MTN OFM Classic - 7 November 2010

We were a bunch of round about 85 riders that lined up in the VA batch for the 2010 MTN OFM Classic that was held on 7 November in Bloemfontein. The Mr Price 30+ team was represented by Werner Moolman, Mark Davel, Iven Scharein, Gwyn Pine and me. Other teams present were Fego Cafe (Our rival team from KZN) and Wiehann (a Bloemfontein based team). It was nice to see some familiar faces from the days when I first started cycling three years ago, like Manie Smith (with who I also trained with in my karate days) and Jean Fourie (from Cycle World where I bought my first entry level road bike).

At 6h25 we heard the gun shot and we headed for the left turn into First Street. I wanted to make sure I am close to the front of the bunch at the start of the race as I knew the route like the back of my hand and knew what lay ahead for us in this first 20km. As we turned right into Nelson Mandela I was just about on the front of the bunch with Iven. After turning left into West Burger Werner told me to hang back a bit as he wanted me to be able to react if someone tried to put in an attack on these first two hills that were just around the corner. A Wiehann rider was leading us over the first hill going passed “Oranje Meisies Skool” (This name just does not sound the same in English). We turned left down into Happy Valley and then right into Albrecht Street, which is a short steep climb. I crested the top first with the bunch on my back wheel. Our whole team stayed near the front most of the time. Turning left into Generaal Hertzog Werner went off the front with another cyclist (I think Paul van den Heuvel from Cyclelab) on his wheel. From there the route took us to a right turn into Jan van Riebeeck, right into Generaal dan Pienaar and then left into Lucas Steyn which was the last steep hill for the day.

The VA bunch was split when we reached the top of Lucas Steyn with a select group of 30 cyclists in this front group, now the leading bunch. Lucas Steyn extended into Frans Kleynhans Rd. The road changed direction into a crosswind and Werner rolled to the front, taking us to the right hand lane, guttering the bunch. I decided to roll through to help Werner out a bit, but momentum allowed me to roll off the front and I found myself opening a gap on the bunch so I went on a flyer. The route took us left into Kenilworth Rd and then left on to the R64 (Dealesville Road). I was hoping for another cyclist to cross over to me in this time but no one did. The bunch was closing the gap on me and on the small climb going past Langenhoven Park towards the N1 I needed a breather. Rowan Tyler (Fego) seized the opportunity and attacked the bunch on this climb, overtaking me and Turning left onto the N1 North, I could not react. The bunch caught up with me and we got on the N1 together. I rolled up next to Jean (Wiehann) and told him that Rowan is a strong boy and that they (his team) might want to put on a chase. Werner and Gwyn rolled towards the front. A Cyclelab rider attacked the bunch to cross over to Rowan. Werner looked at me to react, but I couldn’t and then Gwyn went with a couple of riders following him. The bunch closed in on Gwyn’s group and then the chase was on to catch Rowan and the Cyclelab guy. Mr Price contributed to the chase with a couple of other riders and we caught the two riders going up the drag near the Engen one stop.

From there all the way to the Glen off-ramp the bunch pretty much stayed together. We went left on to the off-ramp, turned right and right again to get on the N1 South on-ramp. The bunch stuck together as we turned left into Andries Pretorius. Mark put in an attack but was rolled in before we reached the circle where we turn left into Rudolph Greyling. Werner told me he was going to put in an attack sometime and when he gets caught I must go. The bunch had an idea of its own though and the wind played a huge factor in this race. We turned left onto the N8 heading towards Thaba Nchu. Werner tried to get off the front before he turned left into Dreyer Ave but the bunch would not let him go. Jean Fourie (Wiehann) put in an attack before the turnoff as well but all was together as we turned left straight into a headwind. I was definitely too far at the back of the bunch now as my team was close to the front and it was just one long line of cyclists trying to survive. I slowly worked my way forward and by the time we turned left onto the Maselspoort road Werner set me up perfectly to put in an attack and I did. This was the perfect place for me as I would be off the front of the bunch passing my parents house and was looking forward to see them cheering me on, but to my disappointment they weren’t there! Later I found out they left too early to go to the finish, which they also missed.

Another rider caught up with me and gave me a breather. We rolled a little bit but the bunch was on us as we were heading for the airport. Iven was leading the bunch turning left at the circle all the way till we turned right, back onto the N8 heading back towards the finish. There was a cross wind from the right and we stayed on the left of the road guttering the bunch. Werner rolled through and we started working. Paul and another cyclist went to the front and eventually the whole bunch was riding gutter until we turned left into Nelson Mandela Dr. Werner told me to go on that small kick on the left turn and I tried, but my legs wouldn’t let me do a decent effort so Iven pushed the pace going up there. The pace was fast heading towards First Street and Werner put in an attack going around the corner. The bunch was together turning right into At Horak and to get a result was up to Mark now as he is our sprinter. Unfortunately for Mr Price Deno van Heerden (Fego) pipped Mark on the line with Paul van den Heuvel (Cyclelab) in third.

It was an awesome well organised race and we worked hard as a team to get a result. Our hard work paid off thanks to Mark for getting a 2nd on the podium.

Emile Fouche