Rossouw steps up
2006-03-09
SPECTATORS at the Argus Mountain Bike Challenge could have been forgiven for thinking they were watching the finish to a tri-athlon after winner Jacques Rossouw crossed the finish line on foot.
The Paarlite had to push his bike across the last stretch of the 55km race after the bike had gear problems some 20m from the finish line.
Rossouw riding for GT finished the race in a time of 2:11:31, a couple of minutes ahead of runner-up Marc Bassingthwaite and Hannes Neethling in the third spot.
More than 1 800 mountain-bikers took part in the Cape Argus Pick ’n Pay Mountain Bike Challenge that was held at Boschendal Estate on Sunday.
And as the mercury rose to over 40 degrees, even the fittest and most experienced mountain-bikers had a tough time on the dry and dusty course.
The temperature also contributed to some harsh on-route conditions - it took over five hours for some riders to finish.
In the main event Rossouw and Neethling broke away from the pack about a quarter of the way into the race.
“We had just come down a downhill section and simply continued with the tempo,” explains Rossouw.
“We kept on working together until the foot of the last hill. During the climb I turned up the pace and managed to secure a lead of around four minutes.”
Rossouw is known for his strong climbing ability, but Sunday’s sections took some doing.
“I bent my jockey early on in the race and thereafter only had the use of my bigger gears, making the climbs quite difficult,” says Rossouw.
The 25-year-old won the Mazda Drifter Adventure Series in 2004. Last year his form took a serious knock when he was struck down with glandular fever and suffered from over-training syndrome.
“It’s good to win again for a change,” a happy Rossouw said on Tuesday while awaiting a call for possible inclusion in the Giro del Capo tour.
“If I don’t ride in the Giro I will definitely be competing in the Argus Tour with a mountain-bike. I want to take a shot at breaking that record that has stood for a couple of years.”
Jacques plans to compete the Drifter Series this year only to assess his form, but he is adamant that next year he will definitely try to reclaim his title.
The women’s division was won by Ellane van Wyk from Stellenbosch in 02:45, followed by Sara Muhl (2:46:04) and Hanlie Booyens (2h46:08).
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