Martin Freyer and Anri Greeff took the top honours at the Rotary Club Namibian Cycle Classic over the weekend.
Freyer won the men’s 100km road race for the first time after beating Marco Thiel and Jacque Hanekom in a sprint to the line. Freyer completed the race in two hours 28 minutes and one second, with Thiel and Hanekom following one second behind. Drikus Coetzee (2:28:03) and Rakaota Khotsofalang (2:28:04) completed the bunch sprint.
After a few early breaks by Freyer, Marco Thiel and Drikus Coetzee, the leading pack was whittled down to five riders at the end.
Freyer said he decided to leave his attack till the end.
“I quickly realised that no one would get away, especially with Team Hollard being so strong in numbers, and Marco (Thiel) and I were basically riding for ourselves without team mates, so I decided to wait and leave it for the bunch sprint at the end. So about 100m before the final corner I just gave it everything I had – there was lots of sand from yesterday’s rain so it was a bit sketchy but I managed to get around safely and kept the lead till the end,” he said.
What made his achievement even more special is the fact that it came on his 31st birthday.
“I’ve won the Namibian MTB Classic before but I’ve never won the road race so it means a lot to finally win it and coming on my birthday is extra special,” he said.
Greeff, meanwhile, won the women’s 100km race for the third year in a row in a time of 2:43:55, finishing well ahead of Monique du Plessis (2:48:19) and Rosemarie Thiel (2:48:35).
They were followed by Louise Breed (2:48:49), Marissa Mouton (2:49:12), and Vera Looser who came sixth in 2:50:00, after taking a wrong turn due to a marshalling error.
It was a great achievement by Greeff as it came on a gravel bike and not a road bike after she had technical problems with her road bike before the race.
“It was quite tough – my road bike decided not to work this morning so I attempted the race on my gravel bike, but it was good training. It’s a great feeling to win for the third year in a row and hopefully I can keep the title next year again,” she said.
Matti Lukashick won the men’s 60km race in 1:34:07, with Uarotua Hindjou following two seconds behind, while Drikus Delport came third overall in 1:42:25.
Nicola Odendaal won the women’s 60km race in 2:00:33, followed by Mimi Hough (2:03:50) and Michelle Steenkamp (2:09:13).
Finn Middleton was the overall winner of the 40km race in 1:11:53, followed by Patrick von Kunow (1:16:02) and Francois Visser (1:25:38), while Kyle Middleton won the 20km race in 47:13, followed by Tristen Buttner (47:16) and Prince Links (47:33).
Greeff, Cuff win Gravel Classic
On Saturday, Greeff once again took top honours at the 75km Gravel Bike Classic, while veteran cyclist Ingram Cuff won the men’s race.
Greeff, who had also won the MTB Classic the previous two years, was once again in a class of her own, winning in a time of 2:59:41, with Marissa Mouton coming second in 3:16:56 and Michelle Doman third in 3:29:30.
In the men’s 75km race, the 44-year-old Cuff gave his younger competitors a masterclass by finishing nearly 10 minutes ahead of second placed Nathan Chase.
Cuff broke away early from the leading pack and steadily increased his lead to finish in a time of 2:35:16, with Chase second in 2:44:43 and Simon Kaita third in 2:47:10.
They were followed by Braam Vermeulen (2:47:48), Petrus Human (2:48:32), and Maruen Kleopas (2:50:54).
Marco Thiel was the overall winner of the men’s 40km race in 1:21:27, with Christiaan van der Westhuizen coming second nearly two minutes behind in 1:23:25 and Jano van Wyk third in 1:30:58.
Rosemarie Thiel won the women’s 40km race in 1:37:04, followed by Maike Bochert in 1:56:08 and Mimi Hough in 2:11:36.
