Toyota Specialized’s Matt Beers and Tristan Nortje won Stage 2 of the 2023 Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen, on Friday, 10 February. The pair leapfrogged from fifth to first on the general classification in the process. While Ghost Factory Racing’s Cappuccino team won their second successive stage. This put Anne Terpstra and Nicole Koller further ahead on the overall standings.
The 87 kilometre long stage took in 1 700 metres of climbing in the Witzenberg Valley. Packed with singletracks and challenging climbs it provided more than ample opportunities for the elite teams to put time into their rivals. After Stage 1, when 20 seconds separated the men’s top five and just 2 seconds split the women’s top two, the longer more arduous day was needed to spread the field.
In the men’s race the tempo was a little less frenetic for the first 10 kilometres than it had been the day before. This allowed a large group to reach the foot of the Old Wagon Trail climb into the Witzenberg Valley together. By the summit though it had been whittled down to Valley Electrical Titan Racing, Toyota Specialized, PYGA Euro Steel, Insect Science, Imbuko {type}DEV 1 and 2, KMC MTB Racing 1 and 2, and the Bulls Mavericks.
Nicole Koller (pictured) and Anne Terpstra won their second stage of the race to extend their overall race lead. Photo by Oakpics.com.
The first casualty from that group was Matthew Keyser, whose wheel inexplicably collapsed leaving him unable to continue. Then Marco Joubert suffered a puncture shortly after the first tech zone. He and Pieter du Toit had to wait for Wessel Botha, to take a wheel from their support team. At the front Beers, Nortje, Philip Buys, Alex Miller, Keagan Bontekoning and Arno du Toit were able to slip away from the KMC MTB Racing teams and the Bulls Mavericks. While Joubert and Pieter du Toit recovered to form a chase group with David Nordemann, Martins Blums, Oleksandr Hudyma, Ole Sigurd Rekdahl, Alban Lakata and Axel Roudil-Cortinat.
That group never re-established contact with the leaders though. In fact, the men in front were further reduced on the day’s most significant climb. Bontekoning was unable to follow when Nortje increased the pace after 50 kilometres, meaning that only Toyota Specialized and PYGA Euro Steel were left to contest the stage. For the next 30 kilometres the leading two teams worked well together, but then Buys began to struggle.
“With about 7 kilometres to go it looked like Phil [Buys] was cramping,” Beers explained. “I know the run in to Kaleo pretty well and I know it suits me. So we just went full gas to the finish hoping to make up as much time on the PYGA [Euro Steel] guys as possible.”
The elite men’s field raced across the Koue Bokkeveld plateau towards the Witzenberg Valley in the golden early morning light. Photo by Oakpics.com.
As much time as possible turned out to be 1 minute and 55 seconds. Toyota Specialized’s winning time was 3 hours, 29 minutes and 55 seconds. PYGA Euro Steel were second, Insect Science crossed the line third, just ahead of Imbuko {type}DEV 1. KMC MTB Racing 1 were fifth. The stage results almost echoed the general classification standings, with Beers and Nortje now leading Buys and Miller by 1 minute and 36 seconds. Imbuko {type}DEV 1 and Insect Science’s results were reversed on the overall standings, with Joubert and Pieter du Toit doing enough to hang onto third by 3 seconds.
In the women’s race the Ghost Factory Racing teams had Efficient Insure Infiniti and KMC MTB Racing for company for the first 30 kilometres of the stage. Once the trails got really technical through Terpstra and Koller’s class shone through. “We went to the front in the singletracks after the first feed zone and were then able to just ride our tempo,” Terpstra understated the effort she and Koller made.
Matt Beers racing down one of the sand stone slabs which punctuate the Witzenberg Valley singletracks. Photo by Oakpics.com.
“Once we were in the lead, we could take it a bit easy on the tricky descents” Koller added. “We didn’t have to take any risks, which is good.” Behind them Isla Short and Caroline Bohe were also not taking any risks, as they had established a comfortable buffer over Amy Wakefield and Samantha Sanders.
“We don’t get many opportunities to race as pairs,” Short smiled. “It’s really nice to race with Caroline [Bohe] for a change rather than against here. She looked after me really well today. I think the team building we’re doing here will really stand us in good stead for the cross-country season.”
Terpstra and Koller’s trouble free march to stage victory saw them cross the line in 4 hours, 15 minutes and 8 seconds. Short and Bohe were second, 4 minutes and 56 back. Wakefield and Sanders were third on the stage. On the general classification Ghost Factory Cappuccino now lead the Ghost Factory Flat White combination by 4 minutes and 58 seconds. Efficient Insure Infiniti are 12 minutes and 16 seconds in arears, with KMC MTB Racing and #SheUntamed in fourth and fifth.
Nicole Koller (left) and Anne Terpstra (right) of Ghost Factory Racing Cappuccino. Photo by Oakpics.com.
None of these positions are secure, going into the Queen Stage. The 98 kilometre long test is the longest of the race and with 2 200 metres of climbing it features more elevation gain than any other day too. Any weakness developed on the opening two stages will be magnified on the Merino Monster climb. Rising 712 metres in 7.8 kilometres, at an average gradient of 8.8%, it is the toughest climb in South African mountain biking.
Fans can follow the action from the Queen Stage at @tankwatrek on Twitter, for updates from the race. Alternatively one could watch along on the @tankwatrek Instagram and Tankwa Trek Facebook stories. Race highlights and photo galleries will also be posted to Instagram and Facebook later in the day.
Alex Miller (pictured) and Philip Buys were forced to hand over their yellow First Ascent leaders jerseys after conceding 1 minute and 55 seconds to Toyota Specialized. Photo by Oakpics.com.
Results: 2023 Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen
Elite Men Stage 2:
- Toyota Specialized: Matt Beers & Tristan Nortje (3:29:55)
- Pyga Euro Steel: Philip Buys & Alex Miller (3:31:50 | +1:55)
- Insect Science 1: Keagan Bontekoning & Arno du Toit (3:34:45 | +4:50)
- Imbuko {type}DEV: Marco Joubert & Pieter du Toit (3:34:57 | +5:02)
- KMC MTB 1: David Nordemann & Martins Blums (3:35:58 | +6:03)
Elite Women Stage 2:
- Ghost Factory Cappuccino: Anne Terpstra & Nicole Koller (04:10:12)
- Ghost Factory Flat White: Isla Short & Caroline Bohe (04:15:08 | +4:56)
- Efficient Insure Infiniti: Amy Wakefield & Samantha Sanders (04:22:28 | +12:16)
- KMC MTB: Janika Loiv & Yana Belomoina (04:31:48 | +21:36)
- #SheUntamed: Sarah Hill & Elrika Harmzen-Pretorius (04:37:54 | +27:42)
The Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen, elite men’s general classification, after Stage 2 (from left to right): Alex Miler and Philip Buys (PYGA Euro Steel), Tristan Nortje and Matt Beers (Toyota Specialized), and Pieter du Toit and Marco Joubert (Imbuko {type}DEV 1). Photo by Oakpics.com.
Elite Men’s General Classification after Stage 2:
- Toyota Specialized: Matt Beers & Tristan Nortje (4:35:09)
- Pyga Euro Steel: Philip Buys & Alex Miller (4:36:45 | +1:36)
- Imbuko {type}DEV: Marco Joubert & Pieter du Toit (4:39:52 | +4:43)
- Insect Science 1: Keagan Bontekoning & Arno du Toit (4:39:55 | +4:46)
- KMC MTB 1: David Nordemann & Martins Blums (4:40:59 | +5:50)
Elite Women’s General Classification after Stage 2:
- Ghost Factory Cappuccino: Anne Terpstra & Nicole Koller (5:26:34)
- Ghost Factory Flat White: Isla Short & Caroline Bohe (5:31:32 | +4:58)
- Efficient Insure Infiniti: Amy Wakefield & Samantha Sanders (5:40:14 | +13:40)
- KMC MTB: Janika Loiv & Yana Belomoina (5:50:08 | +23:34)
- #SheUntamed: Sarah Hill & Elrika Harmzen-Pretorius (5:56:03 | +29:29)
The Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen, elite women’s general classification, after Stage 2 (from left to right): Caroline Bohe and Isla Short (Ghost Factory Flat White), Anne Terpstra and Nicole Koller (Ghost Factory Cappuccino) and Amy Wakefield and Samantha Sanders (Efficient Insure Infiniti). Photo by Oakpics.com.
For more information visit www.tankwatrek.co.za.
