![\"ccs-62657-0-37063900-1550939246.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-37063900-1550939246.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Photo credit: Caleb Bjergfelt.<\/span><\/p>\nFor Beers, who along with Hatherly only decided to enter the Knysna Bull at the last minute, it was a sweet win. Beers, who grew up in Knysna, said winning on \u2018home turf\u2019 was special.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy last win in this area was Karoo to Coast a while ago. So to do well again in my old backyard was a special feeling,\u201d said Beers. \u201cI think I definitely had an advantage over the others, because when I looked at the stages and the routes we were taking, I knew exactly what to expect.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Knysna Bull men\u2019s field also included Swiss powerhouse Nicola Rohrbach, but it was Beers who took a stranglehold on the race for R100 000 from the get-go. From his prologue victory, it was just a matter of keeping Hatherly, Kruger and Rohrbach, who withdrew on day 2, at bay.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was certainly a different dynamic, racing solo and for such a large prize purse,\u201d said Beers. \u201cIt made the racing very intense – like the event number board says, it was R100 000 to lose!\u201d<\/p>\n
For Hatherly and Kruger the Knysna Bull was a race pace platform for their seasons ahead, and an opportunity to race in an infrequently visited part of the country.<\/p>\n \u201cI liked the solo aspect of the racing,\u201d said Kruger. \u201cIt was a good block of intense training, and it\u2019s great to compare yourself to the likes of Matt and Alan; it\u2019s not every day that you get to race against a world champion.\u201d<\/p>\n Hatherly said that while the distance and climbing metres overall in the Knysna Bull were not overly aggressive, the riding was still full throttle.<\/p>\n \u201cI find the more I race, the faster I get. So this race was perfect ahead of Cape Epic. It was four days of proper riding, with lots of pedalling! I\u2019m chuffed with my result but also for Matt. It\u2019s a great win. When you put him on the open road, there are very few people who can catch him.\u201d<\/p>\n Former Cape Epic winner Jennie Stenerhag was impressed with the event and competition throughout. \u201cSam is a very worthy winner,\u201d said Stenerhag. \u201cShe is riding so well at the moment and is very strong. It was an intense four days of racing, but lots of fun too.\u201d<\/p>\n The Knysna Bull is the first time Sanders has raced in the area, and after claiming the big cheque with the big number, she leaves with fond memories.<\/p>\n<\/a>Photo credit: Caleb Bjergfelt.<\/span><\/p>\n