped up their Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen, titles with stage wins on the final day. Nino Schurter and Filippo Colombo underlined their dominance in the Koue Bokkeveld with a comfortable victory. While Sunday, 6 February, saw Mariske Strauss and Candice Lill complete their clean sweep of stage honours.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\"2
\n\tMariske Strauss (left) and Candice Lill (right) thoroughly deserved their Cap Classic shower for their dominant performance over the preceding four stages. Photo by Sage Lee Voges \/ www.zcmc.co.za.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe got away from the rest of the elite women\u2019s field pretty early on and decided to just race the last stage as hard as we could\u201d Lill revealed. \u201cThe last stage was anything but easy though. The climbs were punchy and there were a few long sandy stretches. But like a lot of the riding around here there were some amazing rocky trails too. It was tricky, technical and rocky. Which we love!\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cYou don\u2019t get riding like this anywhere else and it\u2019s impossible to replicate in training\u201d the South African XCO Champion added. \u201cIt\u2019s a great boost for the rest of the year to start the season with a victory here at the Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\"4
\n\tCandice Lill and Mariske Strauss spent most of the race riding solo, time trialling to the best possible stage winning times. Photo by Sage Lee Voges \/ www.zcmc.co.za.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tLill and Strauss\u2019 four stage wins ensured that they finished well up on their general classification rivals. After a fiercely contested battle for second, on the opening stage, Sarah Hill and Theresa Ralph steadily rode themselves into a convincing second position overall. \u201cIt was great racing with Sarah again. She\u2019s on terrific form at the moment and really took good care of me this weekend\u201d Ralph praised.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n\tWith Liv Cycling South Africa standing on the second step of the podium, below Faces Rola, the final spot was claimed by Efficient Insure Infinity Racing. Making her comeback from nearly a year off racing Samantha Sanders finished the four days stronger than she started and can use the event as a solid base from which to launch her return to competitive form. She and Kim le Court proved a dynamic partnership, which is sure to grow in confidence and results as the year progresses.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n\tIn the men\u2019s race, there were no free passes on the final stage. \u201cIt might have looked easy on paper but if definitely wasn\u2019t in reality\u201d Wessel Botha puffed after the race. \u201cOkes were like sharks out there\u201d Matt Beers laughed. \u201cEvery time anyone sensed blood the speed doubled. It was a very tough final stage.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\"5
\n\tThe final stage of the race saw the Corn\u00e9rcard team joined at the sharp end by Toyota Specialized, Cannondale Factory Racing and Imbuko {type}DEV equipped by Giant. Photo by Ewald Sadie\/Shift Media Co.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tBeers played a significant part in making the stage difficult. As did the cross-country specialists, Schurter, Colombo, Alan Hatherly and Simon Andreassen. \u201cIt was like an XCO race today\u201d Schurter smiled. \u201cEvery climb was full gas and there was no let-up on the descents or flats. Especially when Matt went to the front.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe tried a few times to get away, but it was difficult to make a decisive move with the undulating terrain\u201d the Swiss star explained. \u201cFilippo got a piece of string wrapped up in his rear wheel just as the pace was really starting to increase for the finale. Fortunately, we only lost 20 seconds or so and we were able to close the gap. Then on the final climb, we put in an attack and got a little gap which we could hold through the final singletrack.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIf you have the lead you have a big advantage coming into this finish chute\u201d Shurter continued. \u201cSo, we were able from there to enjoy the victory. It was a tough four days of racing. But it was good to see how the winter\u2019s training has gone in a race situation.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\"3
\n\tNino Schurter\u2019s all-round prowess put his rivals on the back foot for much of the race. Photo by Ewald Sadie\/Shift Media Co.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tSchurter and Colombo\u2019s acceleration could only be followed by Alan Hatherly. The sprint for the minor places behind the stage and race winners thus came down to the Imbuko {type}DEV equipped by Giant team and Simon Andreassen. \u201cI know Simon is a weapon when it comes to placing himself for a sprint\u201d Hatherly noted. \u201cI was happy to leave him to it and he came through to ensure we claimed second today.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n\tBotha and Marco Joubert had to settle for third on the stage, but the result was more than good enough to ensure they remained in third overall. Beers and Tristan Nortje slipped a few seconds off the pace in the final kilometres but remained in second on the final general classification. \u201cWe knew we had a good buffer to the Imbuko {type}DEV equipped by Giant guys\u201d Nortje reflected. \u201cThat\u2019s not to say we took it easy through the last singletrack. But we just knew we didn\u2019t have to stress. The Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen, has been amazing. It\u2019s been tough, especially Stages 1 and 2, but I\u2019ve got some good memories to take from the race and lots of reasons to be positive.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\"7
\n\tThe dry and dusty conditions, on Stage 4, made for dramatic visuals and challenging racing. Photo by Ewald Sadie\/Shift Media Co.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Corn\u00e9rcard team\u2019s stage winning time was 2 hours, 37 minutes and 7 seconds. This ensured that their general classification victory margin was 5 minutes and 47 seconds over Toyota Specialized. Botha and Joubert were a further 6 minutes and 29 seconds behind Beers and Nortje. The women\u2019s margin of victory underlined Strauss and Lill\u2019s dominance. The Faces Rola pair were an hour ahead of Liv Cycling South Africa after the four stages.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\"1
\n\tNino Schurter (left) and Filippo Colombo (right) wrapped up the 2022 Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen, title with a third stage win of the race. Photo by Ewald Sadie\/Shift Media Co.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tMomentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen Results
\n\tStage 4 | Men:<\/strong>
\n\t1.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Corn\u00e9rcard: Nino Schurter and Filippo Colombo (2:37:07)
\n\t2.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Cannondale Factory Racing: Simon Andreassen and Alan Hatherly (2:37:20| +13)
\n\t3.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Imbuko {type}DEV equipped by Giant (2:37:22 | +13)\n<\/p>\n

\n\tStage 4 | Women:<\/strong>
\n\t1.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Faces Rola: Mariske Strauss and Candice Lill (3:11:54)
\n\t2.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Liv Cycling South Africa: Sarah Hill and Theresa Ralph (3:25:36 | +13:42)
\n\t3.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Efficient Insure Infinity Racing: Kim le Court and Samantha Sanders (3:29:47 | +17:53)\n<\/p>\n

\n\tGeneral Classification after Stage 4 | Men:<\/strong>
\n\t1.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Corn\u00e9rcard: Nino Schurter and Filippo Colombo (11:06:53)
\n\t2.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Toyota Specialized: Matt Beers and Tristan Nortje (11:12:42 | +5:47)
\n\t3.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Imbuko {type}DEV equipped by Giant (11:19:09 | +12:16)\n<\/p>\n

\n\tGeneral Classification after Stage 4 | Women:<\/strong>
\n\t1.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Faces Rola: Mariske Strauss and Candice Lill (13:49:11)
\n\t2.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Liv Cycling South Africa: Sarah Hill and Theresa Ralph (14:49:35| +1:00:24)
\n\t3.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Efficient Insure Infinity Racing: Kim le Court and Samantha Sanders (15:11:30 | +1:23:19)\n<\/p>\n

\n\tPlease visit www.tankwatrek.co.za<\/a> to view the full results from Stage 4.<\/p>\n

\t\"10
\n\tThe final elite men\u2019s podium comprised of (from left to right): Toyota Specialized\u2019s Tristan Nortje and Matt Beers (2nd), Corn\u00e9rcard\u2019s Nino Schurter and Filippo Colombo (1st), and Imbuko {type}DEV equipped by Giant\u2019s Wessel Botha and Marco Joubert (3rd). Photo by Ewald Sadie\/Shift Media Co.<\/em><\/p>\n

\t\"11
\n\tThe final elite women\u2019s podium comprised of (from left to right): Liv Cycling South Africa\u2019s Sarah Hill and Theresa Ralph (2nd), Faces Rola\u2019s Mariske Strauss and Candice Lill (1st), and Efficient Insure Infiniti Racing\u2019s Kim le Court and Samantha Sanders (3rd). Photo by Sage Lee Voges \/ www.zcmc.co.za.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The overnight leaders, Corn\u00e9rcard and Faces Rola, wrapped up their Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen, titles with stage wins on the final day. Nino Schurter and Filippo Colombo underlined their dominance in the Koue Bokkeveld with a comfortable victory. While Sunday, 6 February, saw Mariske Strauss and Candice Lill complete their clean […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":59596,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[5305],"featured_location":[],"class_list":["post-13735","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-events","tag-null"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13735","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=13735"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13735\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":62172,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13735\/revisions\/62172"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/59596"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13735"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13735"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13735"},{"taxonomy":"featured_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/featured_location?post=13735"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}