Team Proline Computers’ Anriette Schoeman snuck to victory at blistering pace on Sunday, to record a historic 12th victory in the Volkswagen Herald Super Classic in Port Elizabeth, just ahead of international competitor Jenny Stenerhage.
Team Proline Computers launched their first attack 2.8 km into the race, when Robyn de Groot set a tough pace up Buffelsfontein Avenue, leaving a number of ladies behind.
The first serious attack was launched by Stenerhage (Sweden) at 23.4 km into the race up the 5km Theescombe Climb, a move which broke the bunch of 26 ladies into two groups.
Schoeman lifted the pace even more on the last kilometre of the climb, which ripped the leading bunch to shreds. Only De Groot ( Proline Computers), Francis Barnard (De Vos/USN) and Stenerhage could stay with her over the top of Theescombe.
The four managed to stay away for 3km, but was caught 26km into the race by six ladies. Stenerhage proved to be in great form, attacking 36km into the race, but her move was was immediately neutralized by Robyn de Groot. Stenerhage immediately counter attacked again, but Schoeman followed immediately to keep up with her.
Michelle Enslin and Yolinda Erasmus showed their teeth 47km into the race by setting a vicious pace. At this stage it was clear that the tough Maitland’s Climb would determine who will be on the podium.
Again Stenerhage went to the front at the start of the 4km climb, setting a hard pace, but Schoeman moved past her, and lifted the pace once more. De Groot took the lead half-way at a speed which proved too tough for a number of ladies, who started to fall behind.
Then 800m from the top of the climb, Schoeman went out to the front, setting a blistering pace, and only Stenerhage, De Groot and Barnard managed to stay with her over the top.
With 42 km to go this break-away group had a 45 second lead on the chasing bunch, which was losing ground. With 20km to go it was clear that a sprint to the finish would determine the outcome of the race, as the leading group was now more than 1 minute 40 seconds ahead of the chasing group.
With 1km to go Robyn de Groot moved forward with Schoeman following her, but the experienced Stenerhage was not to be intimidated. She immediately jumped past De Groot on the left-hand side, attacked to the right and went through between De Groot and Schoeman with a bust of speed.
This left De Groot in no-mans land, with Schoeman following Stenerhage and jumping past her right-hand side with 200m to go. In the end, Schoeman managed to out-sprint Stenerhage to win in 03.06.21, but Stenerhage came second with the exactly the same time, while De Groot finished third and Francis Barnard fourth.
(0 rating, 0 votes, rated)
Loading...
