Sandton City elite women win Gauteng Provincial Road Cycling Championships
The 2024 Gauteng Provincial Road Championships not only showcased outstanding athletic achievements but also highlighted the significance of teamwork and preparation in the world of professional cycling.
The 2024 Gauteng Provincial Road Championships unfolded in the south of Johannesburg on January 21, showcasing remarkable talent and strategic prowess in the Elite Women’s Road Race.
Carla Oberholzer of the Sandton City Cycle Nation team emerged victorious in the Elite Women’s Road Race, covering a challenging 118km course with finesse.
According to Lincoln King from the Cycle Nation, following closely were her teammates Joanna van de Winkel and Lisa Bone, securing a spectacular clean sweep of the podium for the Sandton City Cycle Nation team.
“The road race commenced in the mid-morning hours, featuring a select group of around 15 elite and U23 female cyclists vying for the prestigious title.”
King added the initial laps witnessed a cautious peloton, with no team willing to make a decisive move. However, on the third lap, the Sandton City women’s team, led by Oberholzer, decided to shift gears and elevate the pace.
“A strategic move unfolded, with five riders making a significant breakaway, including Bone, Van De Winkel, Carla Oberholzer, Melissa Kretzinger of Team Customised Cycling, and Lize-Ann Louw of Word Cycling Centre. This group dwindled to two after the feed zone, with Oberholzer and Van De Winkel driving the pace at the front.”
He said from lap five onward, it was Oberholzer who dominated the race, soloing to an impressive victory with a substantial lead of more than five minutes on the peloton.
“In the subsequent bunch sprint, Joanna van de Winkel and Lisa Bone secured the remaining podium spots for the Sandton City Cycle Nation team.”
Oberholzer expressed her satisfaction with the team’s performance, emphasising the importance of effective communication and teamwork.
“We wanted the team to have a pre-SA Champs test run, as we are working with a relative newcomer to cycling in Lisa Bone, and it was important for us to get communication working between the riders and our team working in the feed zones.”
Oberholzer added in the end, they got the result which was a bonus, but this was an invaluable preparation for their support team as well and she was glad and proud of the result and the team.
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