![\"ccs-62657-0-16875900-1574529535.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-16875900-1574529535-1.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>The spectacular Tradouw Pass sets the scene for a beautiful day on the bike, at the Coronation Double Century. Photo by Tobias Ginsberg\/Volume Photography.<\/span><\/p>\nThere was drama for Active Bodies within the first 10 kilometres though; when they lost potentially their strongest rider, Matt Beers, to a puncture. They pressed on with 11 of their maximum 12 rider contingent, while Beers was left to chase on his own. Miraculously the man who usually represents NAD Pro MTB was able to catch up to the rest of his team by the time they reached Ashton, 120 kilometres into the race. Having returned to South Africa from a trial spell, as a stagiaire, with the UAE Emirates WorldTour team Beers is clearly in the best form of his career.<\/p>\n
He was not just a passenger for the remaining 80 kilometres though. Beers helped his team to a time of 4 hours, 23 minutes and 16 seconds; 8 and a half minutes faster than their 2018 effort. The faster time was aided by a tail wind in the final 50 kilometres. Usually the hilly finale to the Coronation Double Century is made tougher by the summer\u2019s prevailing South Easterly wind. In 2019 an unseasonal Westerly helped riders as their legs started to fail them.<\/p>\n
Though they certainly must have been tired, Active Bodies gave no outward impression of weakness. Having now won three editions on the trot the winners have the team time trialling know-how. \u201cJa, we\u2019ve got a great team; with some top-class athletes and that really helps\u201d, Clint Hendricks, the road captain, of team Active Bodies downplayed the squad\u2019s time trialling skills. \u201cBut yes, Coronation Double Century experience is really important. It is our third victory in a row as Active Bodies and if I could say my personal record here isn\u2019t bad, in the last five years I\u2019ve won four and been second once.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRiding for Active Bodies is very special though\u201d the 2018 Commonwealth Games Bronze Medallist continued. \u201cWe ride for a bigger cause. This year we were riding for the Smile Foundation and we donate the prize money to the charity so that they can help children live better lives, by providing them with life improving maxillofacial surgeries.\u201d<\/p>\n Behind Hendricks and his triple champions Alfa Body Works\/Giant were second; for the second year in a row. They finished 6 minutes and 32 seconds behind Active Bodies, in a time of 4 hours, 29 minutes and 48 seconds. The Hartlief Deli\/Powerbar team were third, 14 minutes and 18 seconds back.<\/p>\n In the women\u2019s race, rearranging of the starting order aided the top teams in their quest to set fast times and race each other without interference from slower open or mixed teams. \u201cWe hardly had any traffic\u201d Stellenbosch Tri Squad\/Specialized\u2019s Kylie Hanekom praised. \u201cWe enjoyed a pretty much clean run which made a massive difference, in comparison to last year.\u201d<\/p>\n Hanekom\u2019s sentiments were echoed by Lara Tennent, the ride captain for Private Client Holdings. \u201cBeing able to get a clear run meant we could get into our pace lines and ride our own race\u201d she explained. \u201cFor most of the race we were actually first on the road, with just the head marshal\u2019s car in front of us. It was amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWith the changed start times and the bigger focus on the women\u2019s race this year we were excited to give it our best shot\u201d Tennent added. \u201cWe are very grateful to Private Client Holdings for coming on-board and sponsoring us. They could have sponsored the men\u2019s team again but wanted to support the women\u2019s race because it was so competitive. There were about six teams who were in the mix for the win and I think our team training really made the difference. We started training together as a squad, practicing pace lines, about two months ago and it paid off today\u201d she concluded.<\/p>\n Private Client Holdings posted a stellar time of 5 hours, 47 minutes and 2 seconds on the 202-kilometre-long course. Their closest competitors were the Tiletoria Train who finished in 5 hours, 56 minutes and 14 seconds; 9 minutes and 12 seconds back. The Stellenbosch Tri Squad\/Specialized team was third, as they came up short in their title defence.<\/p>\n Mixed category champions, UFO, were pushed all the way back to Swellendam by the second placed Bekker Steel Racing. With the teams spending differing amounts of time in the neutral and feed zones it was impossible for the team from Johannesburg to tell if they had won the race, despite leading on the road throughout.<\/p>\n<\/a>The Active Bodies team secured their third consecutive Coronation Double Century title by team time trialling to victory in the 2019 race. Photo by Tobias Ginsberg\/Volume Photography.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Team work, very much, makes the Coronation Double Century dream work; even when it comes to fixing mechanicals. Photo by Tobias Ginsberg\/Volume Photography.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>The Private Client Holding\u2019s team won the women\u2019s race in a stellar time of 5 hours, 47 minutes and 2 seconds. Photo by Tobias Ginsberg\/Volume Photography. <\/span><\/p>\n