Van Heerden and Slingerland claim maiden Tour Durban crowns
Athletes win aiden titles in the men's and women's races at the Tour Durban.
IT was a red-letter day for 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 ladies 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 eMdloti 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.
“It was interesting racing because the course was fast and flat,” Van Heerden said after his win. “The course was always going to suit us because we are smaller team but it was a quick race throughout. We tried to control the race as much as possible at the beginning but there were a lot of attacks so we had to manage that because on a route like this if an attack sticks then it’s gone.”
In the ladies race it was Cashandra 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.
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.
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.
In the ladies 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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