Cape Town - The women's race in the Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour was rocked by controversy on Sunday after Port Elizabeth rider Anriette Schoeman, celebrating her third consecutive victory, was informed that a mystery woman had finished ahead of her.
Race officials spent four hours trying to work out whether Ronelle Liss of Stellenbosch had beaten South Africa's top woman rider fair and square.
After an intense debriefing involving the first four women to finish, Dave Bellairs, co-chairman of the Cycle Tour said that the technical committee would make a decision in 48 hours after viewing SuperSport television videos.
"I was declared the winner of the race on the podium," said Schoeman who broke away from her strongest rivals Ronelle van Wyk, Adelle Janse van Vuuren and Mari Rogers on the approaches to the Ou Kaapse Weg mountain climb.
She went on to cover the 110km trip around the Cape Peninsula in intense heat in 2hrs 57min 39sec. Her jubilation was short-lived, however, when officials informed her that she might have come second pending an investigation into Liss who crossed the finish line in Seapoint 15 seconds ahead of her.
"I was watching carefully and didn't see anyone pass me along the route," said Schoeman. "And I was being informed by spectators and people I know along the route that I was the first woman all the way.
"It was a huge surprise to find that another woman had beaten me. She is tall and very feminine - so she could not have been mistaken for a guy coming past in a bunch. She's a complete mystery to me."
Van Wyk and Van Vuuren followed Schoeman over the line and were equally surprised at the mystery winner.
Liss said that she had entered as an unknown after having trained in Germany and returning to Stellenbosch late last year.
"The other riders say they don't know me because I haven't featured in any top races here," said Liss after the hearing. "I have raced in a couple of fun rides and won the Tour de Milnerton - but that's a low profile fun ride. In Germany I trained as a runner and a cyclist.
"I started at the back of the C-group and I think I passed Annette along the coastline near Scarborough. I was concentrating and looking ahead."
The technical assistance of the timing mats - two at the start, and one each at Muizenberg, halfway and at Ou Kaapse Weg, before the finish.
"My real problem though, is that they say the mat at Muizenberg didn't pick me up," said a clearly upset Liss.
Bellairs said that the technical committee could not make a final decision after the hearing.
"Based on what we have heard and what we have seen, we can make no final decision," he said. " It's unfortunate, but it's too important to make a rash decision which could wreck a promising cyclist's future.
"We have spoken to all four ladies in contention and now we will have to view the tapes before a final decision. We plan to make an announcement in 48 hours." - Sapa