In perfect race conditions, defending winner and MTN Team rider, Christoff Van Heerden won the Tour Durban race for the second year in a row. However the finish was not without chaos, as MTN Team mate Juan Van Heerden was knocked into the fencing only meters from the finish line.
The finish was a frantic sprint, after the cyclists slowed to nearly 15km/per hr in a 180 deg turn only a few hundred meters from the finish line. The bunch then stamped on their pedals and surged towards finish line on NMR (Masabalala Yengwa Avenue)Team mates Arran Brown and Malcolm Lange from Medscheme lead the pack, with local HOP rider Dean Edwards, Christoff and Juan Van Heerden and Nolan Hoffman (Neotel) next to them. However it was Christoff Van Heerden who led out the sprint and clinched first place (2:21:22) just ahead of Neotel’s Nolan Hoffman and Medscheme’s Malcolm Lange claiming third. Crashed MTN rider Juan Van Heerden was stabilised on the scene by ER24 and taken to hospital with a broken wrist and in shock.
The ladies race was held together up until the Tongaat Circle on the M4, but with still 28km to go until the finish line, the ladies pack were not too worried. However MTN rider Cassandra Slingerland managed to break away at the circle and dashed towards the finish line 28km away, with no-one in chase. Slingerland never slowed and crossed the line solo in a time of 2:43:43. Second place went to MTN team mate and the 2008 winner Marrisa van der Merwe with third place going to Ashleigh Moolman (Cyclelab).
Over 2000 competitors took to the start line for Sundays 103km and 50km road races, complete with full road closure courtesy of the Ethekwini municipality and Durban Metro Police. Weather conditions were perfect, with a cool start predicted, however the rain and wind managed to stay away to give the cyclists an added vantage.
The 2009 race attracted over 38 professional riders from around South Africa to Durban’s prestigious event, supported by the Ethekwini Municipality and the KZN MEC, Dr Zweli Mkhize head of the 2010 Political Core Committee and Economic development in KZN.
MEC Dr Zweli Mkhize, the head of the 2010 Political Core Committee in the province, explains their involvement in the cycle race: “As we go into 2010, which is a premier world soccer event, this sporting event (Tour Durban) creates a platform for showcasing the province as a 2010 destination and highlights tremendous ability of how ideally the province is positioned for hosting sporting events across the spectrum, as an investment in its people, tourism and the future. The Tour Durban Cycle Race is part of the history of Durban and KwaZulu-Natal, and therefore an integral part of the people of the region’s love for sport, which finds its ultimate expression in soccer. The cycle race this year has as its backdrop the iconic 2010 Moses Mabhida stadium, and what better opportunity than this for our province to again showcase our readiness to host 2010, and that we are the best kept secret in this country when it comes to sport, tourism and investment. It also shows the country and world that our 2010 host City – Durban – is a city that can compete with the best in the world.”
Photos from the day are available from Action Photo. Visit www.actionphotos.net to get your photos.
