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Cannondale Factory Racing doubled up on their Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen, success with stage victories on Friday, 9 February 2024. This sees both Candice Lill and Mona Mitterwallner, as well as Matt Beers and Alex Miller extend their overall advantages.
Stage 2 was a technical 88 kilometre affair, with 1 700 metres of climbing, in the Witzenberg Valley. Famed for its challenging singletracks and arduous climbs, the course provided the terrain for the strongest teams to gain from their physical advantages. In the women’s race the second climb of the day was the one which proved decisive, while in the men’s it was only on the return to the Koue Bokkeveld Plateau that the accumulated efforts told on the Toyota Specialized team’s rivals.
“Our plan for the stage was always to wait for the climb on the Tulbagh side of the Witzenberg Valley, 48 kilometres in,” Mitterwallner recalled. “Up to that point we were happy to ride with the group and conserve a bit of energy. Though the trails also didn’t really lend themselves to establishing a gap.”
“On the climb we pushed hard and were able to create the start of a gap to Janika [Loiv] and Yana [Belomoina],” Mitterwallner added. “We capitalised on that advantage by going fast, but safely, on the descent and then going full gas on the flats.”
Having ridden in a group with the Efficient Infiniti Insure and KMC-Ridley teams for the first 48 kilometres; when Cannondale Factory Racing pushed on, they initially distanced Danielle Strydom and Vera Looser. Janika Loiv and Yana Belomoina remained in contact with the race leaders until the summit of the second climb, but once the gap began to grow on the descent it ballooned out to 2 minutes and 30 seconds relatively rapidly. By the finish line the deficit was 5 minutes and 13 seconds.
Thus, after two days of racing Lill and Mitterwallner lead Loiv and Belomoina by 6 minutes and 57 seconds. Vera Looser and Danielle Strydom’s loss of 1 minute and 13 seconds to the KMC-Ridley team sees the Efficient Infiniti Insure team slip to third overall, at 7 minutes and 31 seconds behind Cannondale Factory Racing.
The time gaps could change significantly on Stage 3 as the race takes on South African mountain biking’s most iconic climb, the Merino Monster. Rising from the Ceres Valley floor to 1 799 metres above sea level the pre-climb and the Monster itself gain over 1 000 metres in elevation. The 7.8 kilometres from Water Point 3, on the Merino Farm, to the summit averages an 8.8% gradient and gains 686 metres. The current Strava King of the Mountain record holder is Sebastian Fini, who clocked a time of 36 minutes and 49 seconds in 2020. Isla Short set the women’s Queen of the Mountain best effort, also during the 2020 race, of 45 minutes and 55 seconds.
In total Saturday’s course includes 96 kilometres and 2 200 metres of climbing. The racing action will get underway at 06:30 and mountain biking fans can follow the action on the race’s Instagram and Facebook stories. Follow @tankwatrek on Instagram and Tankwa Trek on Facebook. Further information can be found at www.tankwatrek.co.za.
Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen, Results:
Women’s Results | Stage 2
1. Cannondale Factory Racing: Candice Lill & Mona Mitterwallner (04:05:34)
2. KMC Ridley: Janika Loiv & Yana Belomoina (04:10:47 | +5:13)
3. Efficient Infiniti Insure: Vera Looser & Danielle Strydom (04:12:00 | +6:26)
4. Freewheel Cycology Absolute Motion: Frances Janse van Rensburg & Hayley Preen (04:28:30 | +22:56)
5. Absa Bell: Sarah Hill & Hayley Smith (04:29:16 | +23:42)
Women’s Results | Stage 2 General Classification:
1. Cannondale Factory Racing: Candice Lill & Mona Mitterwallner (05:06:47)
2. KMC Ridley: Janika Loiv & Yana Belomoina (05:13:44 | +6:57)
3. Efficient Infiniti Insure: Vera Looser & Danielle Strydom (05:14:18 | +7:31)
4. Freewheel Cycology Absolute Motion: Frances Janse Van Rensburg & Hayley Preen (05:34:01 | +27:14)
5. Absa Bell: Sarah Hill & Hayley Smith (05:37:46 | +30:59)
For the full results from the Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen, click here.