The very happy stage one winners ©Karin Schermbrucker/Cape Pioneer/SPORTZPICS
Stage 1 | Stage 2 | Stage 3 | Stage 4 | Stage 5 | Stage 6
DCM’s Max Knox and Thomas Zahnd gave the race sponsor every reason to cheer as they triumphed on the opening stage of the 2010 DCM Cape Pioneer Trek in South Africa on Monday. Nathalie Schneitter and Renate Telser finished the fastest of the women’s teams.
The 135 kilometre stage got off to a zoological start at the Chandelier Game and Ostrich Show Farm in Oudtshoorn, the town the race will return to the same time for its finale in five days time. But Saturday’s final stage was a long way from the minds of the race’s 166-strong field who set-off for the 135 kilometre journey south through the Doringrivier Nature reserve bound for Mossel Bay.
The race was run over primarily vehicle tracks but with almost 2,820 metres of vertical ascent the course had event the most seasoned riders in the field asking questions of themselves. Christoph Sauser’s tweeted his assessment of the day saying, “cape pioneer stage 1: 135km, 6.20hrs riding time plus a other h of fixing tires and eating! my longest race ever! ready for a beer NOW!”
Dash'n'splash at the DCM Cape Pioneer Trek ©Karin Schermbrucker/Cape Pioneer/SPORTZPICS
Sauser’s mechanical woes meant he finished 12th on the day with teammate and compatriot Silvio Bundi. The two were left to toast the efforts of Knox and Zahnd, who proved the fastest pairing on stage one. The DCM riders completed the course in 5:43:21 to finish just over three minutes clear of Kevin Evans and Adrien Niyonshuti. DCM also claimed third spot on the first podium of the race through Jacques Janse Van Rensburg and Brandon Stewart.
With the first three pairs almost half an hour ahead of their nearest rivals the first day has given a clear indication of the riders likely to share the spoils at the end of the six-day event.
In the women’s race Nathalie Schneitter and Renate Telser stamped their authority on the event. The Swiss pair finished 23 minutes ahead of Robyn Adendorff and Sarah Van Heerden. The other Swiss pair in the race, Doris Arnold and Nina Gunter-Tshanz grabbed a podium position as a reward for their nine hours of effort.
With a tough day in the legs, the 110 kilometre stage two will prove a stern test for the leading riders. The stage will include around 5 kilometres on the beaches near Mossel Bay, but with 90 per cent of the day’s stage to take place on tracks or sealed roads tyre pressure selection could prove to be a factor for the riders.
A little bit more than your average tip-toe through the tulips ©Karin Schermbrucker/Cape Pioneer/SPORTZPICS
South Africa is a land of incredible contrasts ©Karin Schermbrucker/Cape Pioneer/SPORTZPICS
The field stays together early in the stage ©Karin Schermbrucker/Cape Pioneer/SPORTZPICS
The tough course saw the race split up on day one ©Karin Schermbrucker/Cape Pioneer/SPORTZPICS
| Place | Names | Team | Nationality | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Knox – Thomas Zahnd | Team Dcm 3 | South Africa | 05:43:21 |
| 2 | Kevin Evans – Adrien Niyonshuti | Evans | South Africa | 05:46:30 |
| 3 | Jacques Janse Van Rensburg – Brandon Stewart | Team Dcm 2 | South Africa | 05:47:44 |
| 4 | Bruce Diesel – Andrew Mclean | Toyota Supercycling Cyclelab Vets | South Africa | 06:11:29 |
| 5 | Charles Keey – Dave Morison | Blend Property Group 1 | South Africa | 06:13:05 |
| 6 | Matthys Beukes – Gerrie Beukes | Mtbdestination.Com | South Africa | 06:40:51 |
| 7 | Hilton Frost – Shaun Peschl | Team Marshell World Of Sport | South Africa | 06:45:05 |
| 8 | Nico Verhoef – Cm Muller | Team Contego Sludge 2 | South Africa | 06:48:18 |
| 9 | Rohan Kennedy – Vickus Boshoff | Gu Energy Gel/Helly Hansen | South Africa | 06:48:48 |
| 10 | Ischen Stopforth – Marcel Deacon | Team Bizhub | South Africa | 06:49:36 |
| 11 | Kobus Barnard – Fienie Barnard | Klein Karoo 1 | South Africa | 06:52:31 |
| 12 | Damian Booth – Cornell Van Der Westhuizen | Staaldiesel Racing | South Africa | 06:58:35 |
| 13 | Clinton Barrow – Pieter Seyffert | Team Dcm 4 | South Africa | 06:58:59 |
| 14 | Brian Lennox – Hannes Hanekom | Team Contego Sludge 1 | South Africa | 07:01:51 |
| 15 | Patrick Griessen – Ariane Luthi | Sputnik-Bikeshop.Ch | Switzerland | 07:02:00 |
| 16 | Erik Kleinhans – Oliver Munnik | Gt Mr Price | South Africa | 07:11:43 |
| 17 | Christoph Sauser – Silvio Bundi | Specialized-Songo.Info | Switzerland | 07:11:44 |
| 18 | Henry Hayes – Greg Anderson | Team Dd | South Africa | 07:12:19 |
| 19 | Peter Basler – Patrick Guenter | Suisse-Bearbikers | Switzerland | 07:14:43 |
| 20 | Chris Roux – Hendrik Grey Van Tonder | Dokkie En Grys | South Africa | 07:23:07 |
| 21 | Stuart Marais – Shan Wilson | Blend Property Group 2 | South Africa | 07:23:39 |
| 22 | Linus Van Onselen – Bryan Strauss | Team Contego Sludge 3 | South Africa | 07:24:41 |
| 23 | Christiaan Van Zyl – Leana De Jager | Newbridge | South Africa | 07:29:29 |
| 24 | Nathalie Schneitter – Renate Telser | Ride For Hearing | Switzerland | 07:33:48 |
| 25 | Johan Labuschane – Yolande De Villies | Cycle Lab Mixed | South Africa | 07:34:15 |
| 26 | Gus Klohn – Marc Wiederkehr | Ansaldo Sts Dunkeld Cycles | South Africa | 07:37:55 |
| 27 | Urs Guentensperger – Marcel Frei | Büli Bike Tigers | Switzerland | 07:39:32 |
| 28 | Stephan Kuhnel – Rene Stehr | Mfs | Germany | 07:40:32 |
| 29 | Henry Swart – Juan Van Deventer | Hermanus Apteek | South Africa | 07:45:55 |
| 30 | Davy Urkens – Michel Broeckx | Masters 23 – 12 | Belgium | 07:47:53 |
| 31 | Gert Muller – Graham Daniel | Underwater Farmers | South Africa | 07:48:20 |
| 32 | Pierre Rocher – Neil Van Tonder | Carpe Diem | South Africa | 07:49:22 |
| 33 | Bertus Van Zyl – Timo Cooper | Khs/Jeep | South Africa | 07:50:51 |
| 34 | Ludwig Swanepoel – Grant Flattery | U D Trucks | South Africa | 07:55:57 |
| 35 | Robyn Adendorff – Sarah Van Heerden | Team Aspen | South Africa | 07:56:46 |
| 36 | Charl Du Plessis – Dennis Du Toit | Team Swift | South Africa | 08:01:37 |
| 37 | Tom Cuylaerts – Danny Smets | Kraft | Belgium | 08:02:10 |
| 38 | Koos Klopper – Rory Mapstone | Cycle Lab Centurion | South Africa | 08:02:58 |
| 39 | Lawrence Lindeque – Shane White | Cycles Direct | South Africa | 08:04:02 |
| 40 | Derek Morgan – Hilana Marais | Derek Morgan | South Africa | 08:05:01 |
| 41 | Mike Charlewood – Steve Van Eck | Steviemicks | South Africa | 08:10:06 |
| 42 | Alex Harris – Renato Sabbioni | Openroad | South Africa | 08:11:32 |
| 43 | Wayne Rebello – Dwayne Klingbiel | Cruz Control | South Africa | 08:16:03 |
| 44 | John Thomson – Duncan Bowman | Toyota Mates | South Africa | 08:22:43 |
| 45 | Michael Curtis – Aidan De Lange | Ynot | Namibia | 08:22:53 |
| 46 | Henry Fagan – Alewyn Vorster | Henry Fagan & Partners | South Africa | 08:23:53 |
| 47 | Paul Theron – Mauritz Meyer | Team Tee Off | South Africa | 08:28:03 |
| 48 | Donovan Jackson – Nolene Jackson | Www.Treadmag.Co.Za | South Africa | 08:31:35 |
| 49 | Gerhard Ebersohn – Christine Jansen Van Rensburg | Peptosport | South Africa | 08:35:33 |
| 50 | Scott Fraser – Dave Linder | Kona South Africa | South Africa | 08:35:52 |
| 51 | Aidan Brown – Dylan Chilcott | Volcan/Emotion/Mtn | South Africa | 08:37:20 |
| 52 | Willem Botha – Danie Van Aswegen | Virtuoso | South Africa | 08:38:13 |
| 53 | Johan Stumpf – Wynand Mulder | Klein Karoo Ii | South Africa | 08:38:16 |
| 54 | Nicola Payne – Tony Walker | Aim For Payne | South Africa | 08:38:18 |
| 55 | Rex Benson – Ingo De Jager | Vuur En Vlam | South Africa | 08:38:22 |
| 56 | Sw Jacobsz – Karel Botha | Span Vrystaat | South Africa | 08:47:20 |
| 57 | Jacobus Diener – Christian Rohwer | Custard Pandas | South Africa | 08:47:39 |
| 58 | Richard Chesterton – Maartin Van Rensburg | 29″ Dust Bunnies | South Africa | 08:51:56 |
| 59 | Shaun Ellis – Billy Stelling | Cadence Capital | South Africa | 08:56:07 |
| 60 | Doris Arnold – Nina Gunter-Tschanz | Swiss Ladies | Switzerland | 09:00:43 |
| 61 | Hennie Muller – Casper Badenhorst | Bmg Racing Snakes | South Africa | 09:01:33 |
| 62 | Etiënne Jansen – Siska Van Der Bijl | Licht Verzet Mixed | Netherlands | 09:02:38 |
| 63 | Niel Rossouw – Corne Erasmus | Byers Security | South Africa | 09:02:42 |
| 64 | Jp Van Der Merwe – Frank Hattingh | Eerste Keer | South Africa | 09:13:16 |
| 65 | Willie Esterhuyzen – Christopher Dutton | Tread Redbar | South Africa | 09:17:00 |
| 66 | Graig Raw – Sirk Loots | Quirk | South Africa | 09:17:03 |
| 67 | Jason Whyte – Oliver Williams | St. Luke’S Hospice | South Africa | 09:17:53 |
| 68 | Graig Wapnick – Malcolm Wetmore | Wapnick | South Africa | 09:21:39 |
| 69 | Elzaan Visser – Theresa Horn | First Ascent Ladies | South Africa | 09:21:55 |
| 70 | Craig Casteling – Eric Marshall | Limelight | South Africa | 09:22:14 |
| 71 | Arrie Rossouw – Kim Jenkins | Ark Riders | South Africa | 09:23:45 |
| 72 | John Hayes – Rob Hayes | Hayes Team | South Africa | 09:24:55 |
| 73 | Kabous Marra – Alan Dawson | Team Wilde | South Africa | 09:26:52 |
| 74 | Sias Le Roux – Jaco Du Plessis | Team Patrol | South Africa | 09:28:13 |
| 75 | Leon Van Niekerk – Jan-Peet Mulder | Pac-Chem | South Africa | 09:35:35 |
| 76 | Graig Whittaker – Neil Timm | Team Mxit | South Africa | 09:35:49 |
| 77 | Eduard Herselman – Marnitz Nienaber | Pgquattro | South Africa | 09:35:55 |
| 78 | Andre Ferreira – Leigh Ferreira | Ea Sports – Mixed | South Africa | 09:36:28 |
| 79 | Anton De Waal – Brigitte De Waal | B-E-N | South Africa | 09:37:18 |
| 80 | Gordan Craib – Murray Craib | Craib Bros. | Canada | 09:38:15 |
| 81 | Julia Skea – Laura Herd | Fire Ants | South Africa | 09:38:51 |
| 82 | Roy Du Toit – Pieter Erasmus | Hexkoel 108 | South Africa | 09:38:54 |
| 83 | Piet Smit – Niel De Jage | Team Gs | South Africa | 09:41:16 |