Campus to Campus 26 September 2010

When we lined up for the start of the VA batch at the Campus to Campus, it was at least a little bit of a bigger bunch than we had the previous day at the Harties challenge. Werner Moolman, Gwyn Pine and me represented the Mr Price team. Some of the other of the more familiar riders present were Gary Rabie (MTN), Johan Joubert (MTN) and Carl Lotter (Northcliff Cycles).

Our plan as discussed before the race was for Werner to go with the first break. If they got pulled back I was supposed to go with the second break and Gwyn would have gone with the third break if we got pulled back. If it was going to be a bunch finish the plan was that Gwyn and I made it as hard as possible on the front to try and give Werner a proper lead out.

The race started fairly subtle with a rider taking a flyer every now and then, but all got pulled back. In the 5km to 10km mark we got to a bit of an uphill drag and another one of these flyers happened. The next moment Werner went to catch up with the lone rider out front, but the guy was not keen to sit Werner’s wheel as he went passed him. Gary Rabie crossed over to Werner and that is where the first break of the day happened. Gwyn and I just hung back on the front of the bunch and everyone else watched as the two riders rode away. Both the Mr Price and MTN team were represented, so it was up to the individuals to put on the chase.

The racing in the bunch was very negative as no one put in a real effort to chase the break down. Gwyn told me that he is thinking about trying to cross over to Werner and Gary, but I told him I’m concerned about pulling the bunch back to them. On one of the kicks before we reached the “big” climb of the day which was on round about the 50km mark, Gwyn did put in an attack and took another rider, Willie Liebenberg with him. A TCS and a MTN rider tried to cross over to them but the bunch pulled those two riders back in on the “big” climb.

I stayed near the front of the bunch for the whole race and although I was just sitting in the bunch I could feel I was taking a bit of strain, I think the previous day’s effort in the Harties challenge took a bit out of me. It just shows what a quality cyclist Werner is to be in the break day after day.

Gwyn and Willie caught up with Werner and Gary and the four of them raced to the finish. Werner put Gwyn’s diesel engine on the front a lot of the time.
Gary Rabie (MTN) won the sprint with Werner in 2nd, Willie Liebenberg in 3rd and Gwyn in 4th. I did not content the sprint for an apple and had a bunch finish about 3 minutes behind the break.

Well done to Myles Musschenbroek who won the junior category, making it a back to back win as he also won the Harties challenge the previous day.

It was a good weekend in the office with awesome results from the Mr Price KZN team.

Emile Fouche