The best of Boland weather was on display for all to see at the first day of the 2017 SA National Road and Para-cycling Championships, which kicked off in Wellington on Tuesday.
An assembly of future generation cyclists, all under the age of 18 years, then the tandem teams and some of the country’s most inspirational Para-cyclists brought impressive riding to the Time Trial events.
Smoke from the Bainskloof fire hinted at the possibility of poor visibility in the early morning session, but fortunately this cleared up before the start of the first event of the day – the Under-17 Boys Time Trials.
In the U17 Boy’s race, Ceajay Bosman crossed the line with the fastest time in 21min 44.984sec, with Jamie Penfold claiming the second position and Alvin Bronkhorst claiming third on the 14.4-kilometre loop.
Coming from Port Elizabeth, Bosman mentioned that he wasn’t used to the hot conditions. ‘I’m lucky that I rode earlier this morning. It was tough, though,’ he said.
After claiming the ninth position in his category last year, Bosman said that he was expecting a better result and had been working hard at it. Chatting about his upcoming Road Race, Bosman said: ‘I’m hoping for a podium position on Friday, it’s a very nice route with not too many climbs, so I think it will suit me.’
Capetonian mountain biker Penfold, who claimed the second position, said that he was simply giving Nationals a bash. ‘I thought that because I live here and do enjoy riding on the road, I may as well give this a shot,’ he said.
U15 Girls winner, Chante Olivier said: ‘Today was very hot. The sun was burning everything, and I really didn’t expect to win this race. I really thought Chloe (Bateson) rode brilliantly.’
Olivier mentioned that she was looking forward to her Road Race later in the week, but knows that Bateson will give her a run for her money.
Kelsey van Schoor took the Championship Time Trial title in the U17 Girls event and was overwhelmed with her result, but also happy with the work she put in prior to Nationals.
Pictured right, she said: ‘It was tough, it’s never going to be easy when there’s girls that you don’t know.’
She mentioned that for her the most important thing to remember in a Time Trial is to go as fast and as best as you can.
In terms of the future generations, there was a third spot for young Ethan Kulsen. The Paarl youngster ended third in the U13 boys TT. He’s the son of Ricky Kulsen, para-cycling coach for Team South Africa at the 2012 and 2016 Paralympics.
The Para-cyclists took to the tarmac at 11am, which already showed temperatures in the late twenties and rising. Once again, the masters of Hand-cycling, Trikes and Cycles showed the crowds exactly what they were made of.
Claiming the top position in the Men’s C2 category, Olympian Goldy Fuchs was happy with the result of his Time Trial, considering his bad luck at last year’s National when his chain snapped.
He told SASCOC website’s Mark Etheridge: ‘I only stay like a half an hour away so, closer to Durbanville, so when I heard the national champs would be held there I trained as much as I could on that course.
‘We started late in the morning, so it was hot on the road and there was a bit of wind on the back straight of the course. But my preparation was good for this race, so I’m very happy with the outcome of the race.’
When chatting about his Road Race, Fuchs, pictured here, said: ‘All I need to do is play it smart, and then hopefully I can ride away with another win.’
Fuchs, who clocked 21min 21.03sec for the single lap of 14 kilometres, beat London Olympian Gerhard Viljoen into second spot, the latter clocking 32:15.61.
Hotter and drier conditions have been predicted for the rest of the week, so lots of sun protection and plenty of hydration are highly recommended for athletes and supporters alike.
In the H1 category, the man they call ‘Supapiet’, Pieter du Preez, won in 40:32.27. Du Preez was coming off the back of a great 2016 which saw him break record after record.
Rio Paralympian Justine Asher was also in action, the Capetonian winning the H2 category in 42.01.01.
She told SASCOC after her race: ‘I wasn’t in peak form for the Time Trial and did not race to my full potential as I had some low blood pressure issues due to the incredible Wellington heat and then some mechanicals with my chain coming off during the TT.’
Asher revealed that she was skipping the road race later this week as she has bigger fish to fry.
‘I’m currently on endurance training for a lifelong dream of doing the Cape Cycle Tour, something I never thought would be possible, my furthest distance being the 45km road race at the Rio Paralympics. I’m focusing all my energies and efforts in preparing for this.’
She’s doing the Cycle Tour with long time friend Eugene Steyn, also a hand cyclist, who will line up for his 11th Tour.
‘He is mentoring me. My plans further ahead are to do Outeniqua Wheelchair Challenge next week in George, which will be a fun race and then hopefully World Champs later this year in Pietermaritzburg.’
Picture of the Men’s U17 Podium (from left to right) Alvin Gillespie Bronkhorst (third), Ceajay Bosman (first) and Jamie Penfold (second) courtesy of Double ST
SUMMARY OF RESULTS
TIME TRIAL S
Para-cycling classes
T1
1 Toni Mould 1:01:27.09
T2
1 Goldy Fuchs 21:21.03
2 Gerhard Viljoen 32:15.61
C2
1 Craig Ridgard 23:32.91
2 Phillo Verlaat 26:24.40
C3
1 Juan Odendaal 23:12.74
C4
1 Gavin Cowden 22:08.54
2 Attie Botha 28:43.30
C5
1 James van Rensburg 22:39.55
2 Dane Wilson 22:48.95
3 Johan Voges 28:37.43
H1
1 Pieter du Preez 40:32.27
H2
1 Justine Asher 41:02.01
H3
1 Stuart McCreadie 23:58.01
H4
1 Gysie van der Niet 28:30.08
2 Barend Coetzee 35:21.80
TANDEM MIXED
1 Jackie van Eeden and Juanita Venter 40:13.478
2 Elizabeth Smit and Willem Basson 42:42.261
TANDEM MEN
1 Anton Reyneke and Francois Esterhuizen 41:41.260
2 Petrus Laubscher and Johan Geyser 42:33.874
U17 Boys
1 Ceajay Bosman 21:44.984
2 Jamie Penfold 21:59.216
3 Alvin Gillespie Bronkhorst 22:05.655
4 Matthew Fortuin 22:06.660
5 Charl Swanepoel 22:13.779
U17 GIRLS
1 Kelsey van Schoor 23:52.799
2 Simon Farber 02:26:32.143
3 Mischka Strydon 26:57.667
4 Charlissa Schults 27:44.073
5 Luchelle Phillips 27:46.451
U15 BOYS
1 Nicholas van Rooyen 24:25.614
2 Chanton Perrins 26:13.860
3 Rayaan Fataar 26:34.869
4 Daniel Grobbelaar 26:56.310
5 Jordan Bold 27:02.311
U15 GIRLS
1 Chante Olivier 26:30.796
2 Chloe Bateson 27:19.646
3 Lalique Broxham 30:05.572
4 Anna Marx 30:42.637
5 Sonica Klopper 31:09.096
U13 BOYS
1 Francois de Jager 20:11.725
2 Shaun Wolfaardt 20:23.120
3 Ethan Kulsen 21:12.932
4 Zakariyyaa Martin 21:17.531
5 Tawfeeq Shira 22:01.520
U13 GIRLS
1 Mia Fortuin 22:35.535
2 Jessie Munton 25:33.686
U11 GIRLS
1 Danel de Jager 23:07.950
2 Mine van der Walt 27:46.355
3 Jana van der Walt 28:50
U11 BOYS
1 Gustav Roller 21:13.302
2 Alessandro Fanicchi 22:05.792
3 Camaron Wilcox 24:15.824