Coetzee, Greef claim titles as Hollard sweeps WPP series

Team Hollard maintained their Nedbank Windhoek Power Pedal Race Series (WPP) dominance by winning the overall men’s and women’s individual and team categories on Sunday.

Anri Greeff won the sixth elite women’s race on the Heroes’ Acre Bridge, with Jaques Hanekom claiming the men’s victory.

Greef defended her title by clocking two hours, 29 minutes and 39 seconds, followed by Marissa Mouton of Food Lovers Market Ladies in a time of 02:29:39, and Rosemarie Thiel of Cymot Ladies Racing Team in 02:29:39.

An elated Greeff says she enjoyed the race even though it was windy and cold.

The victory sets her for a couple of upcoming races at home and in South Africa.

“As a team, we are pleased to take positions one and two today, as well as the overall win. The tactic was to try to get the second position today. It’s good that I won today and the overall WPP series, so I am happy to defend the title,” she says.

Hollard’s Hanekom, who was backed by his teammates, finished third in the overall individual standings after crossing the line first in the sixth and last race of the season in a time of two hours 34 minutes and 10 seconds (02:34:10).

Drikus Coetzee claimed the men’s overall title with 970 points.

Roger Suren (745 points), who did not participate in the final race of the season, secured second place in the overall individual men’s category, and Hanekom (720 points) claimed third place.

On the day, Hanekom was followed by teammate Martin Freyer, who clocked 02:34:39 in second place, and Nicolaas Swart Hollard Ambassadors, who finished the race closely at 02:34:40.

Speaking after the race, Hanekom said he was very excited to secure his first elite race victory while paying tribute to his teammate for executing the strategy well.

“It is my first-ever win, so I’m very excited. I couldn’t have won without my teammates, especially Martin (Freyer), who devised today’s strategy, which worked out perfectly for my victory,” he said.

In the elite men’s team standings, Hollard scored 134 points in first place, followed by Team MBM Men, who scored 117 in second place.

Third place belonged to the Cymot men’s racing team 2025, who scored 115 points.

Team Hollard, which consisted of Greeff, Louise Breed, Chrystal Freyer, Marion Schoneke, and Marguerite Verwey, scored 76 points to claim the elite women’s title, followed by the Food Lovers Market Ladies team of Marissa Mouton, Michelle Doman, Jana von Backstrom, and Jacky Shipena, which scored 58 points.

Third place went to Cymot Ladies Racing Team of Rosemarie Thiel, Nicola Fester, Jean Marie Mostert and Susan Pieters, who collected 52 points.

Race organiser Stefanus Feris from the Windhoek Pedal Power Road Cycling Club commended the favourable turnout throughout the season.

“We had a successful season in terms of participation. In our previous race (the time trial), we had excellent competition and a quality field. The ladies were also quite strong this year.

“The younger riders are coming through very strong as well,” he said.

Feris said the challenges were mostly route planning, cyclist safety, and some unforeseen circumstances, like wild animals popping up on the side of the road during races.

The organisers also said they aim to add new events while also exploring the possibility of getting the Dordabis race back on the calendar.

“The safety concern is always our main priority. When you start to plan races, the riders need to be safe. We also had to consider that other road users may become agitated by the presence of cyclists. We always try to minimise all these dangers and get the riders safely to the finish line,” Feris said.

Meanwhile, Nedbank Namibia spokesperson Selma Kaulinge congratulated WPP for hosting a successful season, saying they are already excited about the 2026 season.

“On behalf of Nedbank Namibia, I extend our warmest congratulations to the Windhoek Pedal Power Road Cycling Club for executing yet another exceptional cycling season, culminating in six successful races for 2025.

“We are immensely proud of our long-standing association with WPP and the incredible work they do to elevate the profile of cycling in our nation.

“Nedbank Namibia remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting cycling events that not only showcase athletic prowess but also foster community spirit and healthy lifestyles,” she said.

Kaulinge urged WPP to continue with efforts to recruit more cyclists from previously disadvantaged communities, ensuring that the benefits of this sport are accessible to all.

“We urge the organisers to continuously innovate and work diligently to increase the number of participants and draw even larger crowds of enthusiastic fans to these wonderful events,” she implored.

“To all the cyclists who participated, your dedication and spirit are truly inspiring. Congratulations to the winners on your remarkable achievements – your hard work has paid off.

“To those who may not have achieved their desired results this season, we encourage you to persevere, train harder, and come back even stronger next year.” – Nedbank Namibia

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