{"id":13764,"date":"2022-02-03T18:17:00","date_gmt":"2022-02-03T18:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/2022\/02\/03\/schurters-singletrack-prowess-dictates-opening-salvoes-at-the-tankwa-trek-r8373\/"},"modified":"2023-03-20T08:52:31","modified_gmt":"2023-03-20T06:52:31","slug":"schurters-singletrack-prowess-dictates-opening-salvoes-at-the-tankwa-trek-r8373","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bikehub.co.za\/news\/schurters-singletrack-prowess-dictates-opening-salvoes-at-the-tankwa-trek-r8373\/","title":{"rendered":"Schurter\u2019s Singletrack Prowess Dictates Opening Salvoes at the Tankwa Trek"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tThe 2022 Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen, got underway at Kaleo Manor in the Koue Bokkeveld on Thursday, 3 February. A short, 29-kilometre opening stage, demanded full gas racing as the teams sprinted for each singletrack. Nine-time UCI XCO World Champion, Nino Schurter utilised all of his racing nous and formidable power to ensure that he and, Corner Card teammate, Filippo Colombo won the opening stage. In the women\u2019s race, Mariske Strauss and Candice Lill got their title defence off to a winning start.\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\"Tankwa
\n\tNino Schurter used all his singletrack nous and skills to race to victory, alongside Filippo Colombo, on the opening day of the 2022 Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen. Photo by Ewald Sadie\/Shift Media Co.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tThe punchy route, which featured a mix of rocky singletracks, rugged dual tracks and a couple of gravel road drags ensured a frenetic first stage. Jaco Venter and Sascha Webber set the early tempo, as they led through the first 10-kilometres. Sadly, Venter\u2019s race ended prematurely, in the day\u2019s first singletrack. The Trek-Vaude man\u2019s front wheel was pulled from underneath him by a small antelope, possibly a steenbok (Raphicerus campestris), which ran across his path.\n<\/p>\n

\n\tVenter was brought down at high speed, cartwheeling dramatically over the bars. He was unable to complete the stage as a result. Somehow the other riders, who were following close behind, were unaffected by the crash and the racing continued.<\/p>\n

\t\"Tankwa
\n\tOvercast conditions made for a pleasant start to the race, which kicked-off with a 29-kilometre stage on Thursday afternoon. Photo by Ewald Sadie\/Shift Media Co.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tSimon Andreassen was the next aggressor; but soon Schurter and Colombo came to the fore. The Swiss pair\u2019s charge through the stage was briefly interrupted by a slow puncture to Schurter\u2019s front wheel. After stopping to reinflate the tyre the Corner Card team had to chase back, but managed to regain contact with the lead group inside the final 10-kilometres. This set up an exciting finish with Toyota Specialized, MES Electrical Suppliers and Imbuko {type}DEV equipped by Giant 1 all also in contention for stage honours.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n\tSchurter lead Colombo into the final singletrack and the pair then benefited from a tangle behind them. Sprinting for the entrance to the fields, upon which the finish line is located, Matt Beers and Konny Looser came together. Looser was forced to stop completely as he ran out of space with Beers losing traction and control in a sandy patch. Despite the MES Electrical Supplies team\u2019s other rider \u2013 Alexander Miller \u2013 crossing the line just behind Schurter and Colombo, Looser\u2019s halt within the final 200-metres relegated them to third.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\"Tankwa
\n\tThe elite men\u2019s field for the 2022 Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen, is stacked with mountain biking talent. Photo by Ewald Sadie\/Shift Media Co.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cIt was a fast stage with very tight racing\u201d Schurter commented. \u201cWe didn\u2019t really know where the singletracks were so we had to stay near the front all the time. I had a small leak in my front tyre, but fortunately that didn\u2019t cost us too much.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cTomorrow is going to be another exciting stage\u201d he added. \u201cThere are only a handful of seconds between the top five teams\u201d Beers pointed out. \u201cThe next few days are going to be fiercely contested. And it\u2019s all to play for.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\"Tankwa
\n\tNino Schurter and Filippo Colombo sprinted to line honours on Stage 1. Photo by Ewald Sadie\/Shift Media Co.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tIn the women\u2019s race Strauss and Lill made an early break. \u201cWe got away on the first little climb and rather than waiting to be caught decided to push on\u201d Lill stated. \u201cWith the rocky nature of the trails here it\u2019s safer to get out in front and ride your own pace. There were a few times where we came upon really technical sections quite unexpectedly and I thought how dangerous they could be in a big group, like the men were racing in. With the tail wind you pick up a lot of speed without really realising it.\u201d\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\"Tankwa
\n\tMariske Strauss and Candice Lill dominated Stage 1 and got their title defence off to the best possible start. Photo by Sage Lee Voges \/ www.zcmc.co.za.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tLill and Strauss\u2019 margin of victory was a commanding 5-minutes and 42-seconds. Sarah Hill and Theresa Ralph won the sprint for second over the Efficient Insure Infiniti Racing. The tight gaps between the top men as well as the negligible difference between the second- and third-women\u2019s teams bodes well for an exciting weekend of racing.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n\tFriday\u2019s Stage 2 is often underestimated for its difficulty. The 86-kilometre route, through the Witzenberg Valley takes in 1 900-metres of climbing and is run in reverse, to its usual anti-clockwise direction, in 2022. The racing will get underway at 06:30.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n

\n\tMomentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen Results<\/strong><\/p>\n

\tStage 1 | Men:<\/strong>
\n\t1.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Corner Card: Nino Schurter and Filippo Colombo (1:03:25)
\n\t2.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Toyota Specialized: Matt Beers and Tristan Nortje (1:03:31| +06)
\n\t3.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0MES Electrical Supplies: Alexander Miller and Konny Looser (1:03:37 | +12)\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\"Tankwa
\n\tNino Schurter and Filippo Colombo were joined on the day one podium by Matt Beers and Tristan Nortje (Toyota Specialized) and the MES Electrical Supplies team of Alexander Miller and Konny Looser. Photo by Ewald Sadie\/Shift Media Co.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tStage 1 | Women:<\/strong>
\n\t1.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Faces Rola: Mariske Stauss and Candice Lill (1:17:11)
\n\t2.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Liv Cycling South Africa: Sarah Hill and Theresa Ralph (1:22:53 | +5:42)
\n\t3.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Efficient Insure Infinity Racing: Kim le Court and Samantha Sanders (1:22:59 | +5:48)\n<\/p>\n

\n\t\"Tankwa
\n\tThe Stage 1 women\u2019s podium featured (from left to right) Theresa Ralph, Sarah Hill, Mariske Strauss, Candice Lill, Kim le Court and Samantha Sanders (absent). Photo by Ewald Sadie\/Shift Media Co.<\/em>\n<\/p>\n

\n\tPlease visit www.tankwatrek.co.za<\/a> to view the full results from Stage 1.\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t