News for November 3 - First Edition
[Stage 2 : Monday, 30th October 123 km Road Stage : Paarl,
Wellington, R44, Hermon, Riebeeck Kasteel, Malmesbury, R45,
Wellington, Paarl]
Bryan Grieve, "The Argus", 31/10/1995, pp 31 reprinted without
permission, but full reference and credit given.
The Bothma's Kloof Pass, perhaps better known as the Riebeek
Kasteel climb, has become a graveyard of the greats in Amateur and
Professional road cycling.
The pass claimed further victims yesterday on the 123.8km second
stage of the R100 000 Boland Bank international Tour.
At the moderate start of the climb, three riders had broken away,
Spaniard Luis Diaz de Otazu (ONCE), Sigfried Hoebel of the Swiss
Tandem Team and South African Mervyn Dinkelman (COROMA DOORS).
After a seemingly worthless journey through the little town of
Riebeek West which took all of two minutes, and was probably done
to satisfy a minor sponsor, the three tackled the climb in earnest.
Dinkelman quickly dropped off the pace, to be followed soon by
Hoebel leaving De Otazu to go it alone. This he did with an awesome
display of courage and strength honed on the racing fields of
Europe.
But the wind and heat (the temperature reached 34.5 degrees
centigrade) took its toll on the Spaniard and he was reeled in
after 90km, having, with Dinkelman and Hoebel, forged the break on
the second of three laps around a circuit in Paarl before they took
to the country.
There were minor attacks in the run-in back to the start, but the
stage finished in a bunch sprint with victory, for the second day,
going to former East German road and track rider Ralf Koldewitz
(HAMLIN-KONTOK-7).
Koldewitz, who says he is a sprinter and a time trialist and has
won a number of raod stages in a variety of tours, was followed to
the line by Hollander Michel Cornelisse (TVM/Polis Direct), who was
later disqualified (and then reinstated) from the tour for holding
on to a convoy vehicle. This moved Germany's Thomas Bockman
(TVM/Polis Direct) into second place with 22 riders in he first
bunch all being credited with the same time of 3:08:36
Overall Koldewitz leads by 10 seconds from Blayne Wikner
(Village/WP) who, in turn, is a secon Sweden's Magnus Backst dt
(Lanken Team). Koldewitz's twin victories earned him time bonuses
and allowed him to edge clear of Wikner.
Koldewitz says his biggest fear over the next five days will be
heat and mountains.
Behind Wikner, next best of the SA entries, in fourth place
overall, is Malcol Lange of the Old Mutual national team. Lange is
first in under 23 years competition.
The national side yesterday lost kingpin Willie Engelbrecht through
illness. The stalwart managed only a few kilometres before
disappointingly throwing in the towel. He will have tests today.
The absence of such an important member as Engelbrecht saw the
National team drop from first to second in the team competition.
They trail Wp by 3 seconds. WP have three riders in the top 16 -
Wikner, Pierre Henri Olivier (12th) and David George.
*******************
STAGE THREE
THE BOLAND BANK CYCLE TOUR
29TH OCTOBER to 4th NOVEMBER 1995
Stage 3 : Tuesday, 31st October
193 km road Stage : Moorreesburg, R311, R45, Hopefield, Vredenburg,
Saldanha, R79, R315, Darling, Malmesbury
Locals Rule :-) Communique 2 : 1/11/95
1. Following consideration of further evidence concerning the
traffic conditions behind the race, the penalties for the following
riders is amended to a fine of sf30 and a 20 second penalty.
Riders : 9, 19, 40, 85 : Cornelisse, Belgian Win Omloop
(Collstrop), German Heiko Latocha (Hamelin-Kontok-7) and South
African Richard Roselt (Team Murway).
Penalties : Team Hameln-Kontok-7 : non reg supply of refreshments.
fine sf50. (3.22)
STAGE RESULT
1. Blayne Wikner (SA-VILLAGE CYCLES/WP) 4:56:33
2. Ralf Schouhammer (GER-HAMELN-KONTOK7) @ 1 sec
3. Douglas Ryder (SA-OLD MUTUAL) @ st
4. Michael Lafis (SWE-TELEKOM) @ st
5. Thomas Gotze (GER-CAPE RENDEZVOUS) @ st
6. Michael Jones (SA-TELEGAMES) @ 8 secs
7. Arnanoia Garcia (ESP-ONCE) @ st
8. Hendrik Redant (BEL-TVM) 27min:03 secs
9. Danny Jonckheere (NED-TVM) @ st
10. Andre Massard (SWI-TANDEM TEAM) @ st
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION - after stage 3
1. Blayne Wikner (SA-VILLAGE/WP TEAM) 8:10:18
2. Ralf Schouhammer (GER-HAMELN-KONTOK7) @ 38 secs
2. Arnanoia Garcia (ESP-ONCE grupo deportivo) @ st
4. Douglas Ryder (SA-OLD MUTUAL) @ 39 secs
5. Michael Lafis (SWE-TELEKOM) @ 40 secs
6. Thomas Gotze (GER-CAPE RENDEZVOUS) @ 51 secs7. michael Jones
(SA-
TELEGAMES) @ 1:21
8. Magnus Backstedt (SWE-TELEKOM) @ 27:17
9. Malcolm Lange (SA-OLD MUTUAL) @ 27:19
10. Thomas Bockman (GER-HAMELN-KONTOK7) @ 27:25
KING OF MOUNTAINS
1. Luis M Diaz de Otazu (ESP-ONCE GRUPO DEPORTIVO) 8 points
2. Douglas Ryder (OLD MUTUAL) 6 points
3. Johan Bruyneel (BEL-ONCE GRUPO DEPORTIVO) 5 points
4. Brian Holm (DEN-TEAM TELEKOM) 4 point
5. Hendrik van Dyck (BEL-TVM / polis direct) 3 points
KFM STEREO POINTS
1. Blayne Wikner (SA-VILLAGE CYCLES/WP) 8 points
2. Ralf Koldewitz (GER-HAMELN-KONTOK7) 5 points
3. Luis M Diaz de Otazu (ESP-ONCE GRUPO DEPORTIVO) 3 points
3. Thomas Bockmann (GER-HAMELN-KONTOK7) 3 points
3. Ralf Schouhammer (GER-HAMELN-KONTOK7) 3 points
HOTSPOTS
1. Luis M Diaz de Otazu (ESP-ONCE GRUPO DEPORTIVO) 3 points
1. Blayne Wikner (SA-VILLAGE CYCLES/WP) 3 points
3. Siegfried Hoebel (SWI-TANDEM TEAM) 2 points
3. Mario Nel (SA-COROMA DOORS) 2 points
5. Michael Lafis (SWE-TELEKOM) 1
TEAMS
1. VILLAGE CYCLES/WP team - 25:26:07
2. OLD MUTUAL South Africa @ 4 secs
3. Hameln Kontok-7 @ 16 secs
4. ONCE GRUPO DEPORTIVO @ 22 secs=7F
5. TELEKOM @ 30 secs
6. CAPE RENDEZVOUS @ 1min:08
7. TELEGAMES Team @ 1:22
8. Lanken Team @ 27min:13
9. TANDEM TEAM @ 27:39
10. TVM/Polis Direct @ 27:49
At last, the commentary of the TV coverage has been taken over by Paul
Sherwen.
I haven't heard a "Ligget" yet eg. "tapping the rythym"
Today stage is mainly flat with a couple of rolling hills and the
wind will play a major role. Hendrik Redant was talking to us on
Sunday showing off his new front teeth. his jaw underwent major
reconstruction and his wrist and knee still hurt, so he can't go
really hard yet :-(. his condition was from a crash in the Tour de
France when his fork snapped and he face-planted into the tarmac
(remember strip helmets only hold the pieces together after the
crash). i have now realized how much weight I have to loose, to get
a decent power to weight ratio, after meeting Olaf Ludwig. he is a
lot smaller than i thought. speaking of which Bruyneel is tiny and
thin and almost looks fragile. cameras do funny things.
After 18 km there is a break by Thomas Gotts and there is a reaction
from the World Champ Nelissen. he comes across strongly followed by
9 riders. there are ten teams represented and this break is
dangerous. TVM and Collstrop aren't in the break and take up the
chase. Nelissen has a slow front puncture and gets a slow wheel
change. he is stranded in windy no man's land. the bunch meanwhile
is 2min:49secs at 35km.
In Vredenberg, Blayne Wikner outpushes another rider in the break
for the hotspot. mmmm...Blayne looks strong to be sprinting for the
hotspots so early.
Meanwhile back at the bunch TVM and Collstrop have disappeared from
the front
77km
Riders in the break are Michael Jones (our hero, cause he's our
training partner), Douglas Ryder (also from Cape Town), Ralf
Schouhammer, Blayne Wikner (StellenBosch rider), Arnanoia Garcia
(ONCE) and Michael Lafis (SWE), Thomas Gotze and Borislav Tzenov.
Rider no. 71 Borislav Tzenov of the PPPK QUEENS team succumbs to the
heat and drops from the break. the gap is now an astronomical 24:10
at 142 km nearing the finish into Malmesbury the break starts
slowing up as riders jostle and look at each other. they are all
over the road waiting for the first person to break. Schouhammer
goes hard from the front, gets the gap, Blayne Wikner jumps after
him and gets in his slip. Garcia (ONCE) takes up the chase for
remaining riders, he cramps and the 2 riders up front are clear with
1.5 km to go. Schouhammer is towing Wikner, who is not coming round,
Schouhammer should think about this !. 300 m to go and he is still
riding hard with Wikner looking behind all the time assessing the
gap. at 250m Wikner goes left and hard for the line. Schouhammer
can't answer and seems like he was content with second when he
broke.
Blayne takes the stage victory, arms aloft. He now moves into the
yellow jersey and the 7 or so riders in the break have an almost
un-assailable lead over the rest of the field. the field came in 27
min 3 secs down.
*****
STAGE THREE PRESS
DUTCH STAR BOOTED OUT OF TOUR
Bryan Grieve, "THE CAPE TIMES", 1/11/1995, pp 22 reprinted without
permission,
but full reference and credit given.
Malmsbury: "Holidaymaker" Michel Cornelisse of the Netherlands
yesterday tainted 23-year-old WP rider Blayne Wikner's day of joy in
the Boland Bank International Cycling Tour What should have been
Blayne Wikner's victory party after the third stage of the Boland
Bank Tour, ended up being gatecrashed by controversy.
The 23-year-old Western Province rider yesterday won the tough
193.9km stage, ahead of a group of six riders who had broken away
after 18km of the course. but for the second consecutive day
Dutchman Michel Cornelisse was thrown out of the race after the
stage ended in Malmesbury. This follows his suspension and
subsequent re-instatement on Monday.
In blistering hot conditions that saw temperatures touch the 40
degrees mark. Wikner and nine other riders made the only significant
break of the long day from Mooreesburg to Malmesbury.
In the end only seven remained, but they finished a massive 27min
3secs ahead of the main peleton. that gave wikner the overall
leader's jersey by 38 seconds ahead of German Ralf Schouhammer.
Sadly, however, it was a false indication of how Wikner had
performed as accusations of riders intimidating fellow riders in the
main peleton began to crawl out of the woodwork. one of the main
culprits was Cornelisse - who on Monday was disqualified but later
reinstated for hanging on to his support vehicle.
"He just intimidated the young SA riders because he's a big European
Professional," one of the OLD MUTUAL National team members said.
"When the guys wanted to chase he started swearing at them, saying
he wasn't going to race as he was here for a holiday." with Douglas
Ryder in the front group the national team had no reason to do any
chasing and it was mainly left up to the smaller South African teams
to lead the charge.
The matter reached the ears of tour organiser Gerhard Meyer, who had
a meeting with Cornelisse's manager to discuss the incident.
following the meeting the Dutchman was officially disqualified and
will have no further part in the race.
On Monday, another rider had said that Cornelisse had deliberately
hung onto his support vehicle in order to be disqualified.
TVM-Polis Direct rider's antics certainly put a damper on Wikner's
celebrations after he had described the win as one of the greatest
moments in his cycling career. Wikner recorded his first
international tour stage victory in a time of 4hrs 56min 33 secs.
COMING UP
Stage 4 : Wednesday, 1st November
196 km Road Stage : Worcester, Mitchell's Pass, Ceres, Theronsberg
Pass, De Doorns, Worcester [Longest Stage]
Stage 5 : Thursday, 2nd November
131 km Road Stage : Strand, Sir Lowry's Pass, Botriver, Kleinmond,
Gordon's Bay, Strand
Stage 6 : Friday, 3rd November (am)
76 km Road Stage : Bellville, Melkbos, Blouberg, Tiekiedraai,
Bellville
Stage 7 : Friday, 3rd November (pm) - 5.30pm
12.2 km Time Trial : Bellville Stadium / Tygervalley Shopping
Centre
Final Stage 8 : Saturday, 4th November - 9.30am
172 km Road Stage : Stellenbosch, Paarl, R303, Franschoek,
Franschoek Pass, R45, Theewaterskloof Dam, Grabouw, Somerset West,
Stellenbosch