The Cycle Centre Challenge on Saturday, 13 April, once again attracted many entries from the region.

This event is annually hosted by the P&L Hardware Cycling Club in Makhado (Louis Trichardt), in conjunction with Cycle Centre, Coca-Cola and Talisman as sponsors. The race, which also saw its first mountain bike category this year, is hosted annually to prepare cyclists for the upcoming Kremetart Cycling race. 

On Saturday, cyclists competed in the 70km and 40km road race. The overall winner of the 70km race was Bas Rennings, who set the pace and completed the race in a time of 01:46:30. For the second and third place it was a neck-and-neck race. Bertie van Zyl completed the race just four seconds before his nearest rival, Rick Coetzee, in a time of 01:40:46. Coetzee finished in a time of 01:40:50.

The women’s category of the 70km race was clinched by local cyclist Amanda Kruger in a time of 02:13:17. Second place went to Dalene Pohl in 02:14:14, with Marie van Onselen taking third place in 02:22:42.

The men’s 40km race was mainly dominated by local riders, with local cyclists Marco Roets taking top honours in a time of 01:03:48. Equally well-known local cyclist Christiaan Roos finished second in 01:04:21, with Hendrik Naude third home in a time of 01:04:47. Roets’s victory also made him the winner in the category for junior males, with Roos who took second place in the same category. Vernon Harms from the Tzaneen Cycling Club won the category for men U/16 in a time of 01:15:15. Christo Odendaal was the first male veteran home in 01:04:56, the first master was Thys Beukes in 01:23:46 and Malcom Tucker the first grandmaster in 01:18:19.

First place in the 40km women’s race was snatched up by Anel Swart in 01:15:20, with Karen Armstrong cycling home in second place in a time of 01:20:53. René finished third in 01:24:20 and was also the first women’s veteran. Hester Beukes finished as the first master in 01:38:39.

As for Saturday’s mountain bike race, cyclists had the opportunity to participate in the first ever official Limpopo Colours Qualifying Mountain Bike Cross-Country Olympic (MTB XCO) race. Competitors, depending on their age category, had to complete race laps between 4km to 6km long.

The overall fastest lap time in the men’s category was recorded by well-known local cyclist CP van Wyk in 17:55:68. The fastest woman was Nicolle van der Greft in 17:11:58.

In the Nippers category (10 years and younger), Owen Venter was the first boy in 19:18 and Nikaela Roets the first girl in 44:48. The first boy in the Sprogs category (U/13) was Heinrich Viljoen 39:14. There were no girl entries. First in the sub-junior category (U/14) was Bryce Reed in 40:59 and Calista Talbert in 46:21. In the Youth category, (U/15) top honours went to Edwin Simpson in 01:51:32 and Sherilise Pieterse in 01:30:50. Bernard Volschenk was the first U/16 boy  in a time of 02:35:43.

In the junior category (U/18), Christiaan Roos finished first in a time of 01:47:00. Albertus Botha was the first U/23 male in a time of 02:24:44. In the Elite category, Rick Coetzee from the P&L Hardware Cycling Club finished first in a time of 02:19:17, with Nicolle van der Greft the first woman home in the Elite category in a time of 01:15:07.

The first sub-vets were Bas Rennings in 01:52:35 and Marnell Pessegueiro in 01:23:54. The first veterans to cross the finishing line were husband-and-wife team of Casper Venter in 01:55:13 and Sarah in 01:19:20. The first master to finish was Johan van Dijkhorst in 01:56:39.

After the race, the P&L Hardware club expressed their gratitude towards the local traffic department who unselfishly provided support during the race on Saturday. Thank go to Messrs. Jan Zitha and Charles Maboyi. The club also thanks their main sponsor, Cycle Centre, and Coca-Cola Fortune Louis Trichardt, who sponsored the drinks.