Bryce Clinches The MTN Blockhouse Marathon

Race Report : News Center

By winning the 70 kilometre marathon of the MTN Blockhouse event on Sunday, Bryce Munro was the rider who made sure that people took note of DCM Chrome.

The youngster timed his victory to perfection.  He worked together with the older, more experienced, riders for the greater part of the race, but when it started to matter, he outrode them all.  In Munro’s own words:  “I just said thank you very much, I am leaving you guys now, and then I went off at a faster pace.”

Munro said he surprised himself.

“Before the race, I did not know how my body would respond, because I have been battling with a flu bug during the past two weeks.  By winning, I have proven to myself that I am OK, and I am really looking forward to the last few races.  I am confident that I will achieve one or two more good results.”

As far as the ultra-marathon over 110 kilometres was concerned, it was an extremely long and hard day in the saddle for the DCM Chrome riders.  Brandon Stewart did the best by finishing 4th.

Kevin Evans (MTN-Energade) surprised everybody when he attacked after 36 kilometres and then just rode away from all his rivals.  He won in 3 hours 40 minutes and 37 seconds.  Ben-Melt Swanepoel (Specialized) finished 2nd in 2:49:35, with Andrew McLean (Toyota Cyclelab) 3rd in 3:53:17.

Stewart’s time was 3:53:31, Johnny Kritzinger was 6th in 3:59:42 and Jacques Janse van Rensburg 10th in 4:14:54.

“It was really a tough day for our Durban ‘boys’.  The high altitude, windy conditions and Kevin’s fast pace all added up to push me deep into the red zone.  I had to battle during most of the race,” Stewart said.

“Ben-Melt did not make things any easier for the group trying to catch Kevin.  In the end, I had no choice but to slow down. It is called survival.  In retrospect this race, without any serious climbs, was one of the hardest in which I have ever competed. We were pedalling at a high speed all the time. There was never any time just to sit up and relax.”

Kritzinger also made no secret about his feelings.

“I did not enjoy the race at all.  I cannot breathe properly, even now, and the inside of my whole body is burning.  I think my heart is as good as a well-done chop.  In reality there were no mountains on the route, but let me tell you, at the pace we were riding, those drags eventually felt like mountains.”

Jacques Janse van Rensburg had the day’s worst hard-luck story to tell.  Within the first 20 kilometres he did what he intended to do – he attacked.  For a few minutes he was racing in front, setting the pace, but then a single rock ended his brief moment of glory.

Janse van Rensburg is not exactly sure what happened.

“I went around a slight turn and the next moment I hit something, probably a rock.  Before I knew what was going on, I was lying on the ground.  It was a very hard tumble and it took me about two minutes to get my bearings again.  By the time I had recovered, it was too late – my race was over.”

However, Janse van Rensburg refused to give up.  He gamely got back onto his bike and valiantly tried to catch up with the leaders again.

Always one to see the positive in a negative situation, Janse van Rensburg said the hours he spent chasing the wind was not a total waste.

“At least I had the opportunity to put in some really hard kilometres that will hopefully help during the World Road Champs at the end of September.”

For Max Knox it was just one of those races that were never meant to be.

“My bad day started the moment I got onto my bike and it never got any better.  I managed to stay with the chasing group for the first 80 kilometres, but then I realised that it would not serve any purpose to continue.  I remembered the saying that says  ‘Rather quit to fight another day’ and that was exactly what I did.”