Johannesburg – Ashleigh Moolman Pasio secured a stunning victory over Dutch rider Marianne Vos, producing perhaps the standout performance of the second annual Nelson Mandela Sport and Culture Day in Pretoria.
With the event incorporating cycling and road running for the first time, and offering lucrative prize money, there were fine performances all-round in the capital city.
Moolman Pasio, the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, launched an early attack and clung to Olympic champion Vos throughout the 67km ride before edging ahead in the finishing straight.
The South African won in 1:49:37, registering the same time as second-placed Vos, who won the 94.7 Cycle Challenge last week.
Cherise Stander filled the bottom step on the podium, more than two minutes off the pace.
“Pretoria is quite a tough city when you're on your bike. Lots of ups and downs,” said Moolman Pasio.
“But it was a great day. I got away and Marianne came across to me quite early in the race, and it was really special to be in the breakaway with such an iconic rider, and I'm really happy to take the sprint.”
Reinhardt Janse van Rensburg won a closely contested men's race which included esteemed countryman Daryl Impey, national champion Louis Meintjes and former Tour de France winner Chris Froome of Great Britain.
Janse van Rensburg joined Hanco Kachelhoffer in a late charge as they opened a small gap on the rest of the riders in a bunch sprint, and he held on to bag the title in 1:32:51.
HB Kruger was the best of the rest, taking third place, just three seconds behind the leaders.
Meanwhile, Elroy Gelant made a late break in the men's 27km road running event, outclassing Desmond Mokgobu, who won the SA marathon title in Cape Town in September, to cross the line in 1:25:25.
Mokgobu took second place in 1:25:31, and Kenyan Philip Birech faded in the latter stages, settling for third spot in 1:25:37.
In the women's race, Ethiopian Meseret Biru tightened her recent stranglehold on the domestic circuit, adding another crown to her victories at the Cape Town Marathon and the Soweto Marathon.
Biru was unchallenged, winning comfortably in 1:37:38.
Mamorallo Tjoka of Lesotho grabbed second place in 1:39:04, and local favourite Mapaseka Makhanya was third in 1:39:21. – Sapa