KNYSNA NEWS - HB Kruger and Stuart Marais delivered a strong statement as they led the field home in the opening stage of the TransCape MTB Encounter on Sunday 4 February.
The ASG-Ellsworth outfit drew first blood in the 614km seven-day race between Knysna and La Couronne Wine Estate in Franschhoek, but Kruger was quick to acknowledge they still had a long way to go.
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They covered the 71km stage from Knysna to Wilderness in 2:23:47, about three-and-a-half minutes ahead of Norway’s Eirik Fiskvik and Thomas Engelsgjerd (Team Happysalmon) in the UCI men’s category.
The South Africans took the lead on Phantom Pass, one of seven categorised climbs. It presented the field with their first proper challenge immediately after the 5km neutral zone through the outskirts of Knysna.
“As we turned off the N2 some of the teams went to the front and we sort of waited a bit until we took the lead about 6km into the stage,” added Kruger.
He said they had about a minute’s lead over Fiskvik and Engelsgjerd early on, but gradually increased the gap as the day unfolded.
He said their strategy was to build a lead but also to keep something in reserve.
“You definitely don’t go out all guns blazing and the aim is to get in front but to keep something in the tank for the remaining days.”
Britain’s Catherine Williamson, who won the mixed title last year, and Belgium’s Kristof de Neys led the way in this category after joining a group of about 10 riders after the first climb.
Williamson and De Neys, who rides under the LawPack banner, finished in 2:38:05 to establish a comfortable lead over Reinette Geldenhuis and Wolf Stinnes (Woolies Trance).
“When you get with a group of guys like that, you tend to go a little quicker,” said Williamson. “So we got pulled along really nicely, with Kristof doing his fair share of work at the front.”
De Neys, who divides his time between Knysna and Belgium, said he was making his third appearance in the TransCape and he knew the trails in the area well.
The ASG-Ellsworth team of Stuart Marais (left) and HB Kruger celebrate their win in the men’s Elite category on the first stage of the Liberty TransCape MTB Encounter. Photo: Full Stop Communications
“We just tried to stay in our power zone and not expend too much energy on the first day,” he said.
The UCI women’s category was won by TransCape debutants Janine Muller and Mari du Toit (Oakley Group), both from Pretoria, in 3:08:19.
“I must admit, I did expect a bit more climbing, but we managed to get away early and luckily there was no one really pushing us from behind,” said Muller. “It really was a good day.”
The peloton are escorted out of Knysna by event partner Volvo Cars on the opening 71km stage of the Liberty TransCape MTB Encounter on Sunday 4 February. The seven-day mountain bike race finishes at La Couronne Wine Estate in Franschhoek on Saturday 10 February. Photo: Robert Ward
The second stage was set to take riders over 86km and 1 900m of ascent from Wilderness to Mossel Bay.
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