Searing heat – on Saturday, 23 November – helped produce fierce racing at the 2024 Old Mutual Wealth Double Century. In the men’s race RH77 – Factory proved fastest, holding off RDXVermarc and Star Elite Cycling. Paceline and O’Right engaged in an even closer contest throughout the 202 kilometre race with, the defending champions setting the early tempo before the challengers surged into the lead. The gap was never more than 45 seconds between them and eventually Paceline prevailed. ChemChamp Honeycomb Racing’s fast start saw them defeat the highly touted Private Client Holdings Mixed team, despite the defending champions mad dash to the finish line.
When the sun rose on Swellendam, as the first teams set out on their big loop of the Overberg, Klein Karoo, and Breede River Wine Region the first indications were that the day would be hot and clear. By 07:00 the mercury had risen in to the early twenties and it would climb further into the low thirties. A light breeze provided some relief until the final 40 kilometres when the teams turned south east at Bonnievale and fought their way home into a headwind.
The RH77 – Factory team in full flight. Photo by Volume Photography / Tobias Ginsberg.
The headwind on the final stretch translated to a tailwind for much of the first 130 kilometres, especially on the stretch from Barrydale to Robertson. RH77 – Factory used that stretch and their experience at the highest level of the sport to establish an early advantage. By the first Team Support Zone, in Ashton at the 112km mark, their lead was 4 minutes and 22 seconds over RDXVermarc. The men in white extended by a further 75 seconds over the next 48 kilometres to Bonnievale. They had not over done their efforts however and continued to power to the finish line, winning out by 7 minutes and 13 seconds when it was all said and done. Star Elite Cycling completed the podium places, behind RDXVermarc, with ASAPCYCLING TEAM-EUROSTEEL in fourth and Rouleur Tritans in fifth.
“I first came to the Old Mutual Wealth Double Century 15 years ago,” Rene Haselbacher, the team principle of RH77 – Factory smiled. “On the way to Swellendam someone told me it was a team time trial – a 200 kilometre team time trial. Since then, I’ve raced it 5 times, but never been on the winning team. Today we put in a great ride, and thanks to powerhouses like Roger [Kluge] and Felix [Ritzinger] we were able to go full gas all the way. The plan was to finish each leg with just six riders, which puts you at risk of losing time with punctures… but we had a perfect day and didn’t have a single issue.”
Podium celebrations for RH77 – Factory. Photo by Volume Photography / Tobias Ginsberg.
Along with Haselbacher the RH77 – Factory team which crossed the line first were made up by Johnny Hoogerland, Stoff van Heerden, Daniel Loubser, Felix Ritzinger, Roger Kluge, and David George. Philipp Ludescher and Matthias Krizek finished within 15 minutes of their teammates. Rene Haselbacher Junior finished half an hour behind.
In the women’s race the Paceline and O’Right teams went head-to-head throughout the course, though they never overlapped. “The team time trial format can make it really difficult,” Tarryn Povey noted. “We wanted to catch the O’Right team in the first leg, to Ashton, but never did. After that we never saw them and only got time checks at the Team Support Zones. When we heard they were 45 seconds up at Bonnievale we knew we had to empty ourselves to the finish in order to retain the title.”
The Paceline womens team defended their title, holding off ORight by just 41 seconds. Photo by Zayne Botha.
That is exactly what Povey, Ila Stow, Kate Slegrova, Katie Lennard, Kylie Hanekom, Sarita Louw, Almari de Milander, Catherine Pellow-Jarman, Michelle George, Chanel Hannah, Corli de Bruyn, and Jana von Backstrom did. Louw, Hanekom, Lennard, Slegrova, Stow and Povey crossed the line together to set the wining time, which was 41 seconds quicker than O’Right. J9’s Untamed Divas completed the podium.
The mixed race was also a fiercely contested affair. The ChemChamp Honeycomb Racing and Private Client Holdings Mixed both worked with the same tactical plan. “We worked together to the top of Tradouw Pass and then went full gas with our strongest six riders,” Tristan Nortje explained. “The plan was to get to Ashton as fast as possible as the time was taken for the first 6 riders across the timing point there, regardless of gender.”
The ChemChamp Honeycomb Racing team won the Mixed category in a fierce battle with Private Client Holdings. Photo by Volume Photography / Tobias Ginsberg.
Nortje and his teammates – Johann Trotzky, Kelsey van Schoor, Lucy Young, Juanita Mackenzie, Brandon Downes, Casper Kruger, Darren Benecke, Jaco van Dyk, Simon Ferreira, Bradley Scott, and Jean Koen – started the second leg with a 7 minute advantage. Over the next 90 kilometres they managed their time losses to the star packed Private Client Holdings Mixed squad. By the finish line Private Client Holdings had pulled back 3 minutes and eventually finished 4 minutes and 9 seconds behind the ChemChamp Honeycomb Racing team. Ehlers Lesedi Mixed Team were the third fastest mixed team.
2024 Old Mutual Wealth Double Century Results
Open Men:
- RH77-Factory (4:39:59)
- RDXVermarc (4:47:12 | +7:13)
- Star Elite Cycling (4:54:23 | +14:24)
RDXVermarc had to be content with second. Photo by Volume Photography / Tobias Ginsberg.
Women’s:
- Paceline (6:14:33)
- O’Right (6:15:14 | +41)
- J9’s Untamed Divas (6:30:24 | +15:51)
Mixed Category:
- ChemChamp Honeycomb Racing (4:57:38)
- Private Client Holdings Mixed (5:01:47 | +4:09)
- Ehlers Lesedi Mixed Team (5:23:49 | +26:11)
The Private Client Holdings Mixed team opted to go all in for the first 112km, but ChemChamp Honeycomb Racing were quicker with the tactic and established an unassailable lead by Ashton. Photo by Volume Photography / Tobias Ginsberg.
For the full results from the 2024 Old Mutual Wealth Double Century click here, to find out more about the race visit www.doublecentury.co.za.
Paceline topping the womens podium. Photo by Volume Photography / Tobias Ginsberg.
