Events

Marais and Bergstrom wrap up Quattro ROAG Series

· By Press Office · 0 comments

Stuart Marais and Natalie Bergstrom confirmed they will walk away with the biggest series prizes in South African mountain biking when they wrapped up the Quattro ROAG Series titles at the aQuelle Tour de Krantz at the weekend.

ccs-62657-0-16012100-1503387835.jpegStuart Marais on his way to victory in the aQuelle Tour de Krantz which also confirmed his win in the Quattro ROAG Series. Ralph Schroder / Schroder Sports Photography

Marais, from Howick in the KZN Midlands, won the Harburg event overall, finishing four minutes ahead of Leeroy Emslie which ensures Emslie now has no mathematical chance of claiming the overall men’s series title.

In the women’s event, Bergstrom ended second to a resurgent Bianca Haw with Christie-Leigh Hearder claiming third. That result means Bergstrom has now accumulated enough points to ensure Hearder cannot overtake the North Coast resident.

ccs-62657-0-92483400-1503387832.jpegBianca Haw powers to victory at the aQuelle Tour de Krantz, the penultimate event in the Quattro ROAG Series. Ralph Schroder / Schroder Sports Photography

Marais has been the star of KZN cycling this season with a series of impressive results which put him on the edge of selection for the South African Cross Country team to race at the UCI World Championships.

Since the disappointment of missing the team last month, the Howick local has claimed two wins from two KZN races and goes into next weekend’s Mandela Day MTB Dash event as an overwhelming favourite.

Emslie finished second at the weekend with Sthembiso Masango, the up-and-coming RMB Change a Life rider, claiming third, less than a minute behind Emslie. Masango will be travelling to Perth early next month to take part in the World Championships in his second selection for the South African team.

ccs-62657-0-03300800-1503387834.jpegNatalie Bergstrom ended second in the Tour de Krantz, the penultimate event in the Quattro ROAG Series, but will be crowned Series Champion at the end of the year. Ralph Schroder / Schroder Sports Photography

There is still one event remaining in the ROAG Series and despite the winners of the R25 000 first prizes for both the men’s and women’s series being confirmed, there is still plenty to race for in the final event, the Safire Baynesfield Classic in September.

Marais will be aiming to become the first rider to get a perfect 600-point haul with six wins. Currently, he has five wins and a second place and a win at Baynesfield will allow him to discard the second position from the Sugar Rush Classic when he was beaten by Julian Jessop earlier in the year.

And behind Marais and Emslie, David Low and Brennan Anderson are fighting for the final spot on the series podium with just 32 points separating the two in third and fourth positions respectively.

In the women’s series, Nadine Nunes is just 21 points ahead of Belinda Mason in the fight for third.

In the trail running event, both Mark McKenzie and Wendy Mills added to their leads in the Quattro ROAG Series and are also confirmed as the two winners of the newly instituted trail running series.

McKenzie ended second at the Tour de Krantz behind Ewoud Grobler while Mills was the women’s winner, ahead of Patricia Dammann.

In the ROAG Series McKenzie now has a hefty 167-point lead, but there is a massive battle for second with David Mercer just two points ahead of Haydn Bam.

Meanwhile, Mills enjoys a massive 181-points lead over second-placed Alison Wasserfall in the women’s series with Karen Maiden third, just 23 points ahead of Candy Sclanders as they prepare for the final event in September.

ccs-62657-0-09068000-1503387836.jpegThe men’s podium at the aQuelle Tour de Krantz, the penultimate event in the Quattro ROAG Series, featured (from left) Sthembiso Masango (3rd), Stuart Marais (1st) and Leeroy Emslie (2nd). Ralph Schroder / Schroder Sports Photography

ccs-62657-0-02513400-1503387837.jpegOn the women’s podium at the aQuelle Tour de Krantz, the penultimate event in the Quattro ROAG Series, were (from left) Nathalie Bergstrom (2nd), Bianca Haw (1st) and Christie-Leigh Hearder (3rd). Ralph Schroder / Schroder Sports Photography

Current Quattro ROAG MTB Series Standings
(after 8 of 9 events – best six results count – number of events in brackets)
MTB Classic

Men
1 Stuart Marais 586 (6)
2 Leeroy Emslie 448 (7)
3 David Low 375 (7)
4 Brennan Anderson 343 (7)
5 Jedson Tooms 311 (7)
6 Carl Calverley 260 (8)
7 Hendrik Bester 258 (6)
7= Nathan Treble 258 (6)
9 Carl Adendorff 230 (7)
10 Jordan Wisdom 218 (6)

Women
1 Natalie Bergstrom 546 (7)
2 Christie-Leigh Hearder 492 (7)
3 Nadine Nunes 323 (6)
4 Belinda Mason 302 (6)
5 Tarryn Morgan 283 (8)
6 Bronwyn Evans 191 (5)
7 Sarah Ryan 179 (5)
8 Frances Marsburg 172 (6)
9 Carol Thomas 153 (5)
10 Jessica Ramsden 139 (5)

Trail Run
Men
1 Mark Mackenzie 444 (7)
2 David Mercer 277 (6)
3 Haydn Bam 275 (6)
4 John Wasserfall 146 (6)

Women
1 Wendy Mills 520 (7)
2 Alison Wasserfall 339 (6)
3 Karen Maiden 201 (5)
4 Candy Sclanders 178 (5)

Tour de Krantz results
Mountain Bike

Men
1 Stuart Marais 1:49:46
2 Leeroy Emslie 1:53:22
3 Sthembiso Masango 1:54:17
4 Jedson Tooms 1:56:27
5 Brennan Anderson 1:56:28
6 Warren Price 1:57:05
7 David Low 1:57:06
8 Dean Wortmann 1:58:31
9 Nathan Treble 2:01:42
10 Hendrik Bester 2:01:44

Women
1 Bianca Haw 2:05:28
2 Natalie Bergstrom 2:15:01
3 Christie-Leigh Hearder 2:21:35
4 Debrah Thomas 2:29:53
5 Nadine Nunes 2:33:59

Trail Run
Men
1 Ewoud Grobler 47:32
2 Mark Mackenzie 48:03
3 Bryan Rees 50:32
4 Werner Jonas 54:11
5 Haydn Bam 55:02

Women
1 Wendy Mills 55:15
2 Patricia Dammann 55:32
3 Stephanie Wills 57:39

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