![\"ccs-62657-0-63596100-1558019685.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-63596100-1558019685.jpg\")
<\/a>The pace of the front group was electric of the district roads early on stage one of the race at the 2019 KAP sani2c on Thursday. Kevin Sawyer\/ Gameplan Media<\/span><\/p>\nIt was a frenetic day of racing as the usual suspects flew out of the blocks after the neutral zone with PYGA Euro Steel\u2019s two teams, DSV Pro Cycling, NAD Pro MTB\u2019s Matt Beers and Stuart Marais, Darkhorse Wheel\u2019s Andrew Hill and Shaun-Nick Bester and Imbuko Giant Pro Cycling\u2019s Nicol Carstens and Marco Joubert setting the pace.<\/p>\n
As the day lengthened so did the gaps with DSV, PYGA Euro Steel and NAD Pro managing to create a bit of daylight over the rest and they battled it out for line honours through the rest of the stage.<\/p>\n
It was a tough day for Beers and Marais though as they spent a lot of the second half of the stage hanging on to the leading two teams. They fell off the back in the lead up to the line and have a 19 second deficit to overturn on the second stage.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a pretty quick stage from the start but we expected the PYGA guys to race more aggressively,\u201d Arno du Toit said after the stage win.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were quite conservative and that worked well for us, them and the NAD Pro guys but we are really happy to pull off the stage win in the end.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/a>The DSV Pro Cycling team of Gert Heyns (right) and Arno du Toit (left) took the end-sprint on an exciting day of racing on stage one of the race at the 2019 KAP sani2c on Thursday. Maryann Shaw\/ Gameplan Media<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>It was solid performance from PYGA Eurosteel’s Matthys Beukes (left) and Phil Buys (right) as they just lost the end sprint at the end of stage one of the race at the 2019 KAP sani2c on Thursday. Maryann Shaw\/ Gameplan Media<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe DSV duo finished second at 2018\u2019s race and are itching to go one better this year. Despite not having a gap going into the \u2018Queen Stage\u2019 on Friday they are happy with the position that they are in after stage one.<\/p>\n
\u201cTomorrow is a much longer stage and it will be easier to open up gaps which we are looking forward to,\u201d Heyns said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a big event for us and we would love to win it. I have won it once before but I would love to do it with Arno!\u201d<\/p>\n
Du Toit added that they were in a good space after the first stage.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are feeling pretty confident and we achieved what we wanted to do on stage one with no time gaps but we are going to need to be positive and confident on Friday.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is going to be another enthralling day on Friday with the PYGA Euro Steel team breathing down their necks throughout and Beukes and Buys will be hungry to win back the title they relinquished in 2018.<\/p>\n \u201cGert and Arno were quick today and we were happy that we didn\u2019t lose any time,\u201d Beukes said.<\/p>\n \u201cFriday is a huge stage and to be neck-and-neck going into it is exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n Buys missed out on the KAP sani2c in 2018 and is excited that he can be on the front and fighting it out for another title.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s hard racing but it is great to be back racing at the sharp end of the sani2c!<\/p>\n \u201cThe first stage is always really fast and I think that on Friday we will start to see some more gaps opening up. It\u2019s going to be a big one and we are looking forward to the challenge,\u201d Buys mentioned.<\/p>\n The ladies race leaders surprised themselves more than anyone else when they powered home to the stage win.<\/p>\n The dormakaba duo of Sanders and De Groot came of varying lay-offs but put that aside as they took the ladies race by the scruff of the neck, despite not exerting themselves too much.<\/p>\n \u201cWe rode at a tempo within ourselves and I didn\u2019t have any expectations when we started this morning,\u201d Sanders said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just wanted to see how the legs felt and Robs has been off the bike for six months, but she was really strong!<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s cool to have a lead but there are still two long days of racing ahead of us.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a>The local farming community providing a slight obstacle for the leading men’s group early on during stage one of the race at the 2019 KAP sani2c on Thursday. Kevin Sawyer\/ Gameplan Media<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>dormakaba’s Sam Sanders (right) and Robyn de Groot (left) cantered home to the stage win the women’s race on stage one of the race at the 2019 KAP sani2c on Thursday. Kevin Sawyer\/ Gameplan Media<\/span><\/p>\n