Dome to Dome 2010 (or should it be Silverstar to Silverstar)

As the Margate cycle challenge was cancelled we decided to do the Dome to Dome Cycling challenge on the 5th of September, which for 2010 started at a different venue namely Silverstar Casino. The Mr Price team was represented by Werner Moolman, Iven Scharein, Gwyn Pine, Norvyn Pitout and me.


The first couple of 100 meters out of Silverstar Casino and turning right onto the N14 was a neutral zone. On the N14 the bunch stayed together and as I followed Norvyn to the front of the bunch we had to make a turn left and then right and then left again to end up in Drift Boulevard. I think this caused the main bunch to stretch a bit or even split as the front guys put the hammer down, luckily we were close to the front and could just follow wheels. From here a couple of attacks happened but nothing that got away from the bunch. Werner got into a break and we just stayed in the bunch following any wheel that would try to cross over. I was sitting second wheel in the bunch for a long time not rolling to the front when indicated to do so as it was not up to us to chase. We turned left into Muldersdrift road and then when we reached the T-junction we turned left into Kromdraai road.


There were a couple of attacks in the bunch every now and then as guys tried to cross over to the break but we covered them all. As we were heading for Sterkfontein Caves Road I found myself in a small group that had a gap on the bunch and decided to roll through as I thought that if I can get to Werner we can help to get a bigger time gap on the main bunch. We closed in on the break, but the bunch closed in on us as well so everything got together as we turned right into Sterkfontein Caves Road. I went to the front there working thinking we still had a gap on the bunch but when I realised everything was still together I decided to drop back to save some energy.


Another couple of attacks happened and Werner and Gwyn managed to get away with a small group. I lost the plot a bit and rolled too far to the back of the bunch to recover. I tried to at least stay close to Iven and Norvyn who was ahead of me in the bunch. Norvyn had a mechanical and had to drop from the bunch to fix it. We turned right onto the R563. I did not realise that the break was wheeled in until I saw Werner sitting up in front of the bunch and I knew he was looking for us. I rolled to the front, knowing that I was riding like a plonker and got some well deserved verbal abuse from Werner telling me we should stay near the front of the bunch as we cannot afford to lose it if a move goes. Werner’s words were hardly cold when a move happened and I found myself in a break with three other guys. Four teams were represented in that break, me for Mr Price, TCS, Cyclelab and a rider from Northcliff cycles. We all worked nicely together and managed to get a 1 minute 10 second gap on the main bunch. Werner mentioned later that Paul van den Heuvel (Cyclelab) said that that was the winning break. The MTN team realised it as well and they all went to the front of the bunch chasing as if they were possessed. We got time gaps from the race commissar and every time we got a new time gap we knew the gap was getting smaller and smaller. On 35 seconds the Northcliff Cycles rider decided it was time to drop back to the bunch, there were three of us left now. We tried pushing harder, I could feel I was starting to take strain (Definitely not the same form I had at the Engen DCC in Durban two weeks ago). We kept rolling through. Eventually I looked back and could see the yellow army in the bunch hunting us down. I still tried to stay in the break a bit but thought that we would be swallowed up by the bunch at anytime and decided to drop back when there was about a 10 second gap. When the bunch caught me Werner asked me if I was okay, a nod was all I could get out. There was a bit less than 20 km left.


At the start of the hill that indicated we were near the finish my legs decided they had enough and I just could not push hard enough to stay with the front guys anymore. There were small groups of riders on their way to the finish now. I went passed some of the MTN guys that chased our break down, after the race I found out they all popped at the bottom of the hill as well, the chase was expensive for them. I caught up with Iven and we cycled to the finish with a small group of other riders.
Meanwhile both Gwyn and Werner were still in the front of the race. Gwyn had some bad luck and was sent in the wrong direction by one of the marshals. Werner was in contention for the sprint now. Unfortunately the sprinters left Werner behind and he finished in 5th position, 1 second behind the winner.


The Results for the VA bunch were as follows:
1. Richard Burnham 2:19:15
2. Willem Bezuidenhout 2:19:15
3. Rowan Tyler (Fego Cafe) 2:19:15
4. Craig Harvey (Bulk Pack Meat) 2:19:16
5. Werner Moolman (Mr Price) 2:19:16

Emile Fouche