The Elite Women’s Road Race on Friday bought down the curtain on the female events at the 2015 Confederation of African Cycling Road Championships and it was Time Trial champion and South African cycling star Ashleigh Moolman Pasio who won the gold in a tightly contested Road Race with Lise Olivier and Hadnet Kidane claiming second and third respectively.
It was a full house of gold medals for the impressive Moolman Pasio who heaped a lot of praise on the rest of the South African team after the race as well as to the organisers and the back room staff that helped in tough conditions.
Friday saw Bigla Pro Cycling Team ace Ashleigh Moolman Pasio claim a clean sweep of gold medals as she added the Elite Women’s Road Race title to her Time Trial win early when she won on day five of the 2015 Confederation of African Cycling African Road Championships on Friday. // Photo credit: craigdutton.com
“The team work from the girls today was really great!” she said. “We had to work hard for a long time because we could not drop the Ethiopian rider (Kidane) which is a credit to her and how well she rode!
“It got to about 39 degrees before we started this morning but we were never uncomfortable as we always had enough water and were well looked after throughout the race which we were grateful for,” the Bigla Pro Cycling Team rider added.
The race went according to plan for the South African team which led to the one, two finish. Moolman Pasio still feels that representing South Africa is the ultimate honour and she needs no other motivation when she rides for her country.
“Riding for South Africa is something that I will always cherish no matter what the competition or event and winning a race for my country is even greater and with such a great team it makes it more special.
“It is great to see the other riders from Africa improving and getting smarter and stronger which means that the competition is getting harder for all of us which is great for women’s cycling in Africa,” Moolman Pasio explained.
There was a group of three that broke away from the main peloton in the Elite Women’s Road Race and that would be the podium with Hadnet Kidane of Ethiopia (front), Lise Olivier (left) and Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (back) powering away from the rest of the field on day five of the 2015 Confederation of African Cycling African Road Championships on Friday. // Photo credit: craigdutton.com
It has been a memorable early season for Moolman Pasio who now adds the continental titles to the national titles that she won recently but she admits that the second part of the season is her main focus with some major events coming up.
“If I am 100% honest I am not looking to peak early in the season with my main focus being the back end of the season in Europe as the main goal because our points start counting towards Olympic qualification.
“I had a really good training block recently and coming home and defending my titles was the main aim and I am really happy with the way the past few months have gone,” a satisfied Moolman Pasio concluded.
The silver medal went to fellow South African Lise Olivier who echoed Moolman Pasio when she spoke about the effort put in by the South African team.
“It was a great effort from the girls today in some tough conditions out there!
“I am really happy with the result especially considering we had to fight off the Ethiopian rider about four or five times which was tough,” she explained.
An element of the race that touched Olivier’s heart was the increase in the numbers on the start line.
The increase in numbers at the event is something that she is really encouraged by and hopes that cycling amongst African women can grow from strength to strength.
“I was on the start line in Rwanda for the African Champs a few years ago and there were only seven women there so to see 30 women riding today was really special and it just shows the increased interest by women around Africa.
It was Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (left) and Lise Olivier (right) who fought it out for the win in the Elite Women’s Road Race with the former claiming the gold medal on day five of the 2015 Confederation of African Cycling African Road Championships on Friday. // Photo credit: craigdutton.com
“I am hugely passionate about women’s cycling so we must give JP van Zyl of the UCI World Cycling Centre Africa a lot of credit for increasing the interest throughout Africa and let’s just hope that the interest keeps on growing!” an excited Olivier added.
The Saturday schedule at the African Continental Road Championships will commence with the Elite Men’s Road Races starting at 08:30am.
The African Continental Road Champs will be streamed live on Saturday 14 February from 08:30 to 14:30 on www.streamit360.tv.
Follow the conversation during the 2015 African Continental Road Champs on Cycling SA’s social media platforms using the hashtags #CACroadchamps #africachamps on Twitter (@Cycling_SA) and Instagram (Cycling_SA).
More information, including the road closures for Wartburg and surrounds, can be found here. Entrance for spectators is free of charge.
SUMMARY OF RESULTS – CONFEDERATION OF AFRICAN CYCLING CONTINENTAL ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS – DAY FIVE
Road Race
Elite Women
Ashleigh Moolman Pasio (RSA) 3:06.57.095
Lise Olivier (RSA) 3:06.57.194
Hadnet Kidane (ETH) 3:10.48.991
An-Li Kachelhoffer (RSA) 3:11.35.112
Jeanne D’Arc Girubuntu (RWA) 3:11.35.395
Tsega Beyene (ETH) 3:11.35.428
Yohana Dawit (ERI) 3:11.32.590
Heidi Dalton (RSA) 3:11.36.096
Vera Adrian (NAM) 3:15.06.795
Mosana Debesay (ERI) 3:15.06.993
Elite Women Road Race Results click here.
