{"id":19846,"date":"2013-05-17T19:54:15","date_gmt":"2013-05-17T17:54:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/knox-bell-master-mud-to-lead-sani2c\/"},"modified":"2013-05-17T19:54:15","modified_gmt":"2013-05-17T17:54:15","slug":"knox-bell-master-mud-to-lead-sani2c","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/knox-bell-master-mud-to-lead-sani2c\/","title":{"rendered":"Knox, Bell master mud to lead sani2c"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t \"Max<\/a><\/p>\n

Max Knox (left) and Nico Bell of EAI-Westvaal took a surprise victory in the important second stage of the three-day Nedbank sani2c<\/a> mountain bike race in KwaZulu-Natal on Friday. Photo: Full Stop Communications<\/p>\n

Max Knox and Nico Bell mastered muddy conditions to win the important second stage and take the overall lead of the Nedbank sani2c<\/a> mountain bike race in KwaZulu-Natal on Friday.<\/p>\n

After crashing early on the descent into the Umkomaas River Valley, the mud-spattered EAI-Westvaal riders powered their way back to claim the 99km stage from MacKenzie Club near Ixopo to Jolivet farm in the Highflats region.<\/p>\n

They crossed the finish line first in 4:09:36, almost a minute-and-a-half ahead of second-placed Brandon Stewart and Neil MacDonald of FedGroup-Itec (4:11:01). Early leaders Louis-Bresler Knipe and Gert Heyns of Contego-Giant trailed them home in 4:13:23.<\/p>\n

An on-form Bell and Knox, who are currently lying first and second in the MTN marathon series, moved from fourth to first in the overall standings with an aggregate time of 6:56:49.<\/p>\n

Stewart and MacDonald, who were fifth in the general classification, moved into the runner-up spot for a combined time of 6:58:19, while Knipe and Heyns slipped from second to third overall in 7:00:34.<\/p>\n

Overnight leaders Charles Keey and Darren Lill dropped out of contention completely after mechanical problems put paid to their chances.<\/p>\n

Faced with over 2 200m of descending, Knipe and Heyns threw caution to the wind as they set a blistering pace early on and flew towards the valley floor.<\/p>\n

By the time they reached the first waterpoint alongside the St Josephine\u2019s bridge at the 38km mark, they had opened up an almost seven-minute lead on Bell and Knox.<\/p>\n

A further two minutes off the pace were Lill and Keey, Stewart and MacDonald, Woolcock and Luus (RE:CM) and Kevin Evans and Gawie Combrinck (FedGroup-Itec 2).<\/p>\n

While RE:CM and Cannondale-Blend fell back due to punctures, Stewart and MacDonald pulled clear of the remaining chasers to catch Bell and Knox on the climb out of the valley.<\/p>\n

The two teams worked together to close the gap on the leaders and by the second water table, at 65km, Knipe and Heyns\u2019s lead had narrowed to just three minutes.<\/p>\n

By the final waterpoint at Highflats Church 15km later, the three leading teams were together at the front.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce we got to Highflats and Nico was still looking fresh I knew that maybe we wouldn\u2019t win but we at least needed to make it hard for the other guys,\u201d said Knox.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen we got a gap and made it count to the finish. Hopefully we can have a smooth run tomorrow and bring it home.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was an interesting tussle in the women\u2019s race as overnight leaders Ischen Stopforth and Robyn de Groot of Biogen also encountered mechanical difficulties over the first 50km.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a mudslide out there today,\u201d said De Groot. \u201cIschen had chainsuck that sucked like a vampire and then her saddle dropped.\u201d<\/p>\n

After stopping to fix the seatpost, the two caught and passed leading ladies Catherine Williamson and Yolandi du Toit of bizhub on the valley ascent.<\/p>\n

Stopforth and De Groot eventually came home in 5:10:09, more than eight minutes clear of second-placed Williamson and Du Toit (5:18:59). FedGroup-Itec\u2019s Bridgette Stewart and Jackie Moore finished third in 5:41:35.<\/p>\n

With an aggregate time of 8:17:54, the stage win puts Biogen more than 10 minutes clear of their bizhub rivals on the overall standings.<\/p>\n

Williamson and Stopforth remain second in 8:28:36, with Stewart and Moore rounding out the podium in 9:18:31.<\/p>\n

Mixed category leaders Erik and Ariane Kleinhans played it carefully in the treacherous conditions but still showed their class by taking the stage in 4:56:35 to cement a convincing overall lead (7:54:13).<\/p>\n

They were followed home by Jeep-Felt\u2019s Patrick Belton and his American partner Kendall Ryan in 5:10:14, with RMB Change a Life Academy\u2019s John Ntuli and Jeannie Dreyer a further 25 seconds adrift.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe decided not to risk anything today, especially in the mud, so we were joined by John and Jeannie,\u201d said Erik Kleinhans.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe rode with them for a while and then we stopped to clean our bikes. We eventually caught up to them with about 40km to go and rode together but on the climbs Ariane was a bit stronger and we pulled away.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut they looked good out there today. It was nice to see them up front for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n

Belton and Ryan climbed two places to second overall (8:22:24), while Ntuli and Dreyer moved up from fifth to third (8:23:25).<\/p>\n

The final stage of the race, which is presented by Nedbank Private Wealth, will see riders crossing the Scottburgh lagoon and riding out onto the Indian Ocean on a world-first floating bridge after covering 80km from Jolivet.<\/p>\n

Visit www.sani2c.co.za, find the race on Facebook or follow @sani2c_scoop.<\/p>\n

RESULTS<\/p>\n

Stage 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

Men:<\/strong> 1. Max Knox Nico Bell (EIA-Westvaal) 4:09:36; 2. Brandon Stewart Neil MacDonald (FedGroup-Itec) 4:11:01; 3. Louis-Bresler Knipe Gert Heyns (Contego-Giant) 4:13:23; 4. Waylon Woolcock Lourens Luus (RE:CM) 4:15:38; 5. Kevin Evans Gawie Combrinck (FedGroup-Itec 2) 4:18:21<\/p>\n

Women:<\/strong> 1. Ischen Stopforth Robyn de Groot (Biogen Ladies) 5:10:09; 2. Catherine Williamson Yolandi du Toit (bizhub) 5:18:59; 3. Bridgette Stewart Jackie Moore (FedGroup-Itec) 5:41:35; 4. Melanie Palframan Eszter Erdelyi (FoxVelolife) 6:04:40; 5. Christi Pienaar Nadine Kloppers (Angry Birds) 6:10:18<\/p>\n

Mixed:<\/strong> 1. Ariane Kleinhans Erik Kleinhans (RE:CM) 4:56:35; 2. Patrick Belton Kendall Ryan (Jeep-Felt) 5:10:14; 3. John Ntuli Jeannie Dreyer (RMB Change a Life) 5:10:39; 4. Nedene Cahill Ivor Jones (Pure Adventurewear) 5:18:40; 5. Taygan Robson Samantha Sanders (Educos) 5:31:14<\/p>\n

Overall<\/strong><\/p>\n

Men:<\/strong> 1. Max Knox Nico Bell (EIA-Westvaal) 6:56:49; 2. Brandon Stewart Neil MacDonald (FedGroup-Itec) 6:58:19; 3. Louis-Bresler Knipe Gert Heyns (Contego-Giant) 7:00:34; 4. Waylon Woolcock Lourens Luus (RE:CM) 7:02:49; 5. Kevin Evans Gawie Combrinck (FedGroup-Itec 2) 7:06:27<\/p>\n

Women:<\/strong> 1. Ischen Stopforth Robyn de Groot (Biogen Ladies) 8:17:54; 2. Catherine Williamson Yolandi du Toit (bizhub) 8:28:36; 3. Bridgette Stewart Jackie Moore (FedGroup-Itec) 9:18:31; 4. Christi Pienaar Nadine Kloppers (Angry Birds) 9:59:34; 5. Melanie Palframan Eszter Erdelyi (FoxVelolife) 10:00:41<\/p>\n

Mixed:<\/strong> 1. Ariane Kleinhans Erik Kleinhans (RE:CM) 7:54:13; 2. Patrick Belton Kendall Ryan (Jeep-Felt) 8:22:24; 3. John Ntuli Jeannie Dreyer (RMB Change a Life) 8:23:25; 4. Nedene Cahill Ivor Jones (Pure Adventurewear) 8:35:23; 5. Taygan Robson Samantha Sanders (Educos) 8:40:52<\/p>\n

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