05 Dec 2011 Herman Fouche wins Die Burger Cycle Tour
Herman Fouche from the Cape Town Market/ Noble Energy team claimed victory in a time of 2:15:14 at Die Burger Cycle Tour 2011 in Stellenbosch.
“The recipe for my win was a mixture of the encouragement that I received from my team along the route and my fitness. I am in top condition for this race and I have been very disciplined about my training routine.” said Fouche. “Die Burger is quite a tough race, starting with some steep climbs and ending with a couple of hills, but it is a very scenic route which makes it enjoyable for the riders.”
It was a fiercely contested race with Jaco Venter from Willems Accent finishing in second place and Charles Solomon from Daikin-Gu coming in third place as part of the winning group.
Swedish cycling sensation, Jennie Stenerhag – representing the Give Me a Chance Foundation, clinched her fifth consecutive Die Burger Cycle Tour victory in a time of 2:25:46, with Maroesjka Mathee from Team Intellibus and Marina Wege sponsored by Pragma and Pep Cell, finishing in second and third place respectively.
“Each year the competition gets tougher and there is more pressure on me to win,” explained Jennie. “Die Burger Cycle Tour is one of my favourite reasons for returning to South Africa, and to Stellenbosch each year.”
The tandem category was won by SA cycling icon, Robbie Hunter – multiple winner of the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour and the first South African to win a stage in the Tour de France – and Jeanne Livingstone. The pair rode in Hunter’s current RadioShack team colours, after Livingstone convinced her long-time friend to enter and participate with her on a tandem.
“Robbie and I have been friends since our teens so it was easy to convince him to ride with me,” said Livingstone. “It was amazing to ride with someone like Robbie who isn’t only an extremely talented rider, but also a considerate tandem partner. I still can’t believe we actually won!”
Over 6,600 cyclists entered the event, with the vast majority participating in the 92km distance, the final seeding opportunity for the 2012 Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour.
Action-packed day
Stellenbosch High School played host to the fifth Die Burger Cycle Tour. David Bellairs, CEO of the Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust, said the event was a great success. “Due to the intense heat today, we decided on an additional water point with extra ice for riders. As a result everyone enjoyed the day, despite the heat, and by 12h00 there were only 100 riders out on the route.”
Connie Skelton and Merrick James, both brand new to cycling, entered the 44km route as part of a novice programme organised by the Cape Town Cycle Tour Trust in conjunction with Cycle Lab. “The first time we ever cycled outside of a spinning class was just two weeks ago. We learned so much through the novice programme, such as how to remove a water bottle while riding, negotiating traffic, riding in groups and hand safety signals. We really enjoyed the camaraderie between fellow novice riders, and appreciated the on-going support from the organisers. We now have the confidence to complete the iconic Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour in March 2012.”
Race Results
92km
Elite Men 1st: Herman Fouche (Cape Town Market/ Noble Energy) (2:15:14)
Elite Men 2nd: Jaco Venter (Willems Accent) (2:15:14)
Elite Men 3rd: Charles Solomon (Daikin-Gu) (2:15:14)
Elite Ladies 1st: Jennie Stenerhag (Give Me a Chance Foundation) (2:25:46)
Elite Ladies 2nd: Maroesjka Matthee (Team Intellibus) (2:28:50)
Elite Ladies 3rd: Marina Wege (Pragma and Pep Cell) (2:34:56)
Vets 50+ 1st: Joao Mendes (Cycle Lab) (2:23:06)
Vets 50+ 2nd: Jan Wiehman (Daikin-Gu) (2:23:06)
Vets 50+ 3rd: Fourie Kotze (Sludge) (2:23:06)
Vets 40+ 1st: Danie Marais (Daikin-Gu) (2:23:06)
Vets 40+ 2nd: Neil Bradford (Cycle Lab) (2:23:06)
Vets 40+ 3rd: Sean Viljoen (Cycle for Joy) (2:23:06)
Vets 30+ 1st: Charles Solomon (Daikin-Gu) (2:15:14)
Vets 30+ 2nd: Boyd Roberts (Aurecon) (2:15:14)
Vets 30+ 3rd: Clive Seebregts (Aurecon) (2:15:14)
Tandem 1st (x2): Robert Hunter and Jeanne Livingstone (2:25:38)
44km
Men 1st: Lemar Meyer (Pelathon-fietsryklub) (1:23:47)
Ladies 1st: Gemma Gelling (Superwatts) (1:26:35)