The new professional combination of Pieter Seyffert and Travis Walker were back on top of the podium as the TransCape mountain bike race honoured former British road champion Sharon Laws, who has been diagnosed with cervical cancer.
Organisers ASG Events introduced the top of the day’s major climb, Rusty Gate, as the Sharon Laws Summit in recognition of the 42-year-old double Cape Epic champion.
Pro rider Pieter Seyffert, riding with Travis Walker under the Ellsworth-ASG banner, works hard towards the Sharon Laws Summit in the TransCape mountain bike race on the 68km sixth stage from Greyton to Villiersdorp. The 690km journey started in Knysna on Sunday and will end at La Couronne Wine Estate in Franschhoek tomorrow. Photo: Jacques Marais
Seyffert said going up Rusty Gate had been a challenge but that there were positives as well.
“It was one of those climbs where the suffering is definitely worth it because the view from the top is overwhelming,” he said.
On the 68km route from Greyton to Villiersdorp, which included the new Greyton Black single-track segment, the Ellsworth-ASG outfit of Seyffert and Walker rode in first after conceding the stage win yesterday.
They crossed the line in 3:07:14 for an overall time of 23:41:47, followed by yesterday’s winners, Belgians Eddy Feliers and Kristof de Neys of Cicero Baik, in 3:39:09 (25:25:35).
Grabbing the final podium spot on the day in 3:45:40 were RR’s Rodney Stroud and Ryan Loots, but the Bromance pairing of David and William Wertheim Aymes, who finished in 3:58:47, remain in third overall (26:07:24).
With only tomorrow’s final stage between Villiersdorp and La Couronne Wine Estate in Franschhoek to negotiate, Seyffert and Walker should be able to relax on final stretch into the Western Cape town.
“Today we actually started quite quickly from the gun and Travis was strong the whole day,” said the 30-year-old Seyffert, who lives in Helderkruin on the West Rand.
The Greyton Black single-track is a new section which has been developed and Seyffert said it was “quite bumpy and rough”.
“Once it gets used more often it will be something to experience because the views are amazing – when you are not focused on the route.”
He said he and the 25-year-old Walker, who is from Hilton in KwaZulu-Natal, had pushed quite hard today, but still rode somewhat conservatively.
Travis Walker, riding with fellow pro Pieter Seyffert under the Ellsworth-ASG banner, makes his way towards the Sharon Laws Summit in the TransCape mountain bike race on the 68km sixth stage from Greyton to Villiersdorp. The 690km journey started in Knysna on Sunday and will end at La Couronne Wine Estate in Franschhoek tomorrow. Photo: Jacques Marais
“We rode within ourselves on the descents because a nasty spill could be the end of the race and a setback for the season. So we went quite hard at times, but we didn’t take any unnecessary risks.”
In the mixed section, Hannele Steyn and her British teammate Catherine Williamson (Spar) led the field home in 3:39:33 (25:54:37).
Ian and Jane Seggie were second in 4:36:33 (30:49:08), followed by Matthias and Denise Kubli in 4:39:04 (32:26:06).
The 51-year-old Steyn, from Durbanville in Cape Town, said they were enjoying the experience of competing in the mixed category.
“It’s good for us to compete and we do our work when we are in the group with the men. We chase until the very end,” she said.
A former professional triathlete who turned to mountain biking, Steyn said she stopped racing competitively in 2011 after two back fusions.
But she is enjoying the TransCape as she said it provided excellent preparation for next month’s Cape Epic.
“This event is fantastic in terms of leg speed because you sit on some open gravel roads at high speed.
“For someone with experience, technical riding is not something you need to practise that much, but the leg speed you get makes this perfect preparation for the Epic.”
The Spar outfit of Catherine Williams (left) and Hannele Steyn tackle a climb in the TransCape mountain bike race on the 68km sixth stage from Greyton to Villiersdorp. The 690km journey started in Knysna on Sunday and will end at La Couronne Wine Estate in Franschhoek tomorrow. Photo: Jacques Marais
Defending champion Billy Stelling kept his comfortable lead in the men’s solo category, his 3:34:43 giving him an aggregate time of 25:39:10.
Belgian Karl Dossche is in second place overall after finishing in 3:52:35 (26:04:11), followed by Alan Tilling (26:29:01), who was second on the stage in 3:49:01.
Women’s solo leader Alma Colyn completed the day in 3:54:00 (26:14:20), followed by Chandre Wertheim Aymes in 4:55:39 (34:05:37).