ADVERTISEMENT:

 

 
 

Hands-free wheely for his victory lap! Kombo Bere of Louis Trichardt cycles across the finish line during the Cycle Centre Mountain Bike Challenge over the past weekend.

Cyclists conquer Cycle Centre Challenge

Date: 17 April 2015 By: Isabel Venter

Local cyclists conquered the Soutpansberg Mountain, as well as some new challenges it had to offer.

The event was the annual Cycle Centre Challenge that was hosted in the Komatiland Forests, with an exciting new and improved Olympic Cross Country track. Members of the Soutpansberg Youth Cycling Development (SYCD) helped to build this new track over the last few months, which ensured a gruelling and adrenaline-filled race.

The lovely weather paved the way for a spectacular day out on the track for the more than 60 cyclists who participated in the four different races. Parents and spectators were able to view all the action from various points along the 6km route, which was filled with booms, table-tops and drop-offs. There was also an easier track for the younger kids, as well as the women, with the men battling it out on the difficult track.

Kombo Bere, who started the race 30 seconds behind the leading bunch, won the race with a powerful display of riding that saw him catch up to and then outpace his main rival, Edwin Simpson, midway during the first lap of the race. Kombo finished all four laps in a time of 01:17:47, with his fastest lap time being 00:19:06.

The fastest woman was Wendy Cambell with a lap time of 00:32:18.

Other age category winners, with their fastest lap time in brackets, were Marco Roets (Jnr Men U/19 00:22:20), Adrian Joubert (Jnr Men U/23 00:28:19), Marc van Zyl (Elite men 23-29 00:26:01), Nico Geldenhuys (Sub-Vet men 00:22:51), Casper Venter (Vet men 00:22:21), Chanté du Plessis (Jnr women 17-18 00:33:16), and Christie Thomas (Vet Woman 00:35:35).

For the young men (15 – 16 years) the race proved to be a gruelling task. Zian van den Heever, who led the bunch in the first lap, suffered a fall in the “rock garden” and had to quit the race. The race was won by Robert Retief from Merensky (00:22:27), followed by Matthew Wilkinson from Standford Lake (00:23:05) and James Raper from High School Louis Trichardt (00:26:00).

The first junior boy was Armand Cronjé of Merensky (00:06:13), followed by Casper John Venter from Ridgeway Independent (00:06:24) and Eugene van den Heever of P&L Hardware Club (00:06:27).

The first nipper boy was Antony Clayton (00:07:11) and the first girl was Anischka Neetling (00:10:28).

Click here to view the full gallery of photos.

 
 
 

Viewed: 757

 

 
 

Isabel Venter

Isabel joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in 2009 as a reporter. She holds a BA Degree in Communication Sciences from the University of South Africa. Her beat is mainly crime and court reporting.

 
 

More photos... 

Francois Labuschagne, another local mountain biker and team member of the Louis Trichardt High School Cycling team, in action during the past weekend's Cycle Centre Challenge.

Nico Geldenhuys, anther local cyclist, finished first in the category, despite a fall during one of his laps. 

ADVERTISEMENT

 
 

ADVERTISEMENT:

 
 

ADVERTISEMENT