CAPE TOWN - Mauritian - born Kim Le Court De Billot claimed her third Cape Town Cycle Tour title, while South Africa’s Marc Pritzen took his first win in the elite men’s race after two thrilling breakaway wins on a cold and rainy day.
A field of 22 500 cyclists participated in the 44th edition of the annual Cape Town Cycle Tour on Sunday.
Twenty-two year old Pritzen won the men’s 109km event in 2hours 37 minutes and 55 seconds, ahead of German cyclocross pro Sascha Weber and another mountain bike specialist HB Kruger.
“Winning this race is the dream. I've won many races in South Africa but this is the biggest one. The weather suited me because I like it when it’s wet. So when I woke up this morning I knew that this was my best chance at winning,” said Pritzen, who was crowned the 2021 SA road champion last year.
Le Court De Billot won her third Cape Town Cycle Tour in the women's 78km elite event, ahead of Hout Bay local and former SA road champion Hayley Preen and mountain biking star Candice Lill.
Although the event started 15 minutes late due to the gloomy weather, Le Court De Billot finished in 2 hours 8 minutes and 5 seconds.
“It was probably my most exciting Cycle Tour yet. I knew coming into today that the women’s field was really strong and this Cycle Tour was probably the best Cycle Tour to win,”
“It was great to win in front of my whole family as well," said Le Court De Billot.
Many cyclists took on the challenge in aid of various charities, including a group of cyclists who participated to raise funds for the Cape of Good Hope SPCA.
“Our cyclist were invited to #race2rescue and raise funds to help keep out inspectors on the road, responding to reports of cruelty and rescuing our animals in distress,” said the organisation’s peer to peer fundraiser and special event coordinator, Natasha Johannes,
“Our cycling team raised over R245 000 which goes directly towards our work with animals.”
Johannes said the SPCA has had a team participating in the Cape Town Cycle Tour since 2013 to raise funds for the organisation’s much needed work.
The organisation said it spends around R1 845 700 on fuel annually for inspectors vehicles and responds to approximately 17 000 reports of animal cruelty throughout a 14 000km area. Top fund-racers won prizes.
Cape Times