“Lynette just attacked from the gun, the pace was so high there was no time for counter attacks, I got onto Lynette’s wheel and came over her in the final straight, said an relieved Matthee.
The Women’s Scratch race had its fair share of action with junior women and elite women racing together. A crash with 11 laps to go saw Ilse Bole and Kirsten de Beer go down and a restart followed.
Matthee retained her scratch title with Burger filling the second spot and Myburgh from Cycle Nation claiming bronze. “Lynette and I were away and with four laps to go I knew it was going to be me or her. Luckily my speed counted in my favour and I am over the moon’, said an emotional Mathee.
Tannah Roberts certainly showed she is a talent to be watched for the future as she won the 1500m and women’s junior scratch titles.
The junior men’s pursuit saw Daniel Stroebel and Ollie Stapleton-Cotton fight it out to the line for bronze. Stroebel managed a half a second victory. Hannes Basson and Marinus Prinsloo the gold medal ride. Basson was not having the best of days and had to settle for silver.
The Elite men’s pursuit saw Theuns van der Bank out ride Christiaan Kriek in the bronze medal ride off. The gold medal ride off was saw Mike Addey, a 48year old veteran rider, go up against James Perry of Tasol G. It was an absolute nail biter that went down to the last 2 laps where Perry proved too strong and claimed gold.
The men’s elite team sprint saw the team of Brent Pheiffer, Jean Smith and Mike Thomson conquer the others to take top honours in a time of 49.5sec with Team Intellebus coming second.
“It was Pheiffer’s start that won them that race”, said Gavin Smith a spectator and track rider himself. “His start was brilliant, and a strong man like Thomson bringing it home they looked the winning team” continued Smith.
Track Cycling South Africa then put a junior men’s and elite men’s team sprint team up against each other. It was Bernard Esterhuizen, Jeanne Nel and Jean Smith who rode for the National Elite Men in a time of 47.964, just outside the South African Record.
