IT was a red-letter day for Team Enza as Stephan van Heerden claimed his first aQuellé Tour Durban crown following a blistering end-sprint at the end of an exciting 90km shoot-out, while Cashandra Slingerland’s huge solo effort won her the women’s title on Sunday.
With a route change due to expected strike action on the M19 freeway, the route became a two-lap 90km race from the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium to the Umdloti Circle and back.
Coming out on top was going to be a tough for the Enza team give that they were a team of three but Van Heerden and the team put together a tactically sound race plan which saw him claim the end sprint.
One the second lap a group of five riders managed to get away from the bunch and they fought it out over the final 45km for the coveted title.
Van Heerden, Thokhozani Mahlangu, Alex Worsdale, Louis Visser and Dylan Girdlestone were the five that got away.
Ceajay Bosman was the first junior rider home as part of the second bunch of riders across the line.
In the women’s race it was Slingerland who came away with the win. It was a suprising early break from Slingerland that gave her the advantage all the way to the finish.
It was a sprint finish to round out the top three with Elmari de Wet just pipping Joanna van de Winkel into second while the latter had to settle for third.
In the 55km Cyclo-cross event it was Cayde Muldoon who just edged the end sprint to beat Mboneni Ngcobo to the crown while Wade Durward came home in third.
Rentia Denissen was the fastest woman over the road/off-road hybrid course. She beat off Chantel Rouhotas by over six minutes with Mariette Hodgon finishing in third.
Durban-based Triathlete Mhlengi Gwala, who was the victim of a devastating attack in 2018 which almost ended his career, rode to victory in the 45km Fun Ride. He was followed closely behind by Liam Theunissen in second and Molefi Sello in third.
In the women’s 45km Fun Ride it was Vonessa Williamson who took home the line honours ahead of Makayla Saville and Louisa Bezuidenhout in third.
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