![\"ccs-62657-0-96505300-1445262000.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-96505300-1445262000.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Milkwood Primary School in Mossel Bay, South Africa is the host venue for the start of the 2015 Cape Pioneer Trek. Photo credit: Zoon Cronje\/Nikon <\/span><\/p>\nRiders from 15 nations tackled the opening 13km leg, labeled the #PointPursuit, which incorporated a scenic section of coastal singletrack and many of the town\u2019s most prominent features. The urban assault-style stage also combined a range of surfaces including tar, concrete, grass, brick paving, wooden walkways and gravel to give the competitors a brief-yet-barbed leg-and-lung-loosener ahead of the coming week\u2019s racing.<\/p>\n
Philip Buys and Arno du Toit of SCOTT Factory Racing LCB snatched the stage win in the men\u2019s category by just two seconds from stablemates, Gert Heyns and Matthys Beukes. Third place went to Italian brothers, Roberto and Emanuele Crisi of the Celeste Kento Avvenia team.<\/p>\n
In the women\u2019s division, South African champion, Robyn de Groot and Swedish champion, Jennie Stenerhag (Ascendis Health) charged to victory, posting a fairly comfortable winning margin of just more than a minute over Britain\u2019s Catherine Williamson and Switzerland\u2019s former World Champion, Esther Suss (Sasol Racing). South Africans Marlene Louwrens and Desiree Loubser (Fair Cape) finished a distant third.<\/p>\n In the other categories South Africans Rob Sim and Doug Brown (Trek Robert Daniel) secured the early Veteran men\u2019s lead, ToMotion Racing\u2019s Max Friedrich (GER) and Daniele Troesch (FRA) claimed the stage win in the Mixed category and South Africans Lieb Loots and Izak Visagie were the fastest Masters.<\/p>\n In the Solo sections, Richard Damant claimed the men\u2019s stage win and Katja Steenkamp the early lead in the women\u2019s division.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought Gert and Matthys would be a bit quicker than Arno and I on the prologue, but it turns out we\u2019re pretty closely matched,\u201d said stage winner Philip Buys.<\/p>\n \u201cEverything went really smoothly for Arno and I. We decided to take the first climb a little easier so that we could have good composure for the rough downhill that followed. We\u2019re not too worried if we lose the lead tomorrow because the second half of this event is where you need to still be strong and we\u2019ll conserve a bit for that,\u201d added Buys.<\/p>\n \u201cWe set out to be safe and not lose any time in the prologue and it turned out to be a good enough ride for the stage win. We\u2019re not going to take anything for granted and will take each day as it comes. Last year we had such bad luck after a dream first half. We\u2019re hoping to settle that score with this route this year. I\u2019m hoping to find my sense of humour in the Kammanasie!\u201d grinned De Groot.<\/p>\n Monday\u2019s Stage 1, dubbed the #DiazDash, is a tough 106km haul from Mossel Bay to George. The elevation gain is 2300 metres and the route take riders along the beach, through lush indigenous forest over the Outeniqua Mountains and into George via forest plantations.<\/p>\n For more information on the Cape Pioneer Trek, visit www.capepioneer.co.za<\/a>. For race updates, follow @CapePioneerTrek<\/a> on twitter and for photo galleries, like Cape Pioneer Trek on Facebook.<\/p>\n<\/a>Riders tackled a variety of surfaces during the 13km urban-assault style prologue on the opening stage of the 2015 Cape Pioneer Trek in Mossel Bay, South Africa on Sunday. Photo credit: Zoon Cronje\/Nikon<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Riders pass above Blaise Lighthouse during the 13km urban-assault style prologue on the opening stage of the 2015 Cape Pioneer Trek in Mossel Bay, South Africa on Sunday. Photo credit: Zoon Cronje\/Nikon<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Riders pass above rockface cliffs during the 13km urban-assault style prologue on the opening stage of the 2015 Cape Pioneer Trek in Mossel Bay, South Africa on Sunday. Photo credit: Zoon Cronje\/Nikon<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Riders tackle a section of scenic singletrack during the 13km urban-assault style prologue on the opening stage of the 2015 Cape Pioneer Trek in Mossel Bay, South Africa on Sunday. Photo credit: Zoon Cronje\/Nikon<\/span><\/p>\n