![\"hanco.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-2-0-01046500-1346663775.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nHanco Kachelhoffer gave Team Bonitas a winning start to the South Africa spring racing season.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Photo credit: Dominic Barnardt<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt was actually quite strange because even though we live in Joburg, we\u2019ve been at sea level for most of the last six weeks in Europe. So racing a short, fast race like this at altitude was definitely more challenging than usual,\u201d said Kachelhoffer.<\/p>\n But while his teammates made their discomfort known after 30km, Kachelfhoffer felt surprisingly good.<\/p>\n \u201cI told the guys I was feeling pretty good, so we decided the team would support me at the finish. Last year I was second here so I know the finish well and had noticed there\u2019d be a headwind on the climb to the line,\u201d said Kachelhoffer.<\/p>\n Despite the steady wind on the route, the lead pack remained intact, apparently waiting for Sterkfontein Hill, a five-kilometre drag from the Cradle of Humankind to the finish. But MTN Qhubeka\u2019s Rwandan star, Adrien Niyonshuti virtually singlehandedly trimmed the pack down on the final ascent.<\/p>\n \u201cAdrien went to the front at the bottom of the Sterkfontein climb and set a fast pace for his teammates. I reckon he cut the bunch down from 60 to 10 in a few kilometres. He definitely made it hard until pretty much the last kilometre,\u201d said Kachelhoffer.<\/p>\n With 500 metres remaining, Kachelhoffer\u2019s teammate, Johann Rabie, launched an attack, forcing the other riders in the front group to respond. Kachelhoffer let his rivals tow him across and as Rabie was caught, Eritrean rider Tewelde made his surge for the finish.<\/p>\n \u201cI knew he\u2019d gone too early because of the headwind and so I just sat on behind him and David Maree and dashed for the finish as late as possible. It worked out perfectly. Rabie was superb. He knows I\u2019m not so good with a long sprint so he softened them up. There was only Rabie and I from Bonitas in the front group at the end, so it felt good to outsmart the other teams that had more riders than us. <\/p>\n \u201cOnce we\u2019ve adjusted to the altitude again, we should feel the benefits from our European trip. The racing there was on another level. Physically and mentally we were really tested. With all the popular races coming up over the next couple of months, we\u2019re looking forward to some good results and exposure for our sponsors,\u201d added Kachelhoffer.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was really satisfying to see Hanco win today. He\u2019s such a key rider on our team and doesn\u2019t get too many chances to win. Today he wanted the win and, with some clever team support, got it. The European racing really pulled the team together nicely. And that\u2019s so important in road racing,\u201d said Malcolm Lange of Lange Sports, the company that owns and manages Team Bonitas.<\/p>\n 2012 Dome2Dome<\/strong><\/p>\n Leading results \u2013 men:<\/strong><\/p>\n 1 Hanco Kachelhoffer RSA (Team Bonitas) 02hrs12min40sec<\/p>\n 2 David Maree RSA (Tasol GT) <\/p>\n 3 Jani Tewelde ERI (MTN Qhubeka<\/p>\n 4 Johann Rabie RSA (Team Bonitas)<\/p>\n 5 Dylan Girdlestone RSA (Westvaal BMC) all same time<\/p>\n