South African track cycling stars Maroesjka Matthee and Bernard Esterhuizen are campaigning in the United States as part of their bid to gain valuable UCI points for the upcoming World Cup series starting early November, gearing towards the World Championships in February 2014.
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The latest of their events was at the Madison Cup, which took place at the Valley Preferred Cycling Center in Trexlertown (T-Town), Pennsylvania.
According to The Morning Call (www.mcall.com) article, it was Njisane “Insane” Phillip of Trinidad who won the men’s Keirin. Because of a smaller-than-expected field for the men’s sprinters, the Keirin heats were eliminated and the event went straight to the finals.
“Bernard Esterhuizen took the lead in the race when the motorcycle pulled off and attempted to pull away when the bell signaled the final lap, but Phillip used a big sprint to overtake the young South African on the back straight en route to the win.”
For Elite woman racer Maroesjka Matthee, her name appeared on top of the leader board on more than one occasion during the races. Despite fighting a cold during the week leading up to the races, Matthee went on to score a number of valuable UCI points with a very close second-place in the women’s Keirin, and a fourth place in the UCI Points Race.
It was Bobby Lea and Jackie Simes who “rode to victory as one of three teams lapping the field three times, earning the Madison Cup presented by Salamander on the final night of the World Series of Bicycling. Lea and Simes won the coveted Madison Cup for the third time in four years – four straight for Lea – to put their names again on the oldest, continually raced for track cycling trophy in North America.”
Matthee has returned to South Africa whereas Esterhuizen’s base in the USA will serve him with opportunity to further increase his UCI points tally ahead of November.
Summary of Results – Madison Cup (USA) – 30 August
Elite Men – Keirin
1 Njisane Phillip (TRI)
2 Bernard Esterhuizen (RSA)
3 Marloe Rodman (JAM)
Elite Men – Scratch
1 Zak Kovalcik (USA)
2 Shane Archbold (NZL)
3 Aaron Gate (NZL)
DNF Bernard Esterhuizen (RSA)
Elite Women – Keirin
1 Elizabeth Steel (NZL)
2 Maroesjka Matthee (RSA)
3 Rushlee Buchanan (NZL)
Elite Women – Points Race
1 Rushlee Buchanan (NZL)
2 Elizabeth Steel (NZL)
3 Colleen Gulick (USA)
4 Maroesjka Matthee (RSA)
