![\"ccs-62657-0-50746000-1430203541.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-50746000-1430203541.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nReynard Butler (Team Abantu) rode aggressively in front and held his lead for the last 16km to claim the victory in the inaugural Freedom Day Classic, part of the KZN Autumn Series which took place in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, on Monday 27 April. \/\/ Photo credit: Andrew McFadden.<\/span><\/p>\n The 157km men\u2019s race covered 7 laps of the 22.2km circuit through the streets in the city and along the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg. Only 8.6km in, Team EuropcarSA\u2019s Kent Main made a break and leapt 10-seconds ahead of the peloton.<\/p>\n Main was soon joined by teammate James Fourie, JC Nel (Bonitas Pro Cycling), Tesfom Okubamariam and Metkel Teweldeberhan (both MTN-Qhubeka Feeder team), creating a 45-second time gap at the end of the first lap. The time gap to the chasing peloton increased to over a minute, and then reduced again until the peloton joined the front riders again at the 80km mark.<\/p>\n Team EuropcarSA\u2019s Kent Main made an early break in the inaugural Freedom Day Classic, part of the KZN Autumn Series which took place in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, on Monday 27 April. \/\/ Photo credit: Andrew McFadden.<\/span><\/p>\n Butler made a break at 94km and pushed hard, extending his lead to 55-seconds ahead of the peloton 115km into the race. At the 141km mark, Butler had a 2:11 lead on his chasers, and he rode aggressively to hold the lead until the end. Teammate Kruger claimed second place with Nicholas Dlamini (MTN-Qhubeka Feeder team) finishing third.<\/p>\n Butler said: \u201cIt was a bit negative in the beginning and I was struggling to get into a rhythm, so I just decided to go in the break. That\u2019s when I had the crash. I went back to the bunch, and told Nolan I wasn\u2019t feeling so good. He said that I should just look after myself, and the plan today was actually to ride for HB.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat I did was I decided to go in solo, and by God\u2019s grace I managed to take the victory. The emotions are high and I don\u2019t know what to think, to win is incredible.<\/p>\n \u201cYesterday we did Tour Durban. The plan was to race for me in the sprint and I didn\u2019t deliver so, this was more of a hunger for me today to prove to the guys that, you know, they didn\u2019t make a mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n Butler\u2019s teammate, HB Kruger, said: \u201cIt was quite a wet start to the day, and with racing Tour Durban yesterday it was a bit of a struggle to get the legs going. But we took control of the race. We had a plan and it worked out perfectly for us, getting first and second place. We couldn\u2019t have asked for a better result.<\/p>\n \u201cReynard just rode amazingly today. He crashed and he punctured, it was just amazing. We knew we had our men for the race and I got goose bumps going over the finish today. It was quite an emotional result not just for myself but for the team as well, especially after yesterday\u2019s disappointment. We are very happy.\u201d<\/p>\n Cherise Stander, cycling for the CSA Womens Development team, claimed the victory in the inaugural Freedom Day Classic, part of the KZN Autumn Series which took place in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, on Monday 27 April. \/\/ Photo credit: Andrew McFadden.<\/span><\/p>\n The women tackled five laps of the 22.2km route, totaling 113km through the wet streets of Pietermaritzburg. A group of 18 riders containing all of the race favourites kept the tempo high in the early part of the race.<\/p>\n But it was at 44km that the first major attack set the riders apart, with Cherise Stander (CSA Womens Development), An-Li Kachelhoffer (Active), Lise Olivier (Time Freight eTeam), Lynette Burger (Active) and Zanele Tshoko (CSA Womens Development) creating a gap of 20 seconds over the chasing group.<\/p>\n At the 56km mark, Tshoko dropped off the back leaving the four riders (Stander, Kachelhoffer, Olivier and Burger) to open up a 1:30 gap, which continued growing. Burger lost contact with the top three riders 80km into the race.<\/p>\n Between Stander, Olivier and Kachelhoffer, it was anyone\u2019s race until well into the final lap, where Stander put the hammer down, opening a sizeable gap over her two rivals and holding the lead until the end of the race. Stander claimed the title almost three minutes ahead of second placed Kachelhoffer, with Olivier third a further 1.3 seconds back.<\/p>\n Lise Olivier (Time Freight eTeam) leads the women’s group in the inaugural Freedom Day Classic, part of the KZN Autumn Series which took place in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, on Monday 27 April. \/\/ Photo credit: Andrew McFadden.<\/span><\/p>\n CSA Womens Development team captain, Stander, said: \u201cEvery lap I just tried to go a little harder. I saw Lynette suffering on the third last lap and she is always a danger in the sprint, so I went really hard up the climb on the second last lap. Bringing it down to a sprint finish is really a gamble, so in the last lap I really gave it everything I had. It was incredibly hard and it felt twice as long as all the other laps. I\u2019m extremely happy to win the first UCI one-day event in South Africa.<\/p>\n \u201cI felt very proud to be the Captain of the CSA Women\u2019s Commission team today. Women\u2019s cycling is at an all time high at the moment. I am so proud of what Lise is doing for Women\u2019s cycling. The vibe in the race was great. We even had Zanele coming with us when we launched the first attack,\u201d said Stander of the progress in women\u2019s cycling in South Africa today.<\/p>\n Second-placed Kachelhoffer said: \u201cI think it was a very good race. It was hard but good. Thank you to KwaZulu-Natal for bringing such world-class racing to Pietermaritzburg.\u201d<\/p>\n Cycling SA Women\u2019s Commission Director, Olivier, said: \u201cThis was the hardest race that I have done for a long time, but there was such a good vibe out there today. We knew Cherise was in a league of her own. For me, the race was quite special. Being a UCI race really lifts the level and the people got excited, which is something we really need in women\u2019s cycling.<\/p>\n \u201cIt gave about 17 girls the opportunity to race when they otherwise might not have been able to because they are not part of teams. We are building a foundation, to get 32 girls on the start line for such an Elite level race is actually quite incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n For more information about the KZN Autumn Series, click here: http:\/\/www.cyclingsa.com\/kzn-autumn-series\/<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n