Kleinhans and Kritzinger win opening stage

Between the sharply etched mountain ranges of the Swartberg and the Outeniquas, the first Klein Karoo International Cape Pioneer Trek mountain bike stage race started with 89 teams of two riders and nine individuals taking on the full variety of route conditions that the event offers.

Erik Kleinhans and Johnny Kritzinger (Team Memory Foundation/New Heights) won the first stage and assumed the overall lead after the first 107km stage. They finished in four hours and 36 minutes. Squirt riders Cornelius Muller and evergreen Master Lieb Loots followed in second place, at 13 minutes. Donovan Jackson and Roan Exelby of team Tread Magazine were third.

Masters Brian Strauss and Linus van Onselen of the Sludge team put in an impressive performance with a finish in 5:07:01. They were eclipsed only by Johan Labuschagne and Yolande de Villiers of the Cyclelab Mixed team whose 4:56:09 put them fourth overall ahead of the international wizards of Specialized-Songo with Christoph Sauser and his manager Bobby Behan. Like everyone else, Sauser was clearly enjoying himself rather than just going hell-for-leather in pursuit of glory.

The first veterans were Paarl Pioneers Temlett Hockey and Anthony de Jager in 5:32:30 and Fienie Barnard and Esther Lategan were the open women's winners in 5:27:56.

The stage ended in Calitzdorp and will, staying in the Klein Karoo, head over the Swartberg Mountains for Prince Albert. Stage 2 will be 90km with big climbing.

Results