Schoeman Excell In Beachfront Lodges Series 8

Race Report : Alex Cooper (Nashua Telecoms)

The ladies started this very flat 96km race over x8 of 12km with the elite men and vets 30 plus. The 1st serious break came from Doug Shadwell (Club Cycle lab) 12km into the race He managed to get a 30sec time gap before the NMMU Mecer and Action Cycles Teams launched a vicious attack to close the gap 17km into the race.

Over the next 10km various riders tried to get away with the bunch counter attacking leaving the weaker riders behind. Both Anriette Schoeman (Team Nashua Telecoms) and Lindi Erasmus (Club Cycle lab) managed to stay with the main bunch.

Action Cycles rider Welcome Stokwe managed to get away from the bunch 28km into the race with a very well planned attack. His team mate Mario Nel immediately went to the front trying to control the bunch while Stokwe opened a 15 second time gap. This gap was however chase down by a full on effort from the MNNU Mecer Team. Stokwe managed to get away again 49km into the race with a group of 5 riders. Viljoen then counter attacked followed by Mario Nel. Viljoen rode brilliantly keeping up the pressure while the Stokwe group disintegrated. Stokwe was chased down 78km into the race by Viljoen with Mario Nel following. The main bunch was now only 1min behind the three man breakaway group. With Kevin Dorfling trapped between the two groups.

With 3km to go Anriette Schoeman (Nashua Telecoms) launched a surprise attack followed by Wayne Pheiffer.This move caught the bunch unaware and they quickly opened a gap. When the bunch did not respond Lindi Erasmus tried to bridge the gap.

Schoeman and Pheiffer caught Dorfling with only meter to go. Schoeman finished 1st lady in an excellent 5th overall place. Lindi Erasmus 2nd in 02:36:30