![\"ccs-62657-0-24362500-1498486691.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-24362500-1498486691.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Elite men lead by Gert Heyns (Ascendis Health) and followed by Matthys Beukes (Pyga Eurosteel) and Matthew Beers (Red-E Cannondale) at the Nissan TrailSeeker Western Cape Series in Grabouw. Photo Credit: www.zcmc.co.za<\/span><\/p>\nBeers, who races for Red-E Cannondale, was involved in a three-way scrap with Ascendis Health\u2019s Gert Heyns and Matthys Beukes (Pyga Eurosteel) for most of the 67km race. Towards the end though, Beukes and Heyns pulled clear of Beers, but missed a turn.<\/p>\n
Beers almost missed the turn too, but was quick to correct his error and was the first rider home to have completed the correct route and was declared the winner after some post-race deliberation by officials. Beukes and Heyns were subsequently disqualified.<\/p>\n
Beers\u2019s winning time was 02 hours 46 minutes 34 seconds. Waylon Woolcock (Team BCX) was awarded second place with Marco Joubert (Momsen Bikes) rounding out the podium places.<\/p>\n
\u201cI lost touch with the leaders a few times during the race, but I managed to get back. I don\u2019t really like to win this way. Matthys was strong. He attacked and got away up that last climb. But you also have to focus on where you a going. It\u2019s a hard one but you can\u2019t just go crazy and then not think where you\u2019re going,\u201d said Beers afterwards.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a good race otherwise. Matthys was the stronger rider for sure. It was a hard route with a cold start, but the route was amazing,\u201d added Beers.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was exciting racing. Me, Gert and Matt got away from the rest early on. The route was well marked overall, but at a crucial point, when the racing was on, it wasn\u2019t marked that well, which is quite unfortunate but not much we can do about it,\u201d said a disappointed Beukes, who had shown he was the strongest of the lead group of three by riding clear on the final climb.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not sure where they went wrong. I didn\u2019t find the route badly marked and followed the markers. I\u2019m happy with my winter form, but it\u2019s a long year so I\u2019m building up for another peak in September and October. The rain and recent fires here made the sandy surface quite tough in places, but a pretty route nonetheless,\u201d said Woolcock, winner of Round 1 of the 2017 Nissan TrailSeeker Series.<\/p>\n In the women\u2019s division, the racing was also close among the title contenders for the majority of the race. Kitching proved the strongest in the closing stages though and claimed the victory in a time of 3:42:16. Louise Ferreira finished second with Jeanie de Villiers taking third.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was very unexpected. This is the first time for an overall race win for me so I\u2019m very chuffed. I battled a bit at the start in the cold, but I started reeling people in on the big climbs and from about two-thirds of the way through I managed to take the lead and hold it against some strong opposition,\u201d smiled Kitching.<\/p>\n \u201cThis whole area is gorgeous to ride in. The views are fantastic and the race organisation has been faultless, although I wouldn\u2019t have minded a later start,\u201d added Kitching.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m very pleased with my result. Tandi was a great competitor. The route was great with lots of super singletrack that was well marked and not that technical. It really caters for everybody and the weather was good too,\u201d said runner-up Ferreira.<\/p>\n In the 38km Half-marathon, Rossouw Bekker was the first male to finish in 1:28:13 with Mia de Villiers the first female home in 1:49:38.<\/p>\n Overall women 67km marathon<\/strong> Overall male 38km half-marathon<\/strong> Overall female 38km half-marathon<\/strong> For full results visit www.saseeding.co.za<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>Matthew Beers with head down and focused as he pushes up Grabouw steep ascents at the Nissan TrailSeeker Wester Cape Series in Grabouw. Photo Credit: www.zcmc.co.za<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Tandi Kitching crossing the finish line to claim her first ever overall marathon win at the Nissan TrailSeeker Western Cape Series in Grabouw. Photo Credit: www.zcmc.co.za<\/span>\n<\/div>\n
Round 2, Grabouw<\/strong>
Leading results:<\/strong>
Overall men 67km marathon<\/strong>
1 Matthew Beers (Red-E Cannondale) 2:46:34
2 Waylon Woolcock (Team BCX) 2:53:19
3 Marco Joubert (Momsen Bikes) 2:58:37
4 Dominic Calitz 2:59:03
5 Robert Hobson 3:03:15
6 Jarrod van den Heever 3:03:15
7 Alexander Rohrer 3:03:40
8 Chris Wolhuter 3:05:02
9 HB Kruger (Team BCX) 3:07:29
10 Justin Tuck 03:09:09<\/p>\n
1 Tandi Kitching 3:42:16
2 Louise Ferreira 3:47:54
3 Jeanie de Villiers 3:50:19
4 Dene Conroy-De Wet 3:50:25
5 Courteney Webb 3:51:45
6 Luz Maria Martinez Mejia 3:55:50
7 Leorine de Wet 3:57:00
8 Sarita Louw 3:57:52
9 Kate Munnik 3:58:02
10 Janice Venter 4:01:45<\/p>\n
1 Rossouw Bekker 1:28:13
2 Jamie Penfold 1:28:42
3 Phillip Dicey 1:30:14<\/p>\n
1 Mia de Villiers 1:49:38
2 Amy Tait 1:50:00
3 Stefke Tolmay 1:51:00<\/p>\n