PYGA Euro Steel Blitz FNB Wines2Whales Shiraz Stage 1

Not since 2017 has Philip Buys and his PYGA Euro Steel team stood atop the FNB Wines2Whales podium after a stage of the famous race. Buys and Gert Heyns’ victory on the opening stage in 2021 – on Friday, 12 November – may not in and of itself be surprising, but the margin was unexpectedly dramatic. With open roads and dual track climbs, interspersed with rolling singletracks, the expectation for the day was a tighter stage with a possible sprint finish.

“We are highly motivated for the FNB Wines2Whales” Buys emphasised after the stage win. “The plan hadn’t been to attack so early on, but after Matt [Beers] had strung the field out on the Rotary Way climb Gert [Heyns] put in an acceleration. Only Matt and Wessel [Botha] could follow. Which turned out to be a good thing as there were lots of open sections where having another team to help set the pace was a big advantage. It was great to be able to have a clearer run through the singletracks too, as riding these trails in a big group can be very risky.”

Buys’ warning was highlighted by the fact that Jan Withaar crossed the finish line in Oak Valley with a destroyed rear wheel. The Computer Mania rider hit a tree stump in the final 300m of the route having not followed his partner’s line into a singletrack.

“We were pushing the pedals all day, the pace was really high. We had a good race out there” Beers pointed out. “I was kind of banking on a 2 hour and 45 minute stage, but we did it in 2 hours 30 something. I could see the kilometres were ticking by very quickly, sitting at 40 kilometres per hour a lot of the time. That said it was a fun stage.”

“Making up time tomorrow will be difficult” Beers allowed. “Anything can happen, though, so we’ll keep the pressure on PYGA Euro Steel. If we can do that, we will keep the race alive going into Stage 3, which also provides the opportunity to make up a good amount of time,”

Beers’ assessment was not shared by Tristan Nortje. The Imbuko Giant team finished third on the stage, having recovered from a slow start. “We were down in sixth around the half way mark but rode the Kat Pas Climb strongly” Nortje said. “I believe that today was the day where big time gaps can be made. The next two days should be closer. But the singletracks are dusty and if you are in a train of riders there’s always the chance that you could clip a stump or a rock.”

For Buys and Heyns the challenge will thus be to spend as much time on the front of the group on Stage 2 as possible. Leading from the front is the safer course of action. If {type}DEV Nanotime, Imbuko Giant, Insect Science Pro, Hollard Namibia Elite, Computer Mania and First Move Sport will allow PYGA Euro Steel to do so is another matter entirely.