Marco Thiel and Anri Greeff were the big winners at the Hollard Hearts Cycling Festival yesterday, which concluded the Hollard Grand Prix series.
Greeff won the women’s 100km race to win the N$25 000 first prize, while she also won the N$250 000 jackpot for winning the five-race Hollard Grand Prix series.
Roger Suren won the men’s 100km race to win the N$25 000, but it was Thiel (18) who walked away with the N$250 000 jackpot after winning the men’s overall series.
Suren and Van der Westhuizen broke away from the leading peloton midway through the race, with Suren going on to win in 2 hours 25 minutes 38 seconds, while Van der Westhuizen came second in 2:25:49.
HB Kruger led in the leading peloton a minute behind to finish third in 2:26:49, while Thiel came fourth in 2:26:50, Martin Freyer fifth (2:26:51) and Ingram Cuff sixth (2:26:51) .
Thiel afterwards said he felt confident from the start.
“Today was quite good. I felt confident at the start, so I was just sitting on Martin (Freyer’s) wheel and not trying anything stupid. So I just sat with him, and didn’t risk anything, and then when it came down to the sprint I just stayed in the sprint and I was safe,” he said.
Regarding his prize money, Thiel said he still had to digest it all.
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet, but I’m really happy. I don’t really know what I’ll use it for yet, but we’ll see,” he said.
Thiel won the grand prix series with 89 points, to win the N$250 000 first prize, while Martin Freyer came second with 63 points to win N$50 000, and Cuff third with 58 points to win N$10 000.
Greeff, meanwhile, won the women’s 100km race after winning a bunch sprint in 2:45:04, followed by Rosemarie Thiel (2:45:04), Louis Breed (2:45:05) and Catherine Kruger (2:45:05).
Vera Looser, who finished second overall in the grand prix series, picked up a flat tyre along the way, but made a great comeback to eventually finish fifth in 2:45:57.
Greeff said she had a good race.
“It was a bit of a slow start this morning. I think everyone was still waking up a bit and getting used to the conditions, so I threw a couple of attacks in the beginning just to get the legs going a bit, and then managed to get a four-rider breakaway till the end and it was a good race.
“I’m definitely very happy to win the series, but I don’t know what I’ll do with my prize money yet, it’s still sinking in,” she said.
Greeff also had a word of encouragement for Looser.
“It’s the second time she got a puncture in a road race, so I really feel for her. I think she could have taken the win today. So sorry, Vera,” she said.
Greeff was a comfortable winner of the women’s grand prix series with a total of 131 points, while Rosemarie Thiel (81 points) just pipped Looser and Kruger (80 points each) to the N$50 000 second place prize.
The top 10 men and women 100km riders are attached.
