CAPE PIONEER TREK: STRONG TEAMS SHOW THEMSELVES ON STAGE 1

Stage 1 of the 2022 Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer Trek, presented by Biogen, provided a drama-filled day, general classification changes in the elite women’s race and a sprint finish in the men’s. Efficient Insure Infiniti Racing’s Theresa Ralph and Kim le Court won the stage to claim the pink First Ascent leaders’ jerseys. While in the men’s race Imbuko {type}DEV A’s Marco Joubert and Pieter du Toit held off the overall leaders, Insect Science Pro, to claim stage honours in George.

The 55-kilometre stage packed in 1 850 metres of climbing and lots of technical trails. These and the strenuous ascents to Tierkop and Dizzy Heights provided testing terrain which ensured exciting racing. The rising wind also affected the race, with team tactics and cagey manoeuvres playing their part.

Imbuko {type}DEV took the fight to Insect Science Pro from the off. Joubert set a blistering tempo on the climb to Tierkop which split the field. Only the men in the yellow First Ascent jerseys and the Valley Electrical Titan Racing team were able to follow the two Imbuko {type}DEV squads. The descent that followed spread the top four teams out, but a headwind stretch allowed for a brief regrouping.

“I think my mental limit was set a bit low this morning,” Arno du Toit joked. “I struggled to match the Imbuko {type}DEV guys on those climbs, but Keagan [Bontekoning] and I rode our own pace. We focused on staying smooth in the trails and caught back up to them again.”

“We got away on the second long climb and then Wessel [Botha] and Rudi [Koen] bridged across to us,” Joubert explained. “Unfortunately, Wessel punctured, so they couldn’t help us for too long in the wind. Then on a grassy descent I had probably my biggest crash of the year. I’m not really sure what happened, suddenly I was going over the bars and tumbling across the trail. Fortunately, I was okay, but while I was getting up Insect Science caught us.”

“The fall really knocked my confidence, so we were content to follow Arno [du Toit] and Keagan [Bontekoning] for the rest of the stage,” Joubert continued. “They tried a few attacks, but with the headwind we could stay in their wheels pretty easily. We waited until we turned off the road into the race village before we attacked and managed to take the win in a sprint.”

With nothing separating the Imbuko {type}DEV A and Insect Science Pro teams on the line the general classification standing remains unchanged. Arno du Toit and Bontekoning still lead Joubert and Pieter du Toit by 11 seconds. Imbuko {type}DEV B’s Botha and Koen, who finished third on the stage remain third overall, 5 minutes and 59 seconds behind the race leaders. Valley Electrical Titan Racing are fourth on the general classification standings, with Varsity College moving up to fifth.

There were more changes in the women’s overall standings. Theresa Ralph and Kim le Court went on the offensive relatively early in the stage. “We followed Yolande [de Villiers] and Stephanie [Wohlters] initially to see how they were riding, then upped the pace and rode our own tempo,” Le Court said. “The route was amazing today and we had great fun out there. The Cape Pioneer Trek is still long… but it’s good to be in the leaders’ jerseys now.”

Efficient Insure Infiniti Racing’s winning margin was 7 minutes and 50 seconds over Madmacs/Coopetto/Bester Performance. This sees Ralph and Le Court move into the general classification lead and take a 6 minutes and 54 second advantage into Stage 2. Behind the top two teams Ila Stow and Robyn Williams leapfrogged Kylie Hanekom and Tarryn Povey to move into third overall. The Clickatell women are 16 minutes and 43 seconds off the leaders heading into the first transition stage.

Tuesday’s Stage takes the race out of the Garden Route into the Langkloof. Starting with more of George’s fabled singletrack the route ascends the historic Montague Pass and traces the northern slopes of the Outeniqua Mountains to Louvain. The 76 kilometre long course includes 1 900 metres of climbing, with a potentially decisive 5-kilometre climb coming in the final 15 kilometres of the day. To see if it will indeed provide the opportunity for teams to distance their rivals follow the racing on social media. Like the Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer Trek, presented by Biogen, Facebook page, follow @CapePioneerTrek on Twitter and follow @capepioneer on Instagram. For more information visit www.capepioneer.co.za.

Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer Trek, presented by Biogen, Leading Results

Elite Men | Stage 1:

1. Imbuko {type}DEV A: Marco Joubert & Pieter du Toit (2:27:25)
2. Insect Science Pro: Arno du Toit & Keagan Bontekoning (2:27:25 | ST)
3. Imbuko {type}DEV B: Wessel Botha & Rudi Koen (2:31:36 | + 04:11)

Elite Women | Stage 1:

1. Efficient Insure Infiniti Racing: Theresa Ralph & Kim le Court (3:07:41)
2. Madmacs/Coopetto/Bester Performance: Yolande de Villiers & Stephanie Wohlters (3:15:31 | + 07:50)
3. Clickatell: Ila Stow & Robyn Williams (3:30:23 | + 22:42)

Elite Men | General Classification after Stage 1:

1. Insect Science Pro: Arno du Toit & Keagan Bontekoning (3:20:33)
2. Imbuko {type}DEV A: Marco Joubert & Pieter du Toit (3:20:44 | +11)
3. Imbuko {type}DEV B: Wessel Botha & Rudi Koen (3:26:31 | + 05:58)

Elite Women | General Classification after Stage 1:

1. Efficient Insure Infiniti Racing: Theresa Ralph & Kim le Court (4:15:24)
2. Madmacs/Coopetto/Bester Performance: Yolande de Villiers & Stephanie Wohlters (4:22:18 | + 06:54)
3. Clickatell: Ila Stow & Robyn Williams (4:33:11 | + 16:43)

For the full results from the 2022 Momentum Medical Scheme Cape Pioneer Trek, presented by Biogen, click here.

Source: Seamus Allardice Media