Brandon and Carla take it

Wesley Bo on

Both winners admitted they were made to work hard yesterday, after Brandon Downes closed out a dominant season for Team BCX in the men’s race, and national champion Carla Oberholzer (above) clinched a late sprint in the women’s contest at the Telkom 947 Cycle Challenge.

Downes made a brave solo break through the streets of Joburg, with the 27-year-old rider holding off a late challenge to win in 2:16:47, adding to the BCX team’s triumphs at the Cape Town Cycle Tour and the Amashova Cycle Classic earlier in the year.

Team-mate Steven van Heerden was second and Dylan Girdlestone, riding for the Officeguru outfit, finished third.

“I wasn’t thinking about the win. I was just trying to stay in the moment,” Downes said.

Oberholzer, meanwhile, lifted the women’s crown by edging out three other riders.

Spearheading the Demacon Ladies outfit, she completed the 94.7km race in 2:46:11, adding to her impressive list of achievements this season which included victories at the national championships in February and the Amashova in Durban last month.

Veteran rider Anriette Schoeman, who won the title back in 2008, took second place for Africa Silks, while Jo van de Winkel (Cycle Nation) held off long-time leader Theresa Ralph to grab the bottom spot on the podium.