Paul Roos Gymnasium hosted an unforgettable weekend of world class mountain biking between 4-5 February 2023. Making use of the UCI World Cup XCO track at Coetzenburg, two days of thrilling racing was enjoyed by hundreds of riders. From 9-year-old Nippers to the 50+ masters (and all ages in between), participants raced with skill, speed and courage around a course described by top professionals as “very hard”! Close to 250 riders from 17 countries participated in this race.

The first day was the first round of the Cycling South Africa XCO Cup series and the second the opening round of the Western Cape XCO Cup series. Both events were UCI Category 2 and carry valuable UCI ranking points for top performers.

A highlight at the PRG Devmco XCO SA Cup #1 was the appearance of XCO World Champion Nino Shurter on the start line for the Men’s Elite race, the final event of an exciting two days. This Swiss legend did not disappoint the thousands of fans who had gathered on Coetzenburg to see him in action. He and his fellow countrymen, Filippo Colombo and André Frischknecht, produced a master class in skill, speed and tactical racing. The trio shared the workload over the first four laps before Shurter, the ten-time world champion, turned on the afterburners to ride away from his Scott Sram teammates on lap 5. Such was his burst of power in the last two laps that by the time he crossed the line, Shurter was 46 seconds ahead of Colombo with Frischknecht in third place.

The sight of hundreds of young fans queuing for selfies and autographs underlined the importance of hosting events like these in Stellenbosch, creating opportunities that young riders will remember for a long time. The effort put in by the entire Paul Roos MTB community – speared by Mr Ben Puddu and Mrs Adelle de Villiers – was immense. “Well done to each and every person who made this event possible. A great weekend of racing and one that will go down in history. Special mention to Adelle and Ben for your leadership and guidance”. – Cycling South Africa MTB Director, Paola Ambrosi.

For full results see below.

Photo credit: EJ Langer

XCO SA CUP SERIES – Saturday

SUB JUNIOR BOYS

– A podium clean sweep for the Western Cape.

1. Tristan McGiven (WC)
2. Sven Etsebeth (WC)
3. Cameron Marais (WC)

SUB JUNIOR GIRLS’ RACE

• A win for Kwazulu-Natal

1. Madison Bateson (KZN)
2. Lara van der Vyver (WC)
3. Ella Grobler (GP)

YOUTH MEN’S RACE

• A win for Namibia

1. Roger Suren (Nam)
2. Samuel Cleary (WC)
3. Josh Johnson (KZN)

YOUTH WOMEN’S RACE

• Another win for Kwazulu-Natal

1. Jodi Mackinnon (KZN)
2. Nadia van Wyk (WC)
3. Eryn Marais (WC)

JUNIOR MEN’S RACE

• UCO Junior World Series event

1. Kevin Lowe (Nam)
2. Daniel Hahn (Nam)
3. Massi Ambrosi (GP)

JUNIOR WOMEN’S RACE

• A win for Limpopo

1. Lillian Baber (LP)
2. Angeliq Coetzer (WC)
3. Carla Jansen van Vuuren (LP)

SUB VET MEN

• A win for Western Cape

1. Dominic Calitz (WC)
2. Gerrit Moelich (FS)
3. Sithembiso Masango (WC)

VETERAN MEN’S RACE

• A win for Western Cape

1. Petrus Malherbe (WC)
2. Franco Steyn (WC)
3. Albertus Nel (GP)

MASTERS MEN’S RACE

• A win for Namibia

1. Hans du Toit (Nam)
2. Jimmy Mills (WC)
3. Gerhard Dorks (WC)

ELITE WOMEN’S RACE

• A win for Switzerland

1. Alessandra Keller (Switzerland)
2. Caroline Bohé (Denmark)
3. Candice Lill (South Africa)

ELITE MEN’S RACE

• ­­A win for South Africa

1. Alan Hatheley (South Africa)
2. Victor Koretzky (France)
3. Alex Miller (Namibia)

WESTERN CAPE XCO SERIES – Sunday

Sprog Boys

• A win for the Western Cape

1. William Ruthven (WC)
2. Willem Durandt (WC)
3. Dylan van de Langenberg (WC)

Sprog Girls

• A win for the Western Cape

1. Leoné Theron (WC)
2. Nina Tjallingi (WC)
3. Isabella Stermin (WC)

The Nippers Boys’

• A win for the Western Cape

1. Tiehann Slabber (WC)
2. Michael van Zyl Smit (WC)
3. Steyn Rautenbach (WC)

The Nippers Girls

• A win for the Western Cape

1. Lienka de Jager (WC)
2. Leah Keuler (WC)
3. –

Sub Junior Boys

• A win for the Western Cape

1. Tristan McGiven (WC)
2. Sven Eztebeth (WC)
3. Camryn Marais (WC)

Sub Junior Girls

• A win for the Western Cape

1. Lara van der Vyver (WC)
2. Rebecca Jacobs (WC)
3. Janke van Zyl (WC)

Youth Men’s Race

• A win for Namibia

1. Roger Suren (Nam)
2. Samuel Cleary (WC)
3. Jaco van Zyl (WC)

Youth Women’s Race

• A win for the Western Cape

1. Nadia van Wyk (WC)
2. Jodi Mackinnon (KZN)
3. Eryn Marais (WC)

Junior Men’s Race

• A win for Northwest

1. Ernest Roets (Northwest)
2. Daniel Han (Namibia)
3. Kevin Lowe (Namibia)

Junior Women’s Race

• A win for Limpopo

1. Lillian Baber (LP)
2. Riley Smith (KZN)
3. –

Sub Vet Men’s Race

• A win for the Western Cape

1. Dominic Calitz (WC)
2. Sithembiso Masango (WC)
3. James Ross Marsch (WC)

Veteran’s Men’s Race

• A win for the Western Cape

1. Petrus Malherbe (WC)
2. Franso Steyn (WC)
3. Juan de Villiers (WC)

Masters Men’s Race

• A win for the Western Cape

1. Johannes Visser (WC)
2. Neil du Pisanni (WC)
3. Arnold Barnado (WC)

Masters Women’s Race

• A win for the Western Cape

1. Suné Henning (WC)
2. Lena Ronge (WC)
3. –

Women’s Elite Race

• A win for the US

1. Kate Courtney (United States of America)
2. Nicole Koller (South Africa)
3. Alessandra Keller (Switzerland)

Men’s Elite Race

• A win for Switzerland

1. Nino Shurter (Switzerland)
2. Filippo Colombo (Switzerland)
3. André Frischknecht (Switzerland)

Posted on 16 March 2023 under Fietsry / Cycling, Sport