Waylon Woolcock and Lourens Luus of Team RE:CM produced a perfectly balanced display of racing to win the inaugural Tankwa Trek, a three-day international mountain bike stage race that ended on Sunday in the Ceres region of South Africa\u2019s Western Cape province.<\/p>\n
It was a hard-fought win for the pair as they had to battle against some of the country\u2019s strongest two-man teams and challenging terrain in what turned into an ideal build-up race for next month\u2019s ABSA Cape Epic, the world\u2019s most prestigious mountain bike stage in the same region.<\/p>\n
Luus (21) and Woolcock (30) gained the overall lead late on Saturday\u2019s Stage 2, which they then successfully defended on Sunday\u2019s final stage. Second overall was the Cannondale Blend Properties pair of Darren Lill and Charles Keey with Oliver Munnik and Timo Cooper (GT Bridge Momsen) rounding out the podium places.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were half a minute off Lill and Keey after Stage 1 and on Stage 2 we knew they\u2019d be giving it everything on the big climb that the race organisers dubbed the Merino Monster. We were right and we managed to stay with them to the summit. They\u2019re strong climbers so it was pretty tough,\u201d recalled Woolcock.<\/p>\n
The Merino Monster incorporates 25km of ascent, but not all constant. The toughest part is an eight-kilometre section with a 12% gradient, which is where the race split properly, effectively turning it a two-team contest.<\/p>\n
On the rough nine-kilometre descent that followed, Woolcock and Luus took some risks to open up a lead, which turned out to be the race-deciding move.<\/p>\n
\u201cLill pretty much stayed with us, but Keey wasn\u2019t as confident on the descent. At the bottom, with about 15km to the finish on district gravel roads, Lourens and I turned ourselves inside out and managed to win the stage and take the overall lead, which we then defended with some cautious riding today,\u201d said Woolcock.<\/p>\n
Hanlie Booyens and Ischen Stopforth, both experienced stage racers, teamed up to win the Women\u2019s title, while Billy Stelling and his British teammate, Jane Neussli (BMC\/Market on the Wharf) claimed the Mixed title. In the Solo division, Nico Pfitzenmaier (Bridge Momsen) secured the men\u2019s crown, while Yolande de Villiers (Toyota Supercycling) claimed the women\u2019s title.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat an amazing event!\u201d said Woolcock. \u201cBesides spectacular race routes, the accommodation and catering were superb. Actually, that\u2019s the best catering I\u2019ve experienced at any bicycle race. I think this is going to become a really sought after race.\u201d<\/p>\n
“The Tankwa Trek is a fantastic event. I loved the singletrack on Stage 3 especially. It’s a very good preparation race for the Cape Epic from a conditions perspective and the timing is spot-on,” said Nussli, who will tackle the 2013 edition of the Cape Epic with Esther Suss to challenge for the women’s category title. <\/p>\n
\u201cWith just under 100 riders, we had a relatively small field, but that suited us for the first event,\u201d said Carel Herholdt of Dryland Events, the organisers.\u201cIt was still a high quality field that experienced a new, challenging, late-summer stage race through amazing scenery, just over two hours drive from Cape Town.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tankwa Trek 2013<\/strong><\/p>\n Final General Classification after Stage 3<\/strong><\/p>\n Men Teams:<\/strong><\/p>\n 1 Lourens Luus\/Waylon Woolcock (RE:CM) 10:05:05<\/p>\n 2 Charles Keey\/Darren Lill (Cannondale Blend) 10:06:28<\/p>\n 3 Oliver Munnik\/Timo Cooper (GT Bridge Momsen) 10:22:45<\/p>\n 4 Hannes Hanekom\/SakkieHanekom (Welgemeen Boerdery) 10:49:16<\/p>\n 5 Jandri Ferreira\/Bennie Pretorius (Cornerstone Cycles) 11:51:06<\/p>\n Women Teams:<\/strong><\/p>\n 1 Ischen Stopforth\/Hanlie Booyens (Hanlie & Ischen) 12:25:08<\/p>\n 2 Eulogy Du Plessis\/Maritza Terblanche (Cycle Lab Tours) 15:52:00<\/p>\n 3 Kathy Crabbe\/Wendy Potgieter (Abbvie Girls) 16:06:45<\/p>\n Mixed Teams:<\/strong><\/p>\n 1 Jane Nuessli\/Billy Stelling (BMC Market on the Wharf) 11:22:30<\/p>\n 2 Craig Gerber\/Jennie Stenerhag (Newline Focus) 11:55:47<\/p>\n 3 Katerina Slegrova\/James Chevallier (Cycle Training Ladies) 13:23:24<\/p>\n Solo Male:<\/strong><\/p>\n 1 Nico Pfitzenmaier 10:25:22<\/p>\n 2 Abraao Azevedo 10:25:25<\/p>\n 3 Robert Sim 10:57:01<\/p>\n Solo Female:<\/strong><\/p>\n 1 Yolande De Villiers 12:01:14<\/p>\n 2 Ann Harrison 12:41:02<\/p>\n 3 Amanda Brooks 13:36:11<\/p>\n For full General Classification and daily stage results, visit www.tankwatrek.co.za<\/a><\/p>\n The scenic Ceres region gave the riders unparalleled beauty during the three days of racing at the 2013 Tankwa Trek.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Photo credit: <\/strong><\/span><\/span>www.oakpics.com<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n The Nikon Onesight team of Tyrone Rawlins (front) and Craig Kolesky negotiate a rock-face descent during the Tankwa Trek.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Photo credit: <\/strong><\/span><\/span>www.oakpics.com<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Just over two-hour’s drive from Cape Town, the Ceres region offers a remarkable variety of terrain, which made for a stimulating Tankwa Trek race route.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Photo credit: <\/strong><\/span><\/span>www.oakpics.com<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Former Cape Epic winner, Hanlie Booyens (front) and Ischen Stopforth won the women’s team category at the inaugural Tankwa Trek.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Photo credit: <\/strong><\/span><\/span>www.oakpics.com<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Race Director, Henco Rademeyer leads the riders to the official start of Stage 3 of the Tankwa Trek.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Photo credit: <\/strong><\/span><\/span>www.oakpics.com<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Team RE:CM’s Lourens Luus negotiates singletrack with a difference through the sandstone rock formations on Stage 3 of the Tankwa Trek.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Photo credit: <\/strong><\/span><\/span>www.oakpics.com<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Former Cape Epic winner, Yolande de Villiers, claimed the overall title in the Solo Women’s category at the Tankwa Trek.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Photo credit: <\/strong><\/span><\/span>www.oakpics.com<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Cannondale Blend’s Charles Keey is framed by the massive sandstone rock through which a large section of the Tankwa Trek’s Stage 3 passed.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Photo credit: <\/strong><\/span><\/span>www.oakpics.com<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n First-year professional, Lourens Luus, continued to impress by being the first over the summit of the massive Merino Monster climb on Stage 2. Here he leads RE:CM teammate, Waylon Woolcock (obscured) and eventual Solo Male category winner, Nico Pfitzenmaier of Germany.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Photo credit: <\/strong><\/span><\/span>www.oakpics.com<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Solo Men’s category racer, Charl du Plessis, concentrates on the trail ahead as he passes through the sandstone rock section on Stage 3 of the Tankwa Trek.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Photo credit: <\/strong><\/span><\/span>www.oakpics.com<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n