Cape Town – The much anticipated FNB Wines2Whales (W2W) Mountain Bike (MTB) Race started at a blistering pace on Friday, 06 November 2015.
Kicking off at the picturesque Lourensford Wine Estate (Somerset West), Stage One saw 1300 mountain bikers (650 teams of two) toe the line to take on the 72km route that featured a 1620m ascent. Finishing at Oak Valley Wine Estate (Elgin-Grabouw), stage highlights included the new Wedderwill and Knorhoek single tracks. The A-2-Z Trail in the Grabouw Forest left lasting memories. Sections X and Y, however, did not form part of this year’s route.
Robyn de Groot and Jennie Stenerhag of Team Ascendis Health claimed victory in the women’s race, with an impressive finishing time of 03 hours 35 minutes 13 seconds.
“Today’s trails were awesome,” said De Groot. “The route included minimal district road and really nice single track. This was good, proper mountain biking. We’ll have a three minute lead going into Stage Two, but in mountain biking that is nothing. We’ll forget about the lead and start new. The race isn’t over until we reach the finish line.”
Candice Neethling and Ariane Kleinhans of Team RECM Ladies came in second, while Theresa Ralph and Samantha Sanders of Team Galileo Risk Valencia finished third.
Team Bigla’s Carl Pasio and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio’s finishing time of 03 hours 47 minutes 33 seconds secured them the top spot on the podium in the mixed team category. “The stage was a shock to the system,” laughed Moolman-Pasio.
“As a road cyclist I don’t get to work my arms much, the portage over the wagon trail was hard. It is really nice to be able to ride with my husband. We just wanted to have fun, but our competitive instinct kicked in. It’s hard not to race when it’s what you’re used to doing.”
Yolandi Du Toit and Gordon Alan of Team Garmin Navworld came in second, while Andreas Studer and Carmen Buchacher of Team Craft Cycling finished third.
The prize purse for the 2015 FNB W2W MTB Race has increased by R31 500, taking the overall total to a whopping R381 500. The overall men’s and women’s teams will take home a prize purse of R65 000 after Stage Three. Runners up will be awarded R30 000, while the final team on the podium will win R17 500.
Stage Two: Saturday, 07 November 2015
A single track haven and affectionately dubbed ‘Play Day’ the Stage Two route will feature the exhilarating Paul Cluver Bike Park and single tracks as well as the Kromco Play Park.
Start & Finish Venue: Oak Valley Wine Estate (Elgin-Grabouw)
Distance: 67km
Ascent: 1366m
WIN with FNB W2W MTB and Specialized: Mountain bike enthusiasts taking part in the 2015 FNB W2W MTB Events (Adventure, Ride and Race) will stand an equal chance to take home either a stunning Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp 6 Fattie for men or a Specialized Rhyme FSR Comp 6 Fattie for women.
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For more information on the FNB Wines2Whales MTB events contact 083 760 3158, e-mail [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected] or visit www.wines2whales.co.za
About FNB Wines2Whales:
FNB Business and FNB Private Wealth have made a joint commitment to sponsor the annual Wines2Whales Mountain Bike Events.
FNB’s ongoing strategy is to support local and community events that show the potential to grow. This sponsorship affirms our dedication to providing an experience that is beyond expectation, through a sport that continues to grow in popularity as one of the key activities in the South African sporting calendar. The annual FNB Wines2Whales Mountain Bike Events are aligned to our belief that adventure is the heart of innovation and this is one of many platforms on which we seek to make a lasting connection with new and existing clients.
Contact
FNB Business- If your business is going far, we can help you get there.
Email: [email protected]
FNB Private Wealth – We help you grow, manage, protect and enjoy your wealth.
Email: [email protected]
ISSUED BY: Newsport Media
ON BEHALF OF: Wines2Whales Organisation
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