WINDHOEK – Namibian national cyclist Erik Hoffmann, 26, beat a top field to the line in a close sprint to win the first stage of the Circuito Montanes cycling tour in Spain yesterday.
Hoffmann is part of the Namibian road cycling team that will compete in the B World Championships on July 1 in South Africa and the All-Africa Games in Algeria from July 11 to 27. The other Namibian cyclists are: Dan Craven, Jacques Celliers, Lotto Petrus, Ermin van Wyk, Ananias Ananias and Heinz Bressler (reserve).Riding for pro Team 3C Group-Lamonta, Hoffmann was in a final break with Dutch Rider Ricardo van der Velde (Rabobank) whom he beat to the finish line with centimetres to spare at the end of the 155-km first stage from Santander to El Astillera.Hoffmann and Van der Velde rode away from a 10-man break shortly before the finish to establish a lead of 16 seconds.The peleton finished 1:48 minutes behind the leaders.This means that Hoffmann started in the leader’s yellow jersey on the second stage on Friday from Los Corrales de Buelna nach Laredo (167 km).”We want to win a stage in Spain again this year,” said 3C Group-Lamonta Team Manager Holger Sievers before their departure from Germany.He did not expect that this would happen in the first stage, which obviously places the team under pressure for the rest of the seven-stage tour, as they will have to defend Hoffmann’s lead.Hoffmann returns to Namibia next week after the Circuito Montanes to join the Namibian team in Cape Town at the B World Championships on 1 July and for the All Africa Games.This result makes it clear that Hoffmann is in top form at the moment and hungry for medals at the All Africa Games.NampaThe other Namibian cyclists are: Dan Craven, Jacques Celliers, Lotto Petrus, Ermin van Wyk, Ananias Ananias and Heinz Bressler (reserve).Riding for pro Team 3C Group-Lamonta, Hoffmann was in a final break with Dutch Rider Ricardo van der Velde (Rabobank) whom he beat to the finish line with centimetres to spare at the end of the 155-km first stage from Santander to El Astillera.Hoffmann and Van der Velde rode away from a 10-man break shortly before the finish to establish a lead of 16 seconds.The peleton finished 1:48 minutes behind the leaders.This means that Hoffmann started in the leader’s yellow jersey on the second stage on Friday from Los Corrales de Buelna nach Laredo (167 km).”We want to win a stage in Spain again this year,” said 3C Group-Lamonta Team Manager Holger Sievers before their departure from Germany.He did not expect that this would happen in the first stage, which obviously places the team under pressure for the rest of the seven-stage tour, as they will have to defend Hoffmann’s lead.Hoffmann returns to Namibia next week after the Circuito Montanes to join the Namibian team in Cape Town at the B World Championships on 1 July and for the All Africa Games.This result makes it clear that Hoffmann is in top form at the moment and hungry for medals at the All Africa Games.Nampa
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