![\"BridgeCPT2013St6menspodiumlrweb.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-2-0-07825900-1382852332.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nFrom left: Team FedGroup Itec’s Konny Looser (SUI) and Brandon Stewart (RSA); RE:CM’s Waylon Woolcock (RSA) and Erik Kleinhans (RSA); and SCOTT Factory Racing”s Philip Buys and Matthyse Beukes pose for the final General Classification podium.<\/span><\/p>\n Photo credit: Zoon Cronje <\/p>\n Asrin Cycling\u2019s James Reid (RSA) and Jens Schuermans (BEL) won the final stage from George to Oudtshoorn, which was shortened to 68km due to flooding in some areas. They outsprinted SCOTT Factory Racing\u2019s Philip Buys (RSA) and Matthys Beukes (RSA) to secure their third stage win of the event, clocking a time of 02 hours 10 minutes 44 seconds. Third place on the stage went to EAI Cycling\u2019s Hanco Kachelhoffer (RSA) and Johann Rabie (RSA).<\/p>\n Woolcock and Kleinhans finished fourth, 54 seconds behind the winners but with their overall lead firmly secure. They ended up beating runners-up Buys and Beukes by 9:48 with FedGroup Itec\u2019s Brandon Stewart (RSA) and Konny Looser (SUI) completing the final podium.<\/p>\n Asrin Cycling’s James Reid (front) and Jens Schuermans celebrate after winning the sprint on Stage 6 on Stage 6 of the Bridge Cape Pionneer Trek on Saturday.<\/span><\/p>\n Photo credit: Zoon Cronje<\/p>\n In the women\u2019s race, Langvad, the Danish marathon champion and Kleinhans, the Swiss marathon champion, confirmed their complete dominance of the event when they claimed their seventh stage win. They beat Wheeler BMC\u2019s Esther Suss (SUI) and Jane Nuessli (GBR) by 01:35:15 in the General Classification, with defending champions, Klein Karoo Chicks\u2019 Yolande Speedy (RSA) and Yolande de Villiers (RSA), taking third place overall.<\/p>\n \u201cWe knew some teams were going to go hard for the stage win and that Philip and Matthys wanted to attack our overall lead, so we really had to make sure we kept them in our sights and kept our risk of crashing or mechanicals as low as possible,\u201d said Erik Kleinhans.<\/p>\n RE:CM Davinci’s Ariane Kleinhans (left) and Annika Langvad show their delight after winning the final stage and the final General Classification at the Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek on Saturday.<\/span><\/p>\n Photo credit: Zoon Cronje <\/p>\n \u201cThis was probably the toughest week of my bike racing life. The tougher stages were on the four good weather days and the easier stages were made tough by the rain and mud! It\u2019s a great feeling to win here again. We had some really strong competition which makes the win even more special,\u201d added Kleinhans, who won the inaugural edition with Jonny Kritzinger in 2009 and the Mixed division with his wife, Ariane, in 2011.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a great feeling to win what has been a really tough race. Annika was an amazing partner and so strong throughout. I must thank our manager, Kandice Buys and our mechanic, Magnus Gouws, who are so experienced and so professional and they make it easier for us to focus on racing; and of course our sponsors for all their support.\u201d said Ariane Kleinhans.<\/p>\n \u201cThe women\u2019s field was stronger than ever before this year and we never once were able to let our guard down. It\u2019s great to see this women\u2019s category growing in depth and I\u2019m sure this growth will continue in the future,\u201d added Kleinhans.<\/p>\n Cube Nutswerk MTB\u2019s Birgit Lavrijssen (NED) and Marco Minnaard (NED) grabbed their fourth stage win and the overall title in the Mixed category on Saturday. They fought a race-long battle with Asrin Cycling 3\u2019s 2012 winners, Jennie Stenerhag (SWE) and Craig Gerber (RSA) who finished as 2013 runners-up. Third place went to Asrin Cycling 2\u2019s Nizaam Esa (RSA) and Catherine Williamson (GBR).<\/p>\n RE:CM’s Waylon Woolcock leads teammate Erik Kleinhans and EAI Cycling’s Johann Rabie through a puddle during Stage 6 of the Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek on Sunday.<\/span><\/p>\n Photo credit: Zoon Cronje<\/p>\n The Veteran division title will also go to the Netherlands. The Cube Nutswerk 2 team of Micha de Vries and Rik van den Hanenberg finished second on Saturday to Klein Karoo Vets\u2019 Wynand Mulder (RSA) and Gerrie Beukes (RSA), but the Dutchmen had done enough on the previous six stages to capture the overall title ahead of Mulder and Beukes. Cannondale Blend Vets\u2019 Martin Epstein (RSA) and Stefano Madies (RSA) were third overall.<\/p>\n Wilde 3\u2019s Izak Visagie and Lieb Loots dominated the Master\u2019s category racing. The South Africans won all but Saturday\u2019s final stage, finishing second to Brug Meesters\u2019 Charles Nienaber (RSA) and Ergee du Toit (RSA). Loots and Visagie\u2019s overall winning margin was 02:05:05 over Stone Hammer\u2019s Malcolm Dods (GBR) and Wizner Zbigniew (SWE), with Nienaber and Du Toit rounding out the final overall podium.<\/p>\n South African Darren Lill won his third stage in the Solo men\u2019s division on Saturday, but Adriaan Louw (RSA), winner of the other four stages, claimed the overall title. In the Solo women\u2019s category, Dalene van der Leek won Saturday\u2019s stage but ended up as overall runner-up behind Germany\u2019s Bettina Uhlig, who captured five stage wins in total.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been a dramatic and challenging fifth edition of the Bridge Cape Pioneer Trek, but a watershed edition for sure. The racing was the most exciting we\u2019ve seen yet and a great precursor to the 2014 event, which will have official UCI race grading,\u201d said Henco Rademeyer of Dryland Event Management, the race\u2019s co-founder.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n