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Joburg's Cycle Challenge success

Brad Morgan

17 November 2009

Medscheme sprinter Arran Brown entered the record books on Sunday when he became the first cyclist to do the double of winning the Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge and Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour in the same year.

The event, the second largest individually timed cycle race in the world after the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour, drew a field of over 25 000 competitors.

South Africa is a world leader in mass-participation cycling events, and the Cycle Challenge is a particular favourite of "the Voice of Cycling": Phil Liggett. In his own words: "No one in the world can hold a candle to the Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour and the (Momentum) 94.7 Cycle Challenge."

'The best organised event in Africa'

Liggett has previously called the Cycle Challenge "the best organised event in Africa" and his opinion is backed up by the race being voted South African Road Race of the Year in 2003, 2005, and 2006 at the annual Pick n Pay Go Banking Cyclist of the Year Awards.

Fully endorsed by the City of Johannesburg, it features road closures to ensure the smooth running of the event and the safety of the cyclists.

Prior to this year's race, event organizer Tanya Harford told the City of Johannesburg website: "Hosting an event that closes many of the major roads in an international city requires great commitment and input from the City of Joburg, and a team of dedicated people who understand the magnitude of the job.

"We are very fortunate that everyone involved with the Cycle Challenge is committed to its success."

South Africa's many mass-participation cycling events also feature, unusually, the opportunity for both amateur and professional cyclists to take part in the same race.

Expo

A further success, with excellent financial rewards that has resulted from the success of the the Cycle Challenge is the Cycle Challenge Expo, which focuses on cycling, sports clothing and sports stores, and nutrition. Taking place at the Sandton Convention Centre, this year's Expo drew about 30 000 visitors.

The Cape Argus Life Cycle Expo, which runs alongside the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour drew a massive 79 000 visitors in 2009, 68 percent of them from outside the Western Cape, a clear indicator of value to tourism that the big events offer.

Men's race

On Sunday, in the Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge, the day belonged to the Medscheme team, which forced the pace during the race through Hanco Kachelhoffer.

Taking the lead 15 kilometres after the start, he very nearly managed to hold off the chasers until the end, but was ultimately caught inside the last 100 metres.

Brown then blasted off the wheel of his team captain Malcolm Lange to take the victory, with Lange, the winner of over 400 races during his career and the Cycle Challenge winner in 2000, 2001, and 2008, placing second, and MTN-Energade’s Christoff van Heerden third.

All three men were credited with the same time of two hours, 14 minutes and 25 seconds.

Women's winner

There was a surprise winner of the women's race when Toyota SuperCycling rider Joanna van de Winkel claimed the victory.

An electrical engineer, Van de Winkel was recently signed to a three-month trial ride with the team. The trial is without pay. It's a pity for her that there wasn't some sort of bonus clause, but a contract is almost certain to be offered after her victory.

Making Van de Winkel's win all the more amazing is the fact that she took up cycling less than a year ago when she began by riding with her husband.

She finished in two hours, 47 minutes and seven seconds, three seconds clear of Ann-Li Pretorius of Nashua Telecoms, and five second ahead of MTN-Energade's Lelanie Lourens.