GR300 – three days of cycling glory
It started in pouring rain at the Quay Four race village at Thesen Island Harbour Town on Friday, February 27 and after two grueling days of cycling the Knysna GR300 MTB challenge’s third and final leg dawned on March 1.
Some of the riders barely showed signs of having spent two demanding days of hard core riding in the saddle when the set of on the last 85km route with fast tracks combined with some punishing climbs, which always manages to disperse the pack.
After the 6km lagoon side neutral zone, the R10 000 Craft Attack gave the front runners an irresistible incentive to hit the red zone in an attempt to claim the cash prize. Craig Boyes (team Asrin) led the attack but not for long as the pairing of Lourens Luus and Adriaan Louw (Pro-Team Contego) streaked ahead, working in tandem in an effort to take the prize. Timo Cooper timed it perfectly and with just two bends to get to the top of Phantom Pass, took the lead and ultimately claimed the sought-after purse.
The riders soon regrouped into their teams and from there the route took them through the Goudveld Forest and over the Knysna River into the Gouna Forest and then on towards Simola.
There was an exciting sprint to the finish and, although Luus and Louw crossed the finish line of the third leg first, our local hero Kevin Evans and his partner Max Knox of Team Biogen-Volcan, who won the first two legs, were the overall team winners of the 2015 GR300.
The ladies Sasol Team, experienced riders Yolande de Villiers and Bianca Haw, crossed the finish line first every day and were crowned the ladies champions of the race.
Sahmurai Stephan Sahm proved unbeatable in the men’s solo race and San-Mari Woithe came out tops in the female solo challenge.
Another GR300 is in the bag. Five years on, this event is now firmly on the map as one of the most challenging three-day stage races in South Africa, attracting scores of top local and international riders and what makes it even more appealing is the fact that it is set against a backdrop of exceptional beauty.
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Source: Knysna-Plett Herald