01 December 2011 No better way to finish the season
Team bizhub finished their season on a successful note winning the overall ladies elite category in the Omnicane Southern Tropical MTB Challenge ...
Jade Roberts
(January 2010, Clarence Training Camp)
22/10/2008 Van Heerden back in yellow in China
Rising South African cycling star, Christoff van Heerden, continued to find international
success on Tuesday when he won another stage and reclaimed the Yellow Jersey at
the Tour of Hong Kong Shanghai in China.
Rising South African cycling star, Christoff van Heerden, continued to find international
success on Tuesday when he won another stage and reclaimed the Yellow Jersey at
the Tour of Hong Kong Shanghai in China.
On Monday, Van Heerden's young British teammate ,Adam Blythe, won Stage 2 and took
over the race lead, with Van Heerden securing second place on the stage and retaining
the Points Jersey.
But on Tuesdays 74km Stage 3a, Blythe missed a crucial early 15-rider break and
was fortunate that teammates Van Heerden and Dennis van Niekerk were able to go
with the attack, which stayed clear to the finish. Columbian Lisban Quintero, riding
for the composite CRCA/Foundation team, captured the stage victory ahead of Van
Heerden, who found himself heading up the General Classification again.
"Dennis was in the move when it went and I had to chase hard to get into the break
as both Adam and I missed it when it went. In order to keep Yellow in the team,
I knew I had to get in there", said a somewhat relieved Van Heerden afterwards.
Then in Tuesdays Stage 3b, a 36km criterium, Van Heerden and Blythe snapped up another
1-2 respectively for Konica Minolta, the time bonus for the win extending Van Heerden's
overall lead to 18 seconds over Quintero and the points gain moving Blythe into
the Points Jersey lead.
"It's been great to hold onto both Yellow and Points Jerseys from the start, but
it hasn't been easy", said team manager John Robertson. "The stages are mostly short,
but very fast and our guys are constantly being attacked which just adds to the
pressure. But they are handling it well."
The seven-stage tour, which ends on Saturday, takes a transfer break on Wednesday
and then resumes on Thursday with a moderately hilly 132km Stage 4 comprising three
laps of a 44km circuit in the scenic city of Fuyang.
"We're hoping to use the next stage to open my lead up a bit", said Van Heerden.
"With a bit of climbing and more distance, it suits our team perfectly and we'll
be going all out to try and strengthen our grip on this race."
2008 Tour of Hong Kong Shanghai Tuesday 21 October
Leading results after Stages 3a and 3b:
General Classification
1 Christoff van Heerden (RSA) Konica Minolta 05hr34min35sec
2 Lisban Quintero (COL) CRCA/Foundation @ 18sec 3 Boagley Hall (AUS) @ 28sec
Points Classification
1 Christoff van Heerden (RSA) Konica Minolta 71
2 Adam Blythe (GBR) Konica Minolta 52
3 Lisban Quintero (COL) CRCA/Foundation 28
22/10/2008