A lovely Day for the Karoo to Coast

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KNYSNA NEWS – When riders lined up at the start of the 2022 CCPP Group Lions Karoo to Coast on Sunday 25 September, it had been three years since the last edition was held on a cold, wet and stormy day in 2019 that few will ever forget.

But, this time around, the weather played its part as overall winner Dusty Day and more than 2 000 other cyclists completed the 22nd edition of the Karoo to Coast on a slightly warm and ever so slightly windy Sunday last weekend.

It was evident riders couldn't wait to return to the 95km course from Uniondale to Knysna. Starting in Uniondale, the route takes riders along the scenic Prince Alfred's Pass to the Diepwalle Hut where they turn right onto Kom se Pad.

At the Gouna Road turn-off, they take a left and climb to the top of the Simola hill and are rewarded a welcome downhill down Old Cape Road, before the final stretch on the N2 and Waterfront Drive to the finish line at Knysna High school's sport fields.

"It was a nearly perfect day," said race winner Dusty Day. "Just the headwind in the Kom se Pad section of the route slowed the times down a bit. Last time at the CCPP Group Lions Karoo to Coast… we all know the weather, so I think the weather made up for it today!"

He and second-place finisher Lenré Coetzee were the main protagonists for the majority of the race, but a puncture around 60km for Coetzee saw Day take it away from there.

PHOTO GALLERY: Karoo to Coast on 25 September 2022

"After he punctured, I sat up a bit waiting for him, but with the group chasing behind I couldn't wait too long. So, I pushed on," Day said. Push on he did, finishing in a time of 3:25:27 – five minutes and 26 seconds ahead of Coetzee, who was briefly caught by the chasing group. Coetzee finished in 3:30:53, which in turn was 20 seconds ahead of third-placed Danie Cronje (3:31:13).

The women's winner for the day, Fienie Barnard, reached the finish line shortly after. With a time of 3:53:15, she was almost 20 minutes ahead of second-placed Monica Glover (4:12:00), who was followed across the line four-and-a-half minutes later by Danica Botes (4:16:30).

While the top finishers may be in the spotlight, a remarkable and incredibly impressive ride by young local Damon Terblanche saw him clinch eighth place overall in 3:41:33 – this despite beginning in the 'B' starting batch.

He claimed the prize for the fastest local this year, and he was also on the receiving end of a very generous act by fellow Knysnarian Ryan Habib. Read more about this in another article on www.knysnaplettherald.com.

An exhausted Waydon Koopman catches his breath after his great ride.