Eritrean cyclist conquers the Classic
Carnival City Macsteel National Classic Cycle Race success.
World Cycling Centre Africa’s (WCCAfrica) Eritrean cyclist, Metkel Eyob, held off a challenge from three Bonitas Pro Cycling team riders, to claim the elite 160km distance, in the 2014 Carnival City Macsteel Classic Cycle Race.
The WCC Africa team is a feeder team for the MTN Qhubeka team.
The 160km race, organised by Germiston Wheelers and the Germiston Rotary Club, is one of the longest cycle races of the season and prepares cyclists for the Argus, which always takes place two weeks after the Classic.
Eyob finished just 20 seconds ahead of the chasing pack, after going ahead during the main break of the day.
The race started with all the teams watching each other closely, waiting patiently for someone to make the first move, until the curves that bend around Nigel and Heidelberg came into play.
It was Ryan Gibbons, from EuropcarSA, who took the lead at the 64km mark, setting the stage for the chasing cyclists to attack time after time, until a pack of 10 riders broke clear.
Bonitas Pro Cycling’s HB Kruger won the Hotspot at 139km, and was closely followed by five riders who went clear of the others.
Into the final kilometre, it was Metkel who beat Bonitas’ sprinter Clint Hendricks, to claim the win.
The top 10 results of the elite 160km race are: 1 Metkel Eyob (WCCA) 3:41:34, 2 HB Kruger (Bonitas Pro Cycling) +0.02, 3 Clint Hendricks (Bonitas Pro Cycling) +0.03, 4 Dylan Girdlestone (Bonitas Pro Cycling) +0.07, 5 Alem Grmay Abebe (WCCA) +0.08, 6 Reynart Butler (Abantu) +0.08, 7 Ryan Felgate (ASG) +0.09, 8 Tyler Day (Westvaal BMC) +0.10, 9 Ryan Gibbons (EuropcarSA) +0.10, 10 Till Drobisch (WCCA) +0.10.
The Din-Al-View CPF members assisted at the event, with the marshalling of cars and cyclists in the East car park and on the cycle route between the car park and the starting point of the race.
