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Team Bonitas thanks Kaka with Engen Dynamic Win


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Team Bonitas thanks Kaka with Engen Dynamic Win

Press Release: 9 October 2011

 

The big wheel turned favourably for professional cyclist, Luthando Kaka (Team Bonitas), on Sunday when his team sent him across the finish line first at the Engen Dynamic Challenge in Wellington, near his home city, Cape Town.

kaka.jpg

Luthando Kaka won the Engen Dynamic Challenge in Wellington on Sunday.

Photo credit: Greg Beadle

 

It was Kaka that made one of the strongest statements in modern South African sport last month, when he selflessly offered his place in the All Africa Games cycling team to Team Bonitas teammate and current national champion, Darren Lill.

 

Despite being one of the most successful black cyclists in the country, Kaka felt that his selection wasn’t based on form and that Lill would be a better bet to ensure South African success in Maputo at last month’s continental showpiece. Anchored by Lill, the South African men's team shone, winning seven out of a possible seven medals.

 

Kaka, who has represented South Africa a number of times as a Junior and Under-23 racer, has spent the past two years racing for Malcolm Lange’s Bonitas team, the most successful professional men’s road cycling team in the country since 2009. His role on the team has been that of a workhorse and he’s fulfilled it with distinction, according to Lange, always sacrificing himself to put a more illustrious teammate in a winning position.

 

“Luthando is one of the hardest-working, most dedicated professional sportsmen I’ve ever known. He is a great ‘team player’ and understands and performs his role as a support rider really well,” said Lange.

 

But on Sunday, through the rolling hills of the Winelands, it was Kaka’s turn to step into the limelight and claim the victory in the 99km race. It was his first major win as an Elite category racer and his first victory in the Western Cape since he won the Western Province Under-23 road race title in 2009.

 

“It feels good to win. We win a lot as a team, which is great, but when you are that guy that crosses the finish line first, it’s really special,” said Kaka, immediately thanking his teammates for the success. “Team Bonitas showed again today how important team work is in road racing. Thanks to my amazing teammates and the team staff for making today’s win possible.”

 

It took a solo break by Cape Town-based racer, David Garrett (Daiken), to shape the final outcome of the race. Such was the team’s dominance that all seven Team Bonitas riders eventually filled the first seven places.

 

Garrett attacked four kilometres before the race’s main climb, Riebeek Kasteel, a three kilometre ascent just before halfway. He went over the summit still in the lead, but was soon caught by all seven Team Bonitas riders, who had dispatched the others in the front group on the way up the climb. In the final five kilometres, the Team Bonitas put in a series of attacks, which eventually saw Garrett drop behind and settle for eighth place.

 

“In the early part of the race, everyone was waiting for Team Bonitas to make the racing, which is a negative approach. So when we got the chance, we showed just how racing positively can be to your own benefit,” explained Kaka. “It’s a good confidence boost for the team with some of the big end-of-year races coming up.”

 

Engen Dynamic Challenge, Wellington:

Leading results – Men:

1 Luthando Kaka (Team Bonitas) 2hrs 15min 35sec

2 Hanco Kachelhoffer (Team Bonitas)

3 Johann Rabie (Team Bonitas)

4 Jason Bakke (Team Bonitas)

5 Darren Lill (Team Bonitas)

6 Songezo Jim (Team Bonitas)

7 Gawie Combrink (Team Bonitas) all same time

8 David Garrett (Daiken) 2:15:49

9 Charles Solomon 2:16:19

10 Carl Pasio 2:16:22

 

For full results, visit www.racetec.co.za

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Its insane how strong dave is. It took the entire bonitas team to bring him back. He got married last week, and he is old enough to be racing subvets, and yet he can still dish out the pain to the youngsters

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Great post, Admin.

 

I have been admiring Kaka for a while now.

:thumbup:

 

Thanks - But not my work - it is a press release from Team Bonitas.

 

Definitely agree though - Kaka is a most admirable guy!

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Thanks - But not my work - it is a press release from Team Bonitas.

 

Definitely agree though - Kaka is a most admirable guy!

It is great that you regularly post some local racing news...

 

SA Cycling needs all the boost!

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Its insane how strong dave is. It took the entire bonitas team to bring him back. He got married last week, and he is old enough to be racing subvets, and yet he can still dish out the pain to the youngsters

 

No disrespect to Dave, he is very very strong...

 

But the group let him go before the climb as a single rider would never survive alone to the finish, nobody chased. He had a head start up the climb and Bonitas didn't actually chase but natural Pro strength over the working riders saw them go over the climb first, how long it took to catch Dave I am unsure but if they didn't bring him back by the crest then he was reeled in soon after.

 

It was a great move by David and worked well for him to filter back into the Bonitas fold over the climb. From there on I doubt he had to do anything but sit tight.

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Scary thing is that you have 3 good pro Cape Town teams with good pro riders (raced in Europe this winter) and still not be able to bring back the break or bring the racing to Bonitas. :unsure:

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Scary thing is that you have 3 good pro Cape Town teams with good pro riders (raced in Europe this winter) and still not be able to bring back the break or bring the racing to Bonitas. :unsure:

 

if they're that good, why didnt they bring back bonitas :P

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I hear Darren gave DG 2 options: contribute to the pace making and don't contest the win, or sit in and wait to be attacked one by one by 7 guys. Not a bad job to hang in there given that he is my age and has to work for a living. Also check out Charles Solomon - 2nd non-pro home, now aged 40, breaking up the chase bunch and coming in 20 seconds behind his teammate Garrett.

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I hear Darren gave DG 2 options: contribute to the pace making and don't contest the win, or sit in and wait to be attacked one by one by 7 guys.

 

So Lill says to him, you can finish 8th, or, you can finish 8th? How gentlemanly of him :unsure:

Edited by TNT1
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So Lill says to him, you can finish 7th, or, you can finish 7th? How gentlemanly of him :unsure:

 

yep, 2 options, same outcome :P

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I hear Darren gave DG 2 options: contribute to the pace making and don't contest the win, or sit in and wait to be attacked one by one by 7 guys. Not a bad job to hang in there given that he is my age and has to work for a living. Also check out Charles Solomon - 2nd non-pro home, now aged 40, breaking up the chase bunch and coming in 20 seconds behind his teammate Garrett.

 

sounds like they know how strong DG is and were quite wary of him. Like you say - he's 34(?), works for a living, got married last week, and the elite pro riders are still scared of him?

 

superman wears DG pyjamas....

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if they're that good, why didnt they bring back bonitas :P

 

Well that is what he was saying....... kinda. :D

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I hear Darren gave DG 2 options: contribute to the pace making and don't contest the win, or sit in and wait to be attacked one by one by 7 guys. Not a bad job to hang in there given that he is my age and has to work for a living. Also check out Charles Solomon - 2nd non-pro home, now aged 40, breaking up the chase bunch and coming in 20 seconds behind his teammate Garrett.

 

Take balls to take option 2...David maybe the only guy I know that took option 2!

 

o ja...David is 37! :)

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sounds like they know how strong DG is and were quite wary of him. Like you say - he's 34(?), works for a living, got married last week, and the elite pro riders are still scared of him?

 

superman wears DG pyjamas....

Good one!

:lol:

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