Star-studded field ready for sani2c
MUCH of South Africa’s top mountain biking talent rolled into Himeville yesterday before today’s start of the race event of this year’s Nedbank sani2c, while their more leisurely adventure and trail counterparts enjoyed their first and second stage outings respectively.
The ominously in-form RECM teams were quietly confident as they wrapped up their final preparations, sizing up the prospect of podiums in both the men’s and women’s races.
This year affords Erik Kleinhans the opportunity to erase last year’s nightmare, when he and teammate Eric Bell saw their hopes of clinching the title evaporate in a high-speed crash late in the second stage.
“Last year we came so close before the accident put a damper on everything,” said Kleinhans. “This is a major title, and one we really want to win.
“This is such a difficult race because the younger cross-country guys make it harder for us in the beginning on the single track. But we love that level of competition.”
He added that most of the elite riders were in between peaks after the Cape Epic and the upcoming SA Marathon Championships.
The RECM men’s team will find themselves drawn into a title tussle that looks certain to include the duo of Kevin Evans and Max Knox (BiogenVolcan), at least one of whom has been on the race podium every year bar one since the event’s inception.
Kleinhans believes BiogenVolcan’s chances hinge on Evans’s stamina, and feels certain that Blend’s Darren Lill and Waylon Woolcock will be influential, as will the USN Kargo Pro MTB pairing of Alan Hatherly and Brendan Davids, Contego Pro MTB’s Luke Evans and Adriaan Louw, as well as EAI Wheeler’s Johann Rabie and Swiss powerhouse Konny Looser.
In the women’s race, an intriguing tussle seems to be looming between the RECM duo of Adriane Kleinhans and Cherise Stander, Specialized South Africa’s last-minute cross-country entrants Bianca Haw and Candice Neethling, as well as Sasol Racing’s Yolande de Villiers and Catherine Williamson.
Defending champ Jennie Stenerhag of Sweden has had to adjust her race plans at the last minute after regular Ascendis Health partner and South African marathon champion Robyn de Groot was forced out of the race due to post-viral fatigue syndrome.
Stenerhag will now take to the line with Namibian marathon, road and time trial champ Vera Adrian.
Meanwhile, yesterday’s action saw more than 1 500 adventure riders set off from the race’s new start venue at Glencairn Farm at the base of Sani Pass, soaking up the nearperfect conditions on their way down to the first overnight stop at Mackenzie Club near Ixopo.
The star-studded field enjoyed the presence of countless South African sporting greats, such as former Proteas fast bowler Makhaya Ntini, 1995 Rugby World Cup-winning flyhalf Joel Stransky and former South African canoe sprint sensation Andrew Blackburn.
Riding under the South African Rugby Legends Association banner, Stransky and partner Shaun Payne obliterated all but three of the adventure field as they crossed the line in 3:14.01, paving the way for fellow former Springboks Stefan Terblanche, Butch James, Brent Russell and Trevor Halstead, among others.
Association chairman Terblanche explained that his squad of rugby legends was looking forward to a good three days, both on and off the bike.
“All the guys are here at sani2c for a great three days of cycling, but it’s also just as much about us all having a braai, some beers and lots of fun together,” he said. “Hopefully Joel (Stransky) and Shaun (Payne) can go quite nicely, and then they can look to give it a full go (today).”
James added: “There isn’t too much rivalry among the guys, but once you get out there on to the trails, that natural competitiveness definitely does kick in!”