The Century City Criterium commenced with the youth cyclists racing each other around the 1.5 kilometre circuit. Cheered on by moms and dads the young cyclists set a hot pace around the circuit. There was great rivalry between the scholars from the Winelands and Western Province Cycling Associations with the young Paarl riders taking the racing Cape Town youngsters.
Start of Category 2, Photo: Robert Ward
The crowd was treated to hard and fast racing in the senior category two and three with the bunch lapping the course at an average of 2 minutes a lap. This resulted in a lot of the riders being shelled off the back of the bunch and being lapped. In Category 3 Neil Jonker (Trackcycling SA) broke away and crossed the line on his own with Mark vd Walt and Hanber Leedo both of Cycle Teknix in 2nd and 3rd place respectively. In Category 2, Tiaan Jordaan (Cycle Teknix) took a flyer with 2 laps to go and was almost caught on the finish line by Daneel Liebenberg (City CC) in 2nd and Guy Le Ray Cooke in 3rd.
Criterium racing is big in the USA. The Category 1 was the main race of the morning and was raced over an hour and 1 lap of the Century City course. Tim Jenkinson who returned from the USA a year ago and raced the collegiate circuit there for 4 years was allowed to build a substantial lead of over the chasing peloton. When the sponsored teams realized that the lead was growing at an alarming rate there was not sufficient enough time to close the time gap.
When the bell was rung for the last lap, Jenkinson was still stretching the lead into over a minute. The chasing bunch splintered over the last two laps and JP Jacobs of Team Aurecon placed 2nd just ahead of the current junior South African time trial champion Greg de Vink of Team LeadoutSA. The next race will be held at Sacks Circle on Sunday 20 March 2016.
Category 1 with Bronwin Adams (Alfa Bodyworks), Kyle de Wet (LEADout) and Bernard Esterhuizen (Giant Durbanville) (Photo: Robert Ward)
See www.wpcycling.com/events-calendar for more information.
Top placements Category 1:
1. Timothy Jenkinson
2. JP Jacobs (Aurecon)
3. Greg de Vink (LEADout)
Category 2:
1. Tiaan Jordaan (Cycle Teknix)
2. Daneel Liebenberg (City Cycling Club)
3. Guy Le Ray-Cook Category
Category 3:
1. Neil Jonker (TrackCyclingSA)
2. Mark van der Walt (Cycle Teknix)
