Tzaneen cyclist Alan Gordon made a clean sweep the past weekend, winning both the Cycle Centre 70km road race on Saturday and the gruelling 30km mountain bike race on Sunday.

For many, the Cycle Centre road and mountain bike races, held in conjunction with the P&L Cycling Club, served as prelude to the upcoming Kremetart weekend from 8 to 10 June.

Gordon won the 70km Cycle Centre Challenge in a quick time of 02:04:28. He was, however, given a run for his money by Louis Trichardt cyclists Bas Rennings and CP van Wyk in a sprint for the finish line. Rennings cycled home a second later in second place, with Van Wyk (02:04:31) in third place. Rennings was also the first sub-veteran male and Van Wyk the first junior.

Van Wyk showed that he will be a force to be reckoned with in future, taking third place in his first ever road race. More familiar with mountain biking, Van Wyk only got his road bike the day before. Other category winners in the men’s 70km race were Richard Lambrecht (first veteran), Cassie Mattheus (first master) and Malcolm Tucker (first grandmaster).

The 70km women’s race was dominated by the local riders. Renata Joubert was not only the overall winner of the women’s category, but also the first veteran in a time of 02:15:51. Also familiar with the podium was AFB Makhado cyclist Catherine Labuschagne, who finished second, with Wendy van Deventer in third place. Labuschagne was also the first sub-veteran and Van Deventer the first senior. Hetta Lombard finished as first master.

Apart from the 70km race, there was also a 40km event. This was won by AFB Makhado’s Gavin Fryer in a time of 01:26:48, followed by teammate Christo Odendal second and Alex Gordon (snr.) third. Anel Swart won the women’s category in a time 01:42:58, with Mariska Bothma second and Jeneane Roets third.

Gordon also went on to win the 30km mountain bike race the following day in a blistering time of 01:21:46. He was also the first senior male. Following his third place the day before in the 70km race, Van Wyk cycled home in second place, followed by Casper Venter in third place. Venter was also the first veteran. Like in the 70km race the day before, Tucker finished as first grandmaster, with Stefan Horn the first sub-veteran and Johan van Dijkhorst the first master.

In the women’s category of the 30km race, Labuschagne followed up her second place in the 70km race on Saturday with a win in a time of 01:50:02. Just over a minute later was Sarah Venter in second place, with Marnell Pessequeiro in third place.

The organisers also saw it fit to reward those riders younger than 16 who competed in the 30km race. Here the young Marno van Zyl cycled home as first cyclist 13 years and younger, in a respectable time of 02:18:22.

In the 10km kiddies mountain bike race, Owen Venter was the first U/10 boy, with brother Casper Venter the first U/11 boy. Sherise Henning was the first U/11 girl and Jessy Henning the first U/13 girl.

Following a weekend of cycling, the P&L Cycling Club expressed their gratitude towards Cycle Centre for sponsoring the event, as well as Johan van Dijkhorst and Mark Archer, who worked tirelessly to plan and prepare the route.