Mannie, Marc win in Italy

NAMIBIANS Mannie Heymans and Marc Bassinghtwaighte won the last stage of the Trans Alps Mountain Bike Challenge in Italy at the weekend.

The two Namibians won stage eight from Belluno to Jesolo over a distance of 120 kilometres in a time of three hours, 45 minutes and 40 seconds. They started in 10th place after stage one and ended with a first place for stage eight, ending in fifth position overall.It was Heymans’s eighth Trans Alps and Bassingthwaighte’s first.Heymans has won the toughest mountain bike race in the world twice in the past five years.He won the eight-day marathon with his partner Karl Platt last year but Platt was requested by his sponsor to ride with another sponsored rider of the same team.Bassinghtwaighte is the Africa Under-23 champion.A total of 524 two-man teams participated in the event that started in Germany on 16 July and concluded in Italy on Saturday.-NampaThey started in 10th place after stage one and ended with a first place for stage eight, ending in fifth position overall.It was Heymans’s eighth Trans Alps and Bassingthwaighte’s first.Heymans has won the toughest mountain bike race in the world twice in the past five years.He won the eight-day marathon with his partner Karl Platt last year but Platt was requested by his sponsor to ride with another sponsored rider of the same team.Bassinghtwaighte is the Africa Under-23 champion.A total of 524 two-man teams participated in the event that started in Germany on 16 July and concluded in Italy on Saturday.-Nampa