By Emile Fouche
Werner asked me to write a report on our Panorama Tour this year and I decided to write the report from my perspective.
We couldn’t believe that the Panorama Tour was here already when we packed the vehicles to leave for White River on Friday morning. Saturday morning would be the start of the first stage and I was unsure of how prepared I was for what was laying ahead for us in the next four days, as I had just returned from a four week bout with the dreaded flu.
The Mr Price teams entered for the event were made up as follows: Sub Vets (30 +): Werner Moolman and me, Vets (40+): Iven Scharein and Gwyn Pine, Masters (50+): Derek Tivers and Flip Krugel, Mixed: Mark Davel and Isabel Moolman, Ladies: Sandra Haywood and Marina Smuts.
It was overcast when we left the house for Casterbridge to line up at the start line. It was a bit unfortunate that about all the Mr Price team riders were seeded in the lower batches even though we were all some of the higher seeded riders in our respective categories. That made things a bit difficult from the gun as we had to race past many teams in the neutral zone to catch up with the front teams that was having a jol and a cup of tea behind the neutral car. Just before the 25km mark some action started to happen as it was the MTN hotspot for the Mens, Ladies and mixed teams ahead on the Da Gama Dam climb. Werner and I managed to end up in a break with a couple of strong teams including riders like David Garret, Moolman Welgemoed, Gary Beneke, Calvin Beneke, Jacques Fullard and Jac-Louis van Wyk. We were off and on this front group a couple of times but we managed to stay there with Werner pushing and dragging me behind this group. I was taking a lot of strain. At the bottom of the Spitskop climb Werner told me that we should move to the front of this group and as I was about to try and move forward when one of the younger riders in the group decided to change direction and take my front wheel with him which caused me to crash. We lost quite some time here as my bike (and I) was stuffed and we tried to get it ride able again. Another bunch caught up with us. I realized my front brake calipers were completely loose, so I had to remove them and hook them around my handle bars which created some interesting riding conditions on the descends as I only had rear brakes now. With Werner pushing and dragging me along we managed to stay with this bunch and finished with a time of 3 hours and 28 minutes. We were in fourth place for the Sub Vets after stage one, about twelve minutes behind the category leaders.
Stage two on Sunday morning was overcast yet again. At least we were seeded in the A batch now and did not have to race through the neutral zone to be in front with the race leaders. I was feeling a lot better than on day one and managed to give Werner a bit of a break from pushing and dragging me up the hills for the first 60 km. This is a fast stage but from the 50 km mark the front bunch was rolling quite slowly and another bunch caught us from behind. Mark, Isabel, Derek and Flip were in this bunch. The real racing only started with about 20 km left to go as this was where teams could hurt one another on the hills before the finish. We were six minutes behind third place and the plan was to make up some time. Werner went to the front with me sitting his wheel and drove the pace hard. Unfortunately I was not on form and the stronger riders in the bunch got away from us (This included the team SAfindit which was in 3rd place). Werner, Iven, Gwyn and I were riding together now. The three of them working hard and I were just trying to hang on for dear life. We finished this stage in 2 hours 12 minutes, about four minutes behind the stage winners and category leaders. We moved into 5th position for the Sub Vets now and 3rd place was getting out of reach.
Stage three started in some light drizzling rain. On about the 20km mark Werner shouted at me to follow him and we had a bit of a break away to try and take the Hot Spot on the 35km mark. The other teams weren’t letting us get away though and riders like David Garret, Moolman Welgemoed and Nico Bell followed us up to the top of Spitskop. When they went to the front they were too strong for me and rode away from us. After a couple of kilometers a chase group caught up with us. Yet again I could not stay with them but managed to stay on the wheel of a tandem and the the SAfindit team. We stuck together for quite some time but on the downhill to Sabie bad luck struck yet again and my cassette on my rear wheel came loose. There we lost the tandem and SAfindit and watched them ride away as we rode into Sabie. We started the climb up Long Tom pass and I was not having a good time at all. A bunch caught us from behind containing the 40+ category leaders. Gwyn and Iven was in this bunch as well. I tried staying with this bunch as long as I could but even with Werner dragging and pushing me along I could not. I was spent. We started the long descent from Long Tom Pass all on our ace when Werner spotted one of the official backup vehicles. We switched bikes and Werner told me to ride so long on his bike while he changed my rear wheel. Werner caught up with me again in a bunch a couple of kilometers down the road. At least I managed to stay with them. Later Mark and Isabel’s bunch caught us and now we were quite a big bunch rolling on to the finish. On 105km we hit another climb and this bunch got stretched out quite a bit. We finished this stage in 3 hours 32 minutes, still 5th in the Sub Vets and 21st overall.
At last the final day was here and we were ready for the time trial with at least one podium in mind. It was on a tough 24 kilometer with the same grueling finish as on stage two. I could not do any work but I sat on Werner’s wheel for all I was worth. We caught a couple of teams that started in front of us. With 9 kilometers left to go disaster struck once again, Werner’s rear wheel punctured. Werner told me we are still going on and he carried on with a flat rear wheel. We finished the Time Trial in 41 minutes and 38 seconds, missing 3rd place on the podium with 34 seconds.
We finished the tour in 9 hours, 54 minutes and 38 seconds. Our final result was 22nd overall and 5th place in the Sub Vet category. This tour is a must do and I can’t wait to take revenge on these killer hills of White River and surrounds next year!
Well done to Gwyn, Iven, Isabel, Mark, Flip and Derek with all their podium positions. Thanks Werner for your patience during this tour. It was an honor having you as my partner.
Werner asked me to write a report on our Panorama Tour this year and I decided to write the report from my perspective.
We couldn’t believe that the Panorama Tour was here already when we packed the vehicles to leave for White River on Friday morning. Saturday morning would be the start of the first stage and I was unsure of how prepared I was for what was laying ahead for us in the next four days, as I had just returned from a four week bout with the dreaded flu.
The Mr Price teams entered for the event were made up as follows: Sub Vets (30 +): Werner Moolman and me, Vets (40+): Iven Scharein and Gwyn Pine, Masters (50+): Derek Tivers and Flip Krugel, Mixed: Mark Davel and Isabel Moolman, Ladies: Sandra Haywood and Marina Smuts.
It was overcast when we left the house for Casterbridge to line up at the start line. It was a bit unfortunate that about all the Mr Price team riders were seeded in the lower batches even though we were all some of the higher seeded riders in our respective categories. That made things a bit difficult from the gun as we had to race past many teams in the neutral zone to catch up with the front teams that was having a jol and a cup of tea behind the neutral car. Just before the 25km mark some action started to happen as it was the MTN hotspot for the Mens, Ladies and mixed teams ahead on the Da Gama Dam climb. Werner and I managed to end up in a break with a couple of strong teams including riders like David Garret, Moolman Welgemoed, Gary Beneke, Calvin Beneke, Jacques Fullard and Jac-Louis van Wyk. We were off and on this front group a couple of times but we managed to stay there with Werner pushing and dragging me behind this group. I was taking a lot of strain. At the bottom of the Spitskop climb Werner told me that we should move to the front of this group and as I was about to try and move forward when one of the younger riders in the group decided to change direction and take my front wheel with him which caused me to crash. We lost quite some time here as my bike (and I) was stuffed and we tried to get it ride able again. Another bunch caught up with us. I realized my front brake calipers were completely loose, so I had to remove them and hook them around my handle bars which created some interesting riding conditions on the descends as I only had rear brakes now. With Werner pushing and dragging me along we managed to stay with this bunch and finished with a time of 3 hours and 28 minutes. We were in fourth place for the Sub Vets after stage one, about twelve minutes behind the category leaders.
Stage two on Sunday morning was overcast yet again. At least we were seeded in the A batch now and did not have to race through the neutral zone to be in front with the race leaders. I was feeling a lot better than on day one and managed to give Werner a bit of a break from pushing and dragging me up the hills for the first 60 km. This is a fast stage but from the 50 km mark the front bunch was rolling quite slowly and another bunch caught us from behind. Mark, Isabel, Derek and Flip were in this bunch. The real racing only started with about 20 km left to go as this was where teams could hurt one another on the hills before the finish. We were six minutes behind third place and the plan was to make up some time. Werner went to the front with me sitting his wheel and drove the pace hard. Unfortunately I was not on form and the stronger riders in the bunch got away from us (This included the team SAfindit which was in 3rd place). Werner, Iven, Gwyn and I were riding together now. The three of them working hard and I were just trying to hang on for dear life. We finished this stage in 2 hours 12 minutes, about four minutes behind the stage winners and category leaders. We moved into 5th position for the Sub Vets now and 3rd place was getting out of reach.Stage three started in some light drizzling rain. On about the 20km mark Werner shouted at me to follow him and we had a bit of a break away to try and take the Hot Spot on the 35km mark. The other teams weren’t letting us get away though and riders like David Garret, Moolman Welgemoed and Nico Bell followed us up to the top of Spitskop. When they went to the front they were too strong for me and rode away from us. After a couple of kilometers a chase group caught up with us. Yet again I could not stay with them but managed to stay on the wheel of a tandem and the the SAfindit team. We stuck together for quite some time but on the downhill to Sabie bad luck struck yet again and my cassette on my rear wheel came loose. There we lost the tandem and SAfindit and watched them ride away as we rode into Sabie. We started the climb up Long Tom pass and I was not having a good time at all. A bunch caught us from behind containing the 40+ category leaders. Gwyn and Iven was in this bunch as well. I tried staying with this bunch as long as I could but even with Werner dragging and pushing me along I could not. I was spent. We started the long descent from Long Tom Pass all on our ace when Werner spotted one of the official backup vehicles. We switched bikes and Werner told me to ride so long on his bike while he changed my rear wheel. Werner caught up with me again in a bunch a couple of kilometers down the road. At least I managed to stay with them. Later Mark and Isabel’s bunch caught us and now we were quite a big bunch rolling on to the finish. On 105km we hit another climb and this bunch got stretched out quite a bit. We finished this stage in 3 hours 32 minutes, still 5th in the Sub Vets and 21st overall.
At last the final day was here and we were ready for the time trial with at least one podium in mind. It was on a tough 24 kilometer with the same grueling finish as on stage two. I could not do any work but I sat on Werner’s wheel for all I was worth. We caught a couple of teams that started in front of us. With 9 kilometers left to go disaster struck once again, Werner’s rear wheel punctured. Werner told me we are still going on and he carried on with a flat rear wheel. We finished the Time Trial in 41 minutes and 38 seconds, missing 3rd place on the podium with 34 seconds.
We finished the tour in 9 hours, 54 minutes and 38 seconds. Our final result was 22nd overall and 5th place in the Sub Vet category. This tour is a must do and I can’t wait to take revenge on these killer hills of White River and surrounds next year!
Well done to Gwyn, Iven, Isabel, Mark, Flip and Derek with all their podium positions. Thanks Werner for your patience during this tour. It was an honor having you as my partner.
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