The duo Rossouw Bekker- Cronje Beukes starts in trumpet

The Valley Electri cal-Titan Racing team of Rossouw Bekker and Cronje Beukes got off to a flying start in the Funds mith Colin Mayer Tour yesterday. Indeed, the South African pair impressed by handily winning the first 60-kilometer stage in 2h17:16. The other South African pair of Keagan Bontekoning and Johan Fourie de Villiers (Insect Science/Fuel X) took second place at 3 minutes and 45 seconds.

As expected, the two South African teams quickly took matters into their own hands. In Yemen, around fifteen kilometers after the start given in Cascavelle, Bonteko ning/de Villiers and Bekker/Beukes led the debates followed by the pair composed of the Mauritian Toréa Célestin and the Réunion native Quentin Soubadou. Over the kilometers, the two South African teams would get rid of their opponents.

This is how at kilometer 30, at the bottom of the Matala descent – ​​the second refreshment point – the four natives of Nelson Mandela’s country were alone in the lead. Célestin/Soubadou and a few other Reunionese pairs were already 4 minutes behind. In the final climb, that of Magenta, Bekker and Beukes took a small lead.

Keagan Bontekoning (right) and Johan Fourie de Villiers cross the line hand in hand in second position.

At the top of the hill, this duo was almost a minute ahead of Bontekoning and de Villiers. Unfortunately, for the latter, Bontekoning suffered a puncture on the descent that followed.

The Valley Electrical-Titan Racing Team did not ask any questions and swallowed the last kilometers to cross the finish line at the SPARC sports center in Cascavelle with 3 minutes and 45 seconds ahead of their immediate pursuers

There was a Nice sprint for third place between the two Reunion teams made up of Gregory Maillot and Anthony Céleste and Giovanni Gonthier and Christophe Vassor, both being credited with a time of 2h32:25. The latter were the first in the Master 2 category (40-49 years old). The Célestin/Soubadou duo finally arrives in fifth position in 2h35:22.

Nice sprint for third place between the two Reunion teams made up of Gregory Maillot and Anthony Céleste and Giovanni Gonthier and Christophe Vassor.

Impressions

Results

Rossouw Bekker: “This is my first time taking part in the Colin Mayer Tour. The route was very rocky, more so than I expected. We had a great duel with Keagan and Johan. I didn’t feel particularly good and at the beginning, the objective was mainly to hang on and not lose time. But we saw that there was an opportunity to win the stage and we capitalized on it. The last climb wasn’t as steep as I thought but it was still tough. There are still two steps left. We have the yellow jersey and we will do everything to keep it until the end.

Keagan Bonteking: “I’m happy to be back on the Colin Mayer Tour. I only received a phone call Monday afternoon to invite me and Johan was able to accompany me. I really liked the first stage with the new route. He was very tough. We dictated the pace from the start and then on the last big climb, Rossouw and Cronje took an advantage. We were about a minute late and unfortunately I had a puncture on the descent. I fixed the problem as quickly as I could. We still have two days of racing left. Anything can still happen. Our objective will be to try to take back the yellow jersey from Rossouw and Cronje.

Yemen, it’s the Bontekoning/Fourie de Villiers pair who set the pace followed by Bekker and Beukes

Results

1ST STAGE (60 KM)

1. Rossouw Bekker/Cronje Beukes 2h17:16 ;
2. Keagan Bontekoning/Johan Fourie de Villiers 2h21:01 ;
3. Anthony Céleste/Gregory Maillot 2h32:25;
4. Giovanni Gonthier/Christophe Vassor mt;
5. Toréa Célestin/Quentin Soubadou 2h35:22

Mountain bikers impatiently waiting for the fictitious start at the SPARC sports center in Cascavelle.