So, the Saffas eventually took a Stage at the Transcape MTB Stage Race here in their own backyard! It was left to the manne from #Team27 – Martin Lambrecht and Rory Attridge – to step up to the plate, and they did so in fine form today, bagging their win on #Stage5 from Swellendam to Greyton.
The shorter stage suited them well, it seems, and they blasted home in a time of 04hr 36min 25sec, with ‘The Belgianators’ of Team Versluys (Bjorn Rondelez & Niek Lingier) coming in just on a minute back in 04:37:30. Corne Barnard continued in his fine vein of form, and claimed a deserved victory in the Solo Category in 04:36:47, sweeping into his home town of Greyton in high spirits. Bonny Swanepoel and Rene Schoeman remain in the lead in the Mixed Category, despite a couple of mechanicals out in the field today.
All in all, today made for imaging gold and fast-paced mountain biking, with amber light blitzing in across the wheat field landscape of the Overberg. The riders crossed into the Cape Winelands near Riviersonderend, and soon had to cope with the ups and downs as the topography rucked up towards the Cape Fold mountains. It is obvious that the riders have relaxed into this inaugural event, with much bantering and bonhomie along the route.
Tomorrow sees them take on the penultimate stage to Villiersdorp, with a gala evening of note planned to wow this new breed of MTBer known as the TransCaper. The food, theorganisation, the accommodation, the timing, the back-up – in fact, the race as a whole – has been exceptional thus far. Don’t ask me – ask any of the participants!
Full results are available at httpa//
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