![\"ccs-62657-0-38703900-1459313204.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-38703900-1459313204.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>London 2012 Olympian, Philip Buys (Scott Factory Racing powered by LCB) leads the Pro-Elite men’s field through the start\/finish area at round three of the Stihl 2016 SA XCO Cup Series hosted by the City of Thswane at Wolwespruit Bike Park in Erasmuskloof, Pretoria, on Saturday 26 March. Photo credit: Hendrik Steytler Photography.<\/span><\/p>\nReid broke away fairly early in the race, and managed to keep a comfortable distance ahead of second placed Brendon Davids (Trek Racing Team) despite a tumble on one of the last two laps when his pedal hit a rock.<\/p>\n
According to Reid, the course was similar to marathon racing in many sections, which seemed to suit the Team Spur rider. \u201cI really enjoyed it \u2013 it\u2019s not super punchy and with a sustained climb in the middle and the sustained longer downhill, it does suit the riders who need slightly longer to recover and who are less punchy.\u201d<\/p>\n
The course, Reid felt, played to his and Davids\u2019 strengths, whereas Philip Buys (third \u2013 Scott Factory Racing powered by LCB) Alan Hatherly (fourth \u2013 Kargo Pro MTB Team) both dominate in the more \u201cpunchier\u201d courses.<\/p>\n
Reid mentioned that before the second round at Helderberg Farms, which was considered a \u201chome race\u201d for him, he\u2019d done a fairly extensive amount of work beforehand and felt over done going in. \u201cHere, I took the intensity and the race simulation away from the Cape Epic and put it into this weekend and next weekend (African Continental Championships), which are quite important for Olympic qualification,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n The keen participation of younger riders was also of interest to Reid. \u201cIt\u2019s cool to see the cross-correlation between cross-country and Spur, in particular the Spur School Series. I\u2019ve been lucky to be involved and have been able to keep a close eye on the high school league, and it\u2019s been incredible to witness that talent that we have at the younger levels,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cHats off to Cycling SA, Stihl and everyone involved in putting together this series \u2013 its really come a long way, and here its UCI Category 1 where we are earning valuable UCI points for our country and individual ranking, which is fantastic,\u201d Reid said.<\/p>\n Next for our riders is the African Continental MTB Championships in Lesotho next weekend. Reid (who took the title in Lesotho in 2014) mentioned that the course is one that would suit him, but that Davids (who won in 2013) had been training up there already. \u201cIt\u2019s never predictable and with the high altitude there, it\u2019s a whole new ball game. It\u2019s going to be an interesting and exciting race,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Novus OMX Pro Team\u2019s Cherie Redecker said: \u201cThis track was pretty difficult, about 5.8km with 180m of climbing, plus the start loop. It was quite strenuous \u2013 the first climb literally felt like it went straight up. It wasn\u2019t smooth, it was very rocky at times and we had to keep focused.\u201d<\/p>\n Redecker also broke away early on in the race and sat comfortably ahead for the remaining laps.<\/p>\n The finish line saw many of the women riders emotionally and physically challenged from the course, and Redecker said: \u201cIt was really strenuous. I\u2019m so proud of every single one of those girls out there today. It was so great to see more girls racing. Unfortunately my teammate Mariske had quite a bad tumble and I just hope that she recovers well as we\u2019ve got Africa Champs this weekend. I just pray that she has a smooth season and that this is the last set back that she has.\u201d<\/p>\n Redecker is excited for the Continental Championships, but said that she is a little nervous with it being 3000 metres altitude. \u201cI think this weekend\u2019s given me a bit of a boost but it will be interesting to see what the course is like. If it were a power course I would just have to set my mind to it and think that I love powering and flats. The climbing is to my advantage and with the Helderberg SA Cup 2 and with this race it\u2019s been great,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Henry Liebenberg and Danielle Strydom took the Junior Men and Women\u2019s titles respectively.<\/p>\n City of Tshwane MMC for Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Counsellor Nosipho Tyobeka Makeke said: \u201cHaving an event like this is very important for the city. Back in 2012 the city launch the City Vision 2055, and we identified some game changers that would really put the city on the map and take it to new heights. Sport is one of those game changers.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to develop all the sporting codes, but in particular cycling. It\u2019s not as popular amongst our communities as we would like it to be. Let cycling be introduced as one of those programmes of development to our communities. Cycling is one of those sporting codes that we\u2019ve earmarked as a city. It also brings the economic spin-offs to the city, attracting visitors from all over the country and the world.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have started and want to see it grow. We want to see everyone get involved \u2013 especially in the communities. The city has got so much to offer and we are proud of that. We want to see it become an event destination.\u201d<\/p>\n On Sunday 27 March, The City of Tshwane hosted the inaugural Tshwane Cycle Challenge Series race, which was in a MTB relay format. Participants entered as solo riders or teams of two or four, and competed on a 12-kilometre circuit in a relay format. The inaugural event was a great success and City of Tshwane MMC for Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Counsellor Nosipho Tyobeka Makeke looks forward to hosting more events in the years to come. The format saw many newcomers try their hand at mountain bike racing in a manageable format, which added to the success of the event.<\/p>\n Cycling South Africa extends a huge \u201cThank you\u201d to the City of Tshwane for their wonderful contributions over the course of the weekend, and to Wolwespruit MTB Park for pulling out al the stops in creating a great racing venue.<\/p>\n Next on the agenda for our cross-country specialists is the African Continental Championships, which takes place in Lesotho this coming weekend, after which XCO riders will turn to the 2016 Pietermaritzburg MTB Festival at Cascades MTB Park on Saturday 30 April for the UCI HC-rated Elite Men and Women\u2019s XCO races with the Junior race also forming part of the UCI Junior World Series. More details of the 2016 PMB MTB Festival can be found here: http:\/\/www.cyclingsa.com\/2016-pmb-mtb-festival\/<\/a><\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss the fourth round of the Stihl 2016 SA XCO Cup Series, which takes place in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, on Saturday 14 May. It is a UCI Category 1 race for Elite Men and Women and also forms part of the UCI Junior World Series. More details of the Stihl 2016 National Cup Series can be found here: http:\/\/www.cyclingsa.com\/2016-sa-mtb-cup-series<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>James Reid (Team Spur) won the Pro-Elite men’s race at round three of the Stihl 2016 SA XCO Cup Series hosted by the City of Thswane at Wolwespruit Bike Park in Erasmuskloof, Pretoria, on Saturday 26 March. Photo credit: Hendrik Steytler Photography<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Trek Racing Team’s Brendon Davids finished in second place – 12 seconds off the pace – in the Pro-Elite Men’s race at round three of the Stihl 2016 SA XCO Cup Series hosted by the City of Thswane at Wolwespruit Bike Park in Erasmuskloof, Pretoria, on Saturday 26 March. Photo credit: Hendrik Steytler Photography<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<\/a>Novus OMX Pro Team’s Cherie Redecker won the five-lap Pro-Elite women’s race at round three of the Stihl 2016 SA XCO Cup Series hosted by the City of Thswane at Wolwespruit Bike Park in Erasmuskloof, Pretoria, on Saturday 26 March. Photo credit: Alcock’s Quick Snaps<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Mariske Strauss (Novus OMX Pro Team) finished in second place in the Pro-Elite Women’s race at round three of the Stihl 2016 SA XCO Cup Series hosted by the City of Thswane at Wolwespruit Bike Park in Erasmuskloof, Pretoria, on Saturday 26 March. Photo credit: Alcock’s Quick Snaps<\/span><\/p>\nSummary of Results \u2013 Stihl 2016 SA XCO Cup Series #3 [Wolwespruit MTB Park]<\/h2>\n