With the sun creeping over the mountains we were off to an early start on day 1 of the 2015 Du Toit Tankwa Trek. The Witzenberg Valley in all her might awaited us.
The day’s course was on the more technical side but overall well balanced in the offerings. There was a fair amount of rocky singletrack, yet it was quite flowing and the slick rocks drop offs have many talking in the camp this afternoon. The climb up the Witzenberg mountain range was the main one of the day and was followed by an exceptionally steep, rocky and technical descent which had the brakes burning! A couple of short sections on the tar helped tick off a few km quickly and offered some respite from the terrain.
On the racing front it was the favourites the RECM boys who laid down the law early on and rode away with Stefan Sahm, as a solo entrant. The second group on the road comprised of the Red E-Blend pair and Contego-Swift. Hanco and I (Altech Autopage) managed to ride back onto this group some 30km into the stage but were thereafter in the company of the EAI boys over the top of the climb. We remained with them until just kilometres from the line where they managed to get away with a small cushion on us.
The ladies race was taken out by the Ascendis Health ladies with the RECM pairing coming in second on the day. The mixed race was won by the Freewheel Cycology/Asrin team of Boyes and Neethling.
Riders seemed to find the stage a bit easier then they anticipated, but they really weren’t going fast enough then were they? 😉 Tomorrow the queen stage awaits, the Merino Monster takes no prisoners and there will be some tired bodies at Kaleo Manor tomorrow afternoon.
Results:
1. RECM – Kleinhans & Reid
2. Red E/Blend – Lill & Woolcock
3. Contego/Swift – Luus & Louw
4. EAI – Rabie & Combrinck
5. Altech Autopage – Wolhuter & Kachelhoffer