http://www.supersport.com/cycling/sa-cycling/news/150214/Green_and_gold_podium_on_final_day
Green and gold podium on final day
------------------------------
14 February 2015, 16:27
With some respite from the blisteringly hot weather that Wartburg has been
experiencing over the past week the Elite and Under-23 men took to the
Wartburg Road Race course on Saturday and it was Team South Africa that
showed their class as they claimed the top three places in the Elite Men’s
podium as well as the gold medal in Under-23 race at the Confederation of
African Cycling Road Championships.
The South African contingent in the race was quite large and eventual
winner Louis Meintjes was quick to praise the rest of the team for their
efforts on the day as well as mention that the tactics of the team paid off
well.
“We rode really well as a team today,” the MTN Qhubeka rider said.
“Conditions were a little cloudy but they were great for riding and we
wanted to go out and ride aggressively and try and split up the bunch and
get someone alone at the front of the race and we managed that with Jacques
(Janse van Rensburg) making the first move and then with my counter so it
all went according to plan today.”
With a clean sweep of the podium the South African team have done their
Olympic aspirations a solid and Meintjes added that that was the plan when
they went into the race.
“The results are really good for South Africa and with the Olympics next
year results like this will be great for selection,” he mentioned.
The Under-23 race was raced over the same distance and the South African
riders worked hard to ensure that they could get wins in both and winner of
the Under-23 race Jayde Julius was over the moon with the result.
“I am just super stoked with the way I raced today but not only my race,
how the team raced and we used the numbers to really good effect which was
great for us,” Julius enthused.
“In the Under-23 division we didn’t go in as favourites which meant that we
had to work hard with the rest of the team and just make sure that we
controlled the race and waited for the right moments which I think we did
well today.”
Julius managed to finish with the top bunch of riders which meant he ended
in fourth place overall which he was really happy about but with 10km to go
in the race he knew that there was going to be a serious challenge from the
other riders.
“Heading into the final bit of the race there was a massive push by the
Eritrean’s to pull us back and it was a great finish to the race however we
managed to hold them off and to finish just behind the top guys was
something that I am very happy about.
“It was just a great race,” Julius beamed.
On the contrary Eritrean star and winner of the Under-23 Time Trial Merhawi
Kudus was riddled with technical issues throughout his race and that meant
that catch up was always the name of the game for the MTN Qhubeka rider.
“It was a really hard race for me and the bike issues that I had didn’t
help me at all because I was constantly playing catch up.
“Quite early in the race I had issues and I managed to catch up to the
group but then I had another mechanical which set me back further and
trying to always catch up and chase the front guys made me really tired.
“With that said I am happy with my second position considering all of the
issues that I had!” a satisfied Kudus concluded.
The Under-23 podium was rounded out Temesgen Buru from Ethiopa and it was
Jay Thomson and Jacques Janse van Rensburg who won the silver and bronze
medals in the Elite Men’s Road Race respectively.
*ROAD RACE RESULTS*
*ELITE MEN*
1. Louis Meintjes (RSA) :03.59.27
2. Jay Thomson (RSA) 04:01.53
3. Jacques Janse van Resnburg (RSA) 04:01.53
4. Reinhardt Janse van Rensburg (RSA) 04:02.02
5. Tsgabu Grmay (ETH) 04:02.02
6. Natnael Berhane (ERI) 04:02.02
7. Adil Jelloul (MAR) 04:02.03
8. Rafaa Chtioui (TUN) 04:02.03
9. Daniel Teklehaimanot (ERI) 04.02.04
10. Azzedine Lagab (ALG) 04:02.04
*UNDER-23 MEN*
1. Jayde Julius (RSA) 04:02.03
2. Merhawi Kudus (ERI) 04:02.03
3. Temesgen Buru (ETH) 04:03.01
4. Mauro Silveira (STP) 04:03.54
5. Valens Ndayisenga (RWA) 04:05.19
Received on Sat Feb 14 2015 - 17:37:00 EST