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The KAP sani2c got off to an exciting start with unexpected cool weather and
muddy conditions. It was a Stage 1 win for dormakaba’s Amy McDougall and Robyn de Groot who were first in the women’s race with 03:26:22.
The dormakaba women powered through to the finish and were very happy to get the Stage 1 win, with a nearly five minute gap between them and the second women’s team in, Galileo Risk Infiniti’s Sarah Hill and Theresa Ralph (03:31:14).
The Absolute Demacon team of Kim le Court and Frances Janse van Rensburg were third in a time of 03:36:58.
McDougall: “We had an awesome ride out there, lovely single track and awesome trails, it’s always good to take the win. We were all together until the floating bridge; we kept it steady and got a gap from there.”
De Groot: “Definitely a tough day in the saddle but a fantastic day. It started off dry and as we hit the track it got wetter and wetter out there.”
She said about the gap between them and Galileo Risk Infiniti: “You definitely need to claim what you can especially on a day like today where the weather conditions were perfect. The forecast doesn’t look good for tomorrow, and if it does rain it will be a tough day.”
Sarah Hill: “We are so muddy right now. We all stuck together for the first quarter of the race. As we started climbing the dormakaba girls put in a nice little attack. We tried to keep them in sight, but we need to remember that we are riding for three days and we can’t burn all our matches. That is where Theresa’s pacing is incredible. I feel that we raced better on this first day than last year’s first day despite the conditions. We came in second and we are still waiting for third to come in, so its a really good day for us.”
Ralph: “They [dormakaba] are very strong at the moment, we are forever on their heels. It’s phenomenal to have this class of riders, and us in contention with them.”
Le Court: “Very muddy and super fun. I loved the trails. It was tough and I’m exhausted, but we will definitely be back in the next few years.”
Janse van Rensburg: “The trails were really muddy, I had a bit of a fall into a bush, but I really loved it, it was fun.”
Tomorrow’s Queen stage takes riders 97kms to Jolivet farm, with the famous descent into the Umkomaas Valley and the “Iconic” climb back out.
2020 KAP sani2c Stage 1 Results
Women
Dormakaba (Amy McDougall/Robyn de Groot) 03:26:22
Galileo Risk Infiniti (Sarah Hill/Theresa Ralph) 03:31:14
Absolute Demacon (Kim le Court/Frances Janse van Rensburg) 03:36:58
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