KNYSNA NEWS - Knysna’s Giliomee and Bosman Families are taking part in the BUCO Dr Evil Classic as a family adventure. Like all families though, they are not immune from a healthy dose of family rivalry.
Brothers Jaco and Cecil Bosman are riding the three-day mountain bike stage race as a team. As are the father and son combination, of Hein and Benjamin Giliomee. That leaves a family member spare in each clan. The third Bosman brother, François, and Hein’s daughter, Nicky, are thus riding solo.
The 9 minute 31 second lead François had established, after 71 kilometres of riding, is noteworthy. Especially, given the shorter second and third stages of the 2019 BUCO Dr Evil Classic. Between the Giliomees the gap was even bigger, at 20 minutes and 50 seconds.
Those time gaps may sound significant, and when family bragging rights are at stake even the smallest of advantages is, but the BUCO Karoo to Coast is the wild card up Jaco, Cecil, Hein and Benjamin’s sleeves.
The de facto fourth stage of the BUCO Dr Evil Classic is South Africa’s most popular single day mountain biking event. The time gaps between the various family members could run into hours after Sunday; regardless of who holds the advantage now.
Nicky Giliomee is not taking the talk of competition too seriously though. “Everyone is just here to relax and enjoy their bikes. It makes it so special. Personally, I don’t know how I am going to feel on the fourth day of racing,” the Solo Women’s stage winner said. “Today was really awesome though. Zandile [Meneses] and Leon [Evans] put on such a good show. This morning when we left the Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve we had to stop as a herd of wildebeest ran across the road” Giliomee laughed. “It’s such a beautiful setting for a mountain bike race and we’re really lucky to be able to ride here.”
Family bragging rights were the driving force behind Nicky Giliomee’s stellar performance on the opening day of the BUCO Dr Evil Classic. Photo by Oakpics.com.
While the families were battling it out for bragging rights, Martin Schuttertt raced to stage victory, 6 minutes and 21 seconds ahead of Matthew Leppan in the solo men's. Schuttertt hails from the Netherlands and extended a trip to South Africa to take part in the BUCO Dr Evil Classic and BUCO Karoo to Coast.
The KMC rider will be tough to beat over the coming four days, but as many a rider has mentioned the final kilometres of the BUCO Karoo to Coast route are not the place to discover you have expended too much energy at the BUCO Dr Evil Classic.
Stage 2 starts and finishes at Kurland Hotel and features 45 kilometres of riding with 880 metres of climbing.
The wildlife of the Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve once again put on a show for the BUCO Dr Evil Classic riders. Photo by Oakpics.com.
BUCO Dr Evil Classic Results | Stage 1
Solo Men
1. Martin Schuttertt (02:49:49)
2. Matthew Leppan (02:56:10)
3. Siphe Ncapayi (03:00:51)
Solo Women
1. Nicky Giliomee (03:09:20)
2. Nikki Biesheuvel (03:36:40)
3. Louise Ferreira (03:46:28)
Men's Team
1. S&J Hiring: Neil & Johan (02:56:47)
2. Bike Shop: Kevin & Shannon (03:01:07)
3. Bosman Bros: Jaco & Cecil (03:18:53)
Women's Teams
1. Feather Brookies: Judith & Annelie (05:02:38)
2. MTB App: Kim & Desiree (05:23:15)
Mixed Teams
1. Abercrombied Fitch: Gerard & Elizma (03:47:12)
2. Orange House: Annamarie & Darryl (03:53:33)
3. Just Lose It: Greg & Jade (04:04:18)
eBike
1. Greg Ritz (03:38:57)
'We bring you the latest Knysna, Garden Route news'
