The second round of the 2015 Stihl SA MTB Cup XCO took place at Voortrekker Monument, Gauteng, on Saturday 28 March. With 50 Elite Men and 11 Elite Women competing, this event had one of the largest Elite fields in a long time.
The winner of the Elite Men’s race was Matthys Beukes (Scott Factory Racing powered by LCB), followed by James Reid in second place (RECM), and Philip Buys in third (Scott Factory Racing powered by LCB). London Olympian Buys, who was winner of the first XCO round in PE, still managed a podium spot, finishing in third position after unfortunately snapping his chain in the opening lap.
Matthys Beukes (Scott Factory Racing powered by LCB) claimed the victory in a close tussle at the 2015 Stihl SA MTB Cup XCO, which took place at Voortrekker Monument, Gauteng, on Saturday 28 March. // Photo credit: Andrew Mc Fadden.
“The track was very rocky, not too many climbs, and a lot of open areas,” said Beukes. “It really was a great track to ride – especially after ’Epic. It was such a pity that Phil snapped his chain right at the start, but he’s still very happy with his third place.”
Teammates Beukes and Buys competed in the Absa Cape Epic earlier this month, where their partnership got them the Stage Four victory and Absa African special jersey win, and they came fifth overall. “It was a such great ride, I really enjoyed myself,” he said.
RECM’s James Reid (2nd) followed by Israeli National Champion Shlomi Haimy (7th) at the 2015 Stihl SA MTB Cup XCO, which took place at Voortrekker Monument, Gauteng, on Saturday 28 March. // Photo credit: Andrew Mc Fadden.
Beukes and his team head off to Germany and Czech Republic for the World Cups at the end of May 2015.
After a season of taking it slow from an injury, OMX Pro-team rider Mariske Strauss came back with a vengeance to claim the number one spot in the Women’s Elite category, even after a flat tyre on the course.
Mariske Strauss (OMX Pro Team) survived a flat tyre to secure victory in the Elite Women’s race at the 2015 Stihl SA MTB Cup XCO, which took place at Voortrekker Monument, Gauteng, on Saturday 28 March // Photo credit: Andrew Mc Fadden.
“It’s just so great to be back on the bike. I went in there to enjoy myself, that’s all. And as soon as the gun went off, I thought, ‘hey, I can do this’. I had about a two-minute lead when I got into my fourth lap, and then I must’ve hit a rock wrong or something. It was then that I heard it: ‘pshhhhhhhh’, and I just knew,” said Strauss.
It was after her tyre-swap that she needed to up her game in order to secure her lead, ahead of Bianca Haw (second) and Isla Short of the OMX Pro-team, third.
Bianca Haw on the charge at the 2015 Stihl SA MTB Cup XCO, which took place at Voortrekker Monument, Gauteng, on Saturday 28 March. // Photo credit: Andrew Mc Fadden.
“I was looking forward to a chilled, relaxed last lap, but obviously that couldn’t have happened. Bianca was close on my tail and definitely gave me a run for my money. So well done to her, she definitely gave it her all,” she said.
Also competing over the weekend was current Junior World Champion Simon Andreassen (DEN), who took first place in the Junior Men’s category. The Junior event saw a large field of national and international participants. Andreassen showed his prestige by claiming the Junior victory in a time of 01:04:23, followed by Namibian Tristan de Lange (01:08:55) with South African Julian Jessop in third place (01:11:14).
Junior World Champion Simon Andreassen showed his class in the Junior Men’s race at the 2015 Stihl SA MTB Cup XCO, which took place at Voortrekker Monument, Gauteng, on Saturday 28 March. // Photo credit: Andrew Mc Fadden.
The Junior Women’s race saw Genevieve van Coller claim victory against Frances du Toit in a time of 01:25:46, with Lynette Benson rounding out the podium. Du Toit suffered mechanicals during the race in which Van Coller rode with sheer dominance.
Previous leaders in the series, still top in their categories, were well challenged by first-time series entrants in the second round at the weekend.
Both Strauss and Beukes will be amongst the many competitors taking part this coming weekend in the XCO (UCI HC Cat) race at Cascades MTB Park in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday 4 April . The race forms part of the Pietermaritzburg MTB Festival, which takes place from the 3-5 April 2015.
Round three of the 2015 Stihl SA MTB XCO Series takes place at Mankele MTB Park, Mpumalanga, on Saturday 25 April.
Results:
Elite Men
- Matthys Beukes 01:37:04
- James Reid 01:38:01
- Philip Buys 01:38:43
Elite Women
- Mariske Strauss 01:40:51
- Bianca Haw 01:41:16
- Isla Short 01:46:01
Junior Men
- Simon Andreassen 01:04:23
- Tristan De Lange 01:08:55
- Julian Jessop 01:11:14
Junior Women
- Genevieve van Coller 01:25:46
- Frances du Toit 01:31:59
- Lynette Benson 01:34:04
To view the full set of results from the 2015 Stihl SA MTB Cup XCO #2, click here: http://www.cyclingsa.com/s/SA-MTB-XCO-Cup-Series-2-2015-Results-1.pdf
To view the log after events #1 and #2, click here: http://www.cyclingsa.com/s/SA-XCO-Cup-Series-Log-2015-2.pdf
Beukes still the best XCO racer in this country