This weekend was the longest race in the summer league, 126 km in the winelands  including the hill at Riebeek Kasteel. It was good preparation for this coming weekend’s South African Championship in Port Elisabeth, the distance for us girls will be 126 km!

The race started very slowly, I think most riders were a bit afraid of the distance, especially after last weekend’s tough race in the wind. There were an early break of two guys and we only caught them after the hill. When we came to the hill the speed was turned up and the bunch got torn in pieces and on the downhill we were only a smaller group left, I was the only girl left in the bunch. Not much happened after the hill either so it came down to a big bunch sprint. With a kilometre to go I closed down an attack, maybe not tactical for me but since I had already won the ladies race being the only girl in the bunch, I tried to help my new team mates in the vets bunch and they managed a second and third in the very fast down hill sprint. Well done!

Last week I got a new sponsor in Newmark hotel. Thank you Neil for this opportunity! It was nice to give a win to them the first weekend! I hope there will be many more to come.

This week will be about preparing for two hard races this coming weekend in Port Elisabeth. On Saturday is the SA champs and on Sunday is the PE Herald, I was second there last year and won the year before and I have done that race 6 times and really like it so I am hoping for good legs then!

Near the top of the hill, I am second last in the picture

Tamlyn, me and Tania on the podium