South African National Champion An-Li Kachelhoffer (29) was the country’s highest finisher when she claimed a silver medal in the Road Race at the 2016 CAC (African Cycling Confederation) Road Cycling Championships in Benslimane, Morocco, on Thursday 25 February.
The 120-kilometre Road Race culminated in a sprint finish with 23-year-old Vera Adrian (NAM) claiming her second gold medal of the week after winning the Individual Time Trial on Tuesday. Adrian nudged Kachelhoffer into second place and Mauritian Kimberley Le Court (20) into third place for the podium positions. Ethiopian Tsega Beyene was fourth in the sprint, recording the same finish time as the winner.
23-year-old Namibian Vera Adrian (centre) claimed a gold medal in the 120km Elite Women’s Road Race at the 2016 CAC (African Cycling Confederation) Road Cycling Championships in Benslimane, Morocco, on Thursday 25 February. South African National Champion An-li Kachelhoffer (left) finished second and Mauritian Kimberley Le Court (right) finished third. Photo: supplied.
Multiple South African National Champion, Anriette Schoeman (39), finished fifth five-seconds off the pace, while her National teammates Lise Olivier (33) and Samantha Sanders (33) finished in 17th and 20th places respectively, 10 seconds and 19 seconds off the winning time.
The South African team worked well together to work for Kachelhoffer and keep her near the front of the field. At around the 80-kilometre mark, Kachelhoffer and Le Court broke away from the peloton, but were reeled in again with only 10 kilometres to go. With the peloton staying together right until the end, it was Adrian that delivered the winning move to cross the line first and claim the coveted gold medal.
After the race, Kachelhoffer tweeted: “Our team rode like stars today, outsmarted at the end. Thank you @makemefaster (Sanders) @LiseOlivier and @Anriettes on an incredible effort #Proud”
The South African Elite Women’s team arrived home on Saturday with four gold medals from the Team Time Trial, one silver medal from Kachelhoffer in the Road Race and one bronze medal from Sanders in the Individual Time Trial.
Summary of Results – 2016 CAC (African Cycling Confederation) Road Cycling Championships
Road Race – Elite Women
1.Vera ADRIAN (NAM) 03:39:48
2.An-Li KACHELHOFFER (RSA) +0
3.Kimberley LE COURT DE BILLOT (MRI) +0
4.Tsega Beyene (ETH) +0
5.Anriette SCHOEMAN (RSA) +5
6.Wehazit KIDANE (ERI) +9
7.Aurelie HALBWACHS (MRI) +10
8.Helen MITCHELL (ZIM) +10
9.Hadnet KIDANE (ETH) +10
10.Eyeru GEBRU (ETH) +10
17.Lise OLIVIER (RSA) +10
20.Samantha SANDERS (RSA) +19
