Hoffman heartbreak as Hendricks dazzles
CLINT HENDRICKStook the coveted title at the 39th Cape Town Cycle Tour yesterday, pipping Jayde Julius (Dimension Data Continental) in a sprint finish and restricting two-time defending champion Nolan Hoffman (Team Telkom) to third spot, in the most exciting race in recent years.
“It’s been a long time coming, I’ve come second and third, so I’m very happy to pull this one off,” Hendricks (RoadCover) said of the biggest win of his career, so far. As a sprinter, Hendricks has been stuck in the shadow of the prolific Hoffman who was in the hunt for only the second hat-trick in history (Willie Engelbrecht completed the triple in 1988, 1989 and 1990).
“To get one over him (Hoffman) in the biggest race of the year, feels good,” said Hendricks.
Hendricks’ relatively slow winning time of 2hr 35min 52sec (the record is 2:27:29 held by Robbie Hunter) is indicative of the watchful team tactical racing that took place early on. Nicol Carstens (Lights by Linea) got away just before Muizenberg and the big teams let him stay away for a while. The peloton, spearheaded by Team Telkom, started increasing the pace through Simon’s Town and Carstens was brought back.
Up the Smitswinkel climb, James Reid (SRacing) stretched his legs and sparked the break that ignited the field.
Much had been made all week about how the international mountain bikers were looking to deliver Kiwi Sam Gaze in the sprint and he, along with the likes of Christoph Sauser (S-Racing) were in this surge, as was Karl Platt from Team Bulls and Nino Schurter (Scott Odlo).
National road race champion Jaco Venter (Dimension Data) was also in the break and played a few cards out front, but was closely marked and couldn’t get away.
Things came back together through Noordhoek and it was Dimension Data’s Songezo Jim who broke over Chapman’s Peak.
He led a bunch through Hout Bay, before the decisive move came up Suikerbossie when 19- year- old Keagan Girdlestone (Dimension Data Continental) slipped away. Girdlestone – eventually joined by Jim and JC Nel (ProTouch) – stayed away until the final kilometre and very nearly hung on for the win.
However, Hendricks’ RoadCover outfit, who were in the mix throughout the day, managed to deliver him through that final kilometre and the line. “I can’t thank my team enough,” said Hendricks. “Especially Kent Main – he was a demon in the end, on the front the whole way just burying himself,” he added. – Cycle Tour Media Office