KIA riders pedal to victory
KIA Elite rider’s Brandon Plaatjes Michael Pretorius and Martin Freyer (f.l.t.r.) pose for a picture after the Nedbank WPP Kupferberg Road Race.
Martin Freyer took the overall win as well as clinching the U23 top spot with team mate Michael Pretorius in 3rd overall and 2nd position in the Under 23 Mens category. Brandon Plaatjes finished 2nd overall and won the junior men category.
Michelle Vorster, who joined Team KIA Elite only recently, was the quickest lady of the day and dominated the Elite Women’s category over a distance of 84km with a winning time of 2:37:43, well ahead of second place Michelle Doman in a time of 2:48:36.
Freyer had just recently returned from Switzerland where he cycled for the Fischer MTB Team the past 6 months. He joined the leading pack along his KIA team mates Plaatjes and Michael Pretorius with a few more riders in hot pursuit. As the 111 kilometre, 3 loops long race went on, Freyer, who was celebrating his birthday along with Pretorius on the day, attacked at the front with the intention of getting some distance between him and the rest. Team tactics paid off and he crossed the finish line in a time of 2:50:25 hours, more than a minute ahead of Plaatjes (2:51:41) with Pretorius in third (2:52:06).
Selected result overview:
Overall Men (111km): 1. Martin Freyer 2:50:25; 2. Brandon Plaatjes 2:51:41; 3. Michael Pretorius 2:52:06
Elite Men (111km): 1. Pierre Knoetze 2:52:07; 2. Andre De Klerk 2:52:57; 3. Jaco Hanekom 2:53:13
U23 Men (111km): 1. Martin Freyer 2:50:25; 2. Michael Pretorius 2:52:06; 3. Jo-Joe Hamunyela 2:52:07
Junior Men (111km): 1. Brandon Plaatjes 2:51:41; 2. Luke Munting 3:05:28
Sub-Veteran Men (84km): 1. Adriaan Maartens 2:46:12; 2. Jacques Cloete DNF
Elite Women (111km): 1. Michelle Vorster; 2. Michelle Doman 2:48:36
Junior Women (57km): 1. Sofia Simon 2:20:48
Sub-Veteran Women (57km): 1. Tersia van Zyl 1:58:08; 2. Michaela Ham 2:13:59.
