Spectators make the day for Herald Cycle Tour riders in Port Elizabeth

One of SA’s premium road cycling races offered up another nail-biter as Nolan Hoffman claimed the 2019 Herald Continental Cycle Tour title in Nelson Mandela Bay on Sunday.

Despite the grey conditions, Hoffman, of Franschhoek, powered his way across the finish line in a three-way fight for the title, adding yet another winner’s medal to his cabinet.

It took a couple of minutes for race officials to announce the winner after Hoffman and Ryan Harris crossed the finish line neck-and-neck in two hours, 32 minutes and 14 seconds. 

Gustav Basson was third and credited with the same time.

KwaZulu-Natal debutante Tiffany Keep, 18, was the first woman home, beating Nelson Mandela Bay’s Anriette Schoeman to take the title.

The KwaZulu-Natal rider finished the race in 3:09:56, followed by Schoeman in 3:09:57. Third place went to Frances Janse van Rensburg, also in a time of 3:09:57.

Hard race in 'four seasons'

An elated Hoffman, 32, said the 2019 race was probably the hardest yet.

“If you were thinking of giving up, then you had lost the race already,” he said. “I just had to put my head down and hope the guy in front of me was holding the wheel. Fortunately, I managed to stay with Clint Hendricks because I know he is a strong rider in the crosswinds. It worked out well.

He added that Port Elizabeth “never seems to disappoint”.

“Again, we had four seasons in one morning – I thought we were going to get rained on in the beginning and you couldn’t see more than 50m in front of you with the mist. But then it disappeared, the sun came out and towards the end, the wind started.

“I was so impressed to see the number of academy guys who were part of this race. It’s a chance for them to measure themselves up against the pro riders.”

The race consisted of two distances, the 106km coastal classic and 55km pursuit.

The field of almost 1,400 cyclists included many local and national entries, along with a handful of overseas riders.

Spectators were out in full force.

“The crowds were incredible,” Hoffman said. “It’s heartwarming to see them come out to support the riders. It’s a big motivator for us and pushes us to keep going.”

Racing cleverly

Varsity College student Keep, who has vowed to come back to defend her title in 2020, said she had heard only good things about the race and enjoyed the scenery.

Asked what she had done right to win the race, Keep said: “I think I raced cleverly. In the past, I used to sit in the front the whole way because I come from a mountain-bike background and that is really the only tactic I know. I think I applied a bit more of a tactical approach to this race today. It was my first attempt at it and I am very happy with how it went.”

She described racing alongside the likes of Bay legend Anriette Schoeman, Yolande de Villiers and others as unreal, saying she had looked up to these women as a junior cyclist.

The Herald and Weekend Post editor Nwabisa Makunga celebrated the successful hosting of the 34th Herald Cycle Tour. “We are grateful to the community of Nelson Mandela Bay as well as the cycling community,” she said.

“To all our riders who came out, participated and enjoyed themselves, they are the real champions of this event.”

Continental Tyre South Africa MD Shaun Uys said the organising team had again outdone itself.

“Race organisation has been getting better year on year. The race village was filled with spectators and I can only see it getting better as the years continue,” Uys said.