![\"ccs-62657-0-65830800-1463318703.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-65830800-1463318703.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Mariske Strauss (Novus Pro OMX Team) leads the way in the Pro-Elite Women’s race at Settlers Park Nature Reserve in the fourth round of the Stihl 2016 SA XCO Cup Series in Port Elizabeth on Saturday 14 May. Photo credit: Anton Havenga<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cI had an absolute blast,\u201d said Elite Women\u2019s Winner, Mariske Strauss, who had led the bunch from the beginning. \u201cIt was a crazy track, but an awesome track. We need more of these in South Africa. There aren\u2019t many tracks like these with a steep technical section \u2013 it\u2019s great preparation for racing in Europe,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
After a series of unfortunate race meetings, Strauss has seemed to rid herself of her bad luck and minor setbacks to produce exceptional results of late.<\/p>\n
She also mentioned how happy she was to share the podium with Novus OMX Pro MTB teammate and 2016 National Champion, Cherie Redecker, who was strong and consistent throughout her race. \u201cI\u2019m so happy, it\u2019s all just awesome: an awesome track, awesome ride and an awesome day out. But next for me is an exam on Tuesday, and then I fly to Europe for the next UCI World Cup XCO in Germany next weekend,\u201d concluded Strauss.<\/p>\n
Recent winner of the African Continental Marathon, Amy Beth McDougall (Valencia), who claimed the bronze medal, said: \u201cI have just come off the joBerg2c so had no idea what my legs would do. I am not primarily a cross-country racer, I just do it to sharpen my skills and mix up the season with some fun and intensity, and so I was happy with third place. It was a tough course with two massive loose climbs, which were painful, but it was all rewarded with some fun descents. I felt pretty consistent despite a tuck-and-roll down the first technical section and kept third place until the end.\u201d<\/p>\n
Elite Men\u2019s winner, Reid, also led the charge from the get-go. \u201cWhat a race out there \u2013 super challenging,\u201d he said. \u201cThe back story to this race was that Alan Hatherly (Kargo Pro MTB Team), Philip Buys (Scott Factory Racing powered by LCB) and myself are fighting for Olympic spots. So from the gun the three of us really fed it to each other \u2013 it really was no holds barred.\u201d<\/p>\n Reid had taken part in the Eastern Cape Provincial XCO last weekend in much wetter conditions, but had felt that he had done his homework on the track.<\/p>\n The Team Spur rider touched on Olympic selection: \u201cI really hope that the selectors can see that when the three of us line up, it\u2019s the same result as the last time the three of us lined up and that we had a fair, clean race in proper conditions. I hope this bodes well for my Olympic dream \u2013 it is the last selection race in a series of seven of them that are competitive, so today, I\u2019m just really happy to have pulled off the win,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n An outstanding performance was also witnessed from Specialized Concept Cyclery\u2019s Julian Jessop, who crossed the line with a fourth place in his first year with Pro Elite status. \u201cToday was really hard, but I had really good performance,\u201d said Jessop.<\/p>\n When asked about the transition from Junior to Pro Elite, he said: \u201cOne of the hardest parts about it, is the lap count. Take this race for instance, the Juniors do four laps and the Elites are doing six. That\u2019s one and a half times more. There is also no change in pace at this level, the speed is constantly high \u2013 if you try to take it easy, you just get left behind. I\u2019ve been training hard and building on my strength. It takes time to increase the ability to be able to ride at that pace for longer.\u201d<\/p>\n Jessop said that preparation to receive the results he did today has been difficult. \u201cThis is the highest position I\u2019ve gotten this year, so it\u2019s awesome,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He also mentioned that because he had to write an exam on Friday, he flew to Port Elizabeth for the day on Thursday to practise on the course, and flew back in the evening. \u201cI also heard that there was a section that they changed a bit on the Friday, so I rode it blind today, but pretty happy with how it turned out,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>\n The Junior competition, which formed part of the UCI Junior World Series, saw Tim Meier and Danielle Strydom take top honours n the Men\u2019s and Women\u2019s races. Meier\u2019s lap times showed that he performed faster than his peers throughout the race, while Reinhard Zellhuber and Wessel Botha rounded out the podium in second and third places respectively. Strydom\u2019s dominance in Junior Women\u2019s racing continued as she stood on top of the podium with Kristen Louw finishing in second place over three minutes behind the young star!<\/p>\n The fifth round of the 2016 SA National Downhill Cup Series will take place in the Free State on Saturday 18 June 2016. For more information, click here: http:\/\/www.cyclingsa.com\/2016-sa-mtb-cup-series\/<\/a> or contact Dellah Paul on 082 781 5656 for administration info.<\/p>\n<\/a>It was a hard and fast start in the Pro-Elite Men’s race, where Team Spur’s James Reid emerged the victor at Settlers Park Nature Reserve in the fourth round of the Stihl 2016 SA XCO Cup Series in Port Elizabeth on Saturday 14 May. Photo credit: Anton Havenga<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>James Reid (Team Spur) leads the way in the Pro-Elite Men’s race at Settlers Park Nature Reserve in the fourth round of the Stihl 2016 SA XCO Cup Series in Port Elizabeth on Saturday 14 May. Photo credit: Anton Havenga<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>The Junior Men’s race saw winner Tim Meier stand atop the podium, flanked by Reinhard Zellhuber (2nd place – right) and Wessel Botha (3rd place – left) at Settlers Park Nature Reserve in the fourth round of the Stihl 2016 SA XCO Cup Series in Port Elizabeth on Saturday 14 May. Photo credit: Anton Havenga<\/span><\/p>\n