Neethling And Munro Shine For DCM At MTN Clarens

Race Report : News Center

Bryce Munro and Candice Neethling were DCM’s best riders in the Clarence Event of the National MTN Marathon Series which took place during the past weekend.

Munro won the men’s race over 80 km, while Neethling was the winner of the women’s 50 km race in the MiWay Half-Marathon Series.

The 19-year old Munro is certainly one of the most consistent young riders in South Africa at the moment. He has won the last two 80 km races of the MTN Series and came 2nd twice in the Nissan Series.

Listening to Munro talking about winning, one gets the impression that the secret to his success is patience and the ability not to worry about what his main rivals are doing or not doing.

“On Saturday I settled down at a nice consistent pace right from the beginning. The real fun only started when we came to the big climb with the slickrock surface. It was definitely a climb that tested the riders’ physical endurance as well as their technical abilities to the fullest.

“What counted in my favour was the fact that I managed to stay on my bike during most of the climb, while the other riders had to get off and push their bikes.

“So, slowly but surely, I started to open up a gap between myself and the other riders.  The gap kept getting bigger when we reached the steeper sections.  I also managed to use the descent to my own advantage.”

In the end Munro won by quite a comfortable margin. His winning time was 3 hours 16 minutes and 15 seconds. Brett Dickson (GT/Mr Price) was 2nd in 3:23:49 and John-Michael du Preez 3rd in 3:23:50.

Candice Neethling is undoubtedly the most exciting new prospect in South African women’s mountain biking. At the beginning of this year, people still wondered ‘Who is this Candice Neethling?’

However, by winning a bronze medal at the recent World Cross-Country Championship in Australia, she proved that she has got what it takes to become a world-beater.

Neethling is only the 2nd South African female cyclist to have won a medal at a World Championship. Two years ago Cherise Taylor finished 2nd at the World Junior Road Championship.

During the past year, Neethling has also displayed a quality that is rare in South African athletes, namely a big match temperament.

Apart from her third-place finish at Worlds, she has also finished 3rd in the junior race of the South Africa World Cup Event in Pietermaritzburg and won a junior race in the British cross-country series.  A day later she won a marathon race.

So, as far as international racing is concerned, Neethling has won two races and finished 3rd twice, which is an excellent performance, considering that it is only her first year as a junior.

Neethling won Saturday’s race in 2:07:28 with Caitlin de Wet (Mr Price/Scott) 2nd in 2:10:14.

Max Knox and Brandon Stewart (DCM), who preferred not to compete at Clarence, were convincing winners of the Hilton Four-day Stage Race in KwaZulu-Natal.