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Veteran Lange wins Amashovashova

Brad Morgan

20 October 2008

Team MTN Energade's veteran sprinter Malcolm Lange, despite nearing the end of his career, showed he still has what it takes as he captured a sixth victory in the popular Pick 'n Pay Amashovashova National Classic, raced between Pietermaritzburg and Durban, on Sunday.

The 34-year-old Lange was supposed to have retired at the end of 2007, but decided to continue on into 2008 and his career victories have continued to climb.

Not only did he win the Amashovashova, he also took victory in the inaugural Pick 'n Pay Amashova Kermesse in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday. His career victory total now stands at an astounding 392.

Amazing Amashovashova record

Remarkably, Lange's sixth Amashovashova win, and his first in the event since 2002, came 17 years after his first victory in the race that closely tracks the famous Comrades Marathon route.

It came down to a sprint finish and the only two pure sprinters left at the front of the breakaway, Lange and House of Paint's Arran Brown, diced for line with Lange lunging to victory in two hours, 25 minutes and 33 seconds. Third place went Toyota Supercycling's Reinhard Janse van Rensburg, who just edged out Namibia's Dan Craven.

Lange's win was worth R30 000. Saturday's success in the Kermesse had already earned him R20 000, leaving his pockets considerably deeper than they had been before the start of the weekend.

Fastest time

The fastest time of the day didn't belong to the MTN Energade star, however. That honour went to the Cycle Lab Supercycling duo of Andrew McLean and Graham Cronje.

Riding on a tandem, they clocked 2:17:56 to win R100 000 for charity. They had been set a target of 2:20 in order to secure the money in the Pick 'n Pay Race4Change Tandem Charity Bash.

There was a surprise winner in the women's race as Cashandra Slingerland rode a brave race from the front, after staging an early attack, to take the win in two hours, 53 minutes and 14 seconds. It gave her a convincing margin of victory of more than four minutes over second placed Isabel Moolman of Cycle Lab Supercycling and third placed Carla van der Merwe of Proline.

Kermesse clean sweep

On Saturday, Cherise Taylor had taken the honours in the Kermesse as MTN Energade claimed all three podium positions. Slingerland finished second and Marissa van der Merwe third.

This year the Amashovashova consisted of two events: the main race of 106 kilometres from Pietermaritzburg to Durban, and a 40-kilometre fun ride from Hillcrest to Durban.

With the weather playing along, the race organisers were thrilled with the turnout. Annie Batchelder said the number of entries for the fun ride from Hillcrest had more than doubled from 2 000 to well over 4 000. A further 5 000 cyclists entered the main race.

AMASHOVASHOVA RESULTS

MEN

1. Malcolm Lange (MTN Energade)
2. Arran Brown (House of Paint)
3. Reinhard Janse van Rensburg (Toyota Supercycling)
4. Dan Craven (UCI Africa Mixed)
5. Hanco Kachelhoffer (House of Paint)
6. Johann Rabie (Neotel)
7. Ian McLeod (MTN Energade)
8. Nolan Hoffman (Neotel)
9. Dean Edwards (House of Paint)
10. Juan van Heerden (MTN Energade)

WOMEN

1. Cashandra Slingerland (MTN Energade)
2. Isabel Moolman (Cycle Lab Supercycling)
3. Carla van der Merwe (Proline)

AMASHOVA KERMESSE RESULTS

MEN

1. Malcolm Lange (MTN Energade)
2. Johann Rabie (Neotel)
3. Nolan Hoffman (Neotel)
4. Arran Brown (House of Paint)
5. Hanko Kachelhoffer (House of Paint)
6. Jay Thomson (MTN Energade)
7. Dan Craven (UCI Africa Mixed)
8. Jamie Ball (House of Paint)
9. Micheal Sowerby
10. Bradley Potgieter (MTN Energade)

WOMEN

1. Cherise Taylor (MTN Energade)
2. Cashandra Slingerland (MTN Energade)
3. Marissa van der Merwe (MTN Energade)
4. Altie Clark (MTN Energade)