SA Olympians win Hill 2 Hill
23 September 2008
Burry Stander, the recently crowned world under-23 cross country world champion, mastered atrocious muddy conditions to claim victory in the Sunday Tribune Jeep Hill 2 Hill mountain bike race at the weekend.
The event is one of the best in the country and attracts a strong field. It carries the payoff line of "No Guts, No Story"; Stander showed he had the guts and could tell the winner's story as he overcame a strong field to record his third win in three years.
The 21-year-old World Cup champion had to work hard and clinched victory only when his two main rivals, Brandon Stewart and Max Knox, succumbed to mechanical problems.
Stander's South African Olympic teammate, Yolande Speedy, was able to hold Shawna Thunder and Tania Raats at bay in the women's race.
Bad weather
A total of 1 700 entrants entered the two events – 105 kilometres from Hilton and 40 kilometres from Cato Ridge, with both finishing at Shongweni in Hillcrest. However, the field was whittled down to about 1 000 riders as a massive portion of the entrants opted to stay in bed rather than take on a muddy course drenched by heavy rains that fell over two days.
For those riders who had the guts to brave the wet and 4° degree weather at the starts, there were plenty of stories … and none were of a cruise to Durban.
While Stander, who turned 21 last week, was able to handle the conditions better than anybody else, he was never able to relax as DCM teammates Stewart and Knox kept him under pressure over the first 65 kilometres of the course.
Stander, Stewart and Knox broke away early from the main field within a few kilometres. Once they had reeled in Craig Paul's early break and dropped the Team Jeep rider, they left the streets of Pietermaritzburg and it became clear that it was going to be a three-horse race.
Cleats slipped
The trio shared the work and nothing could separate them until after 65 kilometres. Knox's cleats slipped and he was unable to clip into his pedals, forcing him to allow his team-mate Stewart and Stander to ride away.
Stewart clinched his second King of the Mountain sprint at Bartletts Estate with 25 kilometres left and it looked as if he might be able to break Stander's run of victories in the race. But a puncture forced him to stop and Stander was able to cruise clear -- unlike 2007’s race when his puncture allowed Stewart to close the gap, which resulted in a thrilling sprint finish.
Behind Stewart and Knox, Marc Bassingthwaighte rode a lonely race to finish fourth, with Ben Melt Swanepoel coming through the field to collect the last paying position.
Comfortable victory
In the women's race, Speedy was comfortably the strongest rider and ended a solid 26 minutes clear of Shawna Thunder, with Tania Raats relegated to third after a problem out on the course saw her miss a loop and gain an advantage, which she was quick to point out once she crossed the line.
But while the leaders were basking in the glory and picking up their cheques, the rest of the riders were left to struggle through the mud; although the weak sunshine helped dry things out a bit, it was a case of lots of stories at the finish … and all focused on the blood and guts it took to get there.
RESULTS
Men- Burry Stander 4.29.43
- Brandon Stewart 4.35.35
- Max Knox 4.38.33
- Marc Bassingthwaighte 4.48.08
- Ben Melt Swanepoel 4.48.28
- Yolande Speedy 5.56.39
- Shawna Thunder 6.22.41
- Tania Raats 6.22.42 (adjusted)
- Carla Rowley 6.24.36
- Samantha Oosthuizen 7.10.43
SAinfo reporter
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