Race Report - GP Koning Waterproofing and Roofing Rollercoaster Funride

Report by Sipho Mona, Team Manager: Team GT/Velokhaya/PPA.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

The third league race of the Pro Classic series started in the Southern Suburbs of Constantia at the False Bay Rugby Club.

The 88Km race began with a steep climb up Oukaapseweg which was always going to be problematic for the less experienced riders and those who were not properly warmed up and, to make it more difficult, the one and only KOM was at the top of the climb. The inevitable happened and a lot of riders lost contact going up the climb. On the downhill the bunch had split in to three groups - all of our main riders being in the leading group.

The race sumitted Black Hill and the second chasing bunch made contact with the leaders - as did some of our junior riders. The race then cruised through Simonstown and up Smitswinkel and allowed some riders from the 3rd bunch to make contact with the leaders. The riders then blitzed through Scarborough and headed for Kommetjie then down towards the town and to the dreaded Oukaapseweg. With the current pink jersey holder amoungst the leaders (37 seconds overall in front of our best placed rider, Siyabonga Mnqwazi) the defining moment was going to be the climb. There were numerous breaks up Ou Kaaps by riders intent on taking the overall jersey but to no avail. Two riders eventually worked a 10sec lead together with Siyabonga, losing the overall jersey holder towards the top of the mountain.

Siya then made the descent with his teammates, and a few other riders who had bridged with him, towards Constantia. With 10km to go the pink jersey was chasing hard to catch the leading pack but with 5 km to the finish line the gap had grown to over 20 seconds. At the sprint finish, GT Velokhaya came agonizingly close to taking the overall jersey with just 2 seconds now separating our best placed rider from the pink jersey (37sec at the start of the race).

With 3 more races to go and 2 riders from GT Velokhaya just seconds off the pace - the pink league jersey is well within our grasp.