Jacaranda Satellite Classic 2010

It was a huge batch of 83 VA riders lining up on the start line of the Jacaranda Satellite Classic on Saturday morning the 23rd of October. The Mr Price KZN Vets team was represented by Werner Moolman, Mark Davel, Iven Scharein, Norvyn Pitout and me.

The start at Pelindaba was quite tricky. We had a couple of hundred meters of neutral zone towards a T-intersection and turning left we had to be very careful not to hit cyclists or the cars of cyclists who is starting in the later batches. I was lucky enough (or unlucky enough) to find myself quite near to the front of the bunch early in the race and could easily respond to the first attack. I managed to find myself in a small break with Johan Joubert from MTN, one or two Cyclelab guys and another couple of other riders. We all rolled through but were caught by the bunch a couple of km further. Another move went that was brought back almost immediately and then Pieter Calitz from Cyclelab rode off the front while the bunch watched him go. I was sitting on the front not exactly sure where my team mates were when a Blackrock rider attacked the bunch crossing over to Pieter. Nobody else was responding and that was my signal to follow the third move of the morning.

I do not know what the rider from Blackrock’s name was but he was definitely the stronger of us three pushing the pace hard. The route took us to the Dam’s edge, over the Dam and left towards Van Gaalens. Then towards Magalies and after that to the base of Hekpoort hill. We were rolling through just about all the time, except for on some sections, where the Blackrock rider was pushing so hard that I decided that it would be suicide to do anything but sit his wheel until he slowed down enough for one of us to roll through.

After being in the break for 50 to 60 km we were caught at the top of Hekpoort by a chasing bunch and I was very happy to see both Werner and Norvyn in the mix. I managed to hang on for a little while but got dropped at Skeerpoort. A bunch with Mark caught up with me but I was spent. A couple of kilometres further I also got dropped from this group and I started to solo home until Iven caught up with me and I could sit his wheel back to Pelindaba.

The chasing bunch with Mark caught up with Werner’s front bunch. Werner was keeping an eagle’s eye on Jac Louis van Wyk (Blackrock), but let his attention drift to elsewhere in the bunch for a small instant. Unfortunately it was right at that instant when a move happened and Jac Louis got away with Julius Cobbett (TCS) and Paulo Contente. Jac Louis won the race with Julius in 2nd and Paulo in 3rd.

Emile Fouche