{"id":20782,"date":"2013-06-28T23:11:03","date_gmt":"2013-06-28T21:11:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/smit-sweeps-student-cycling-champs-in-pe\/"},"modified":"2013-06-28T23:11:03","modified_gmt":"2013-06-28T21:11:03","slug":"smit-sweeps-student-cycling-champs-in-pe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/smit-sweeps-student-cycling-champs-in-pe\/","title":{"rendered":"Smit sweeps student cycling champs in PE"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

Overall winner Willie Smit leads Shukuma-NMMU\u2019s Waldo Gronum and Marinus Prinsloo during the fifth and final stage of the Bestmed USSA national student cycling championships in Port Elizabeth on Friday. Photo: Coetzee Gouws\/Full Stop Communications<\/p>\n

Second-year law student Willie Smit<\/a> swept to a convincing victory in the three-day Bestmed USSA national cycling championships<\/a> in Port Elizabeth on Friday.<\/p>\n

Smit, who races for the University of Pretoria and the Bonitas pro team, won four of the five stages and finished third in the final criterium.<\/p>\n

The 20-year-old took the yellow jersey on day one and did not relinquish it again.<\/p>\n

Stellenbosch University\u2019s Hans-Werner Heuer put in a strong showing to finish second overall, with Marinus Prinsloo rounding out the podium for host institution Shukuma-NMMU.<\/p>\n

In the women\u2019s race, former pro Sarah Chemaly and team-mate Kelley Hess made it a one-two for the University of Cape Town. Ashleigh Blackwell, who rides professionally for the Bestmed ASG outfit, claimed third for Stellenbosch University.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so privileged and happy right now,\u201d said a delighted Smit.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy team rode so well. It wouldn\u2019t have been possible without them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Their combined performance also helped Tuks to secure the overall victory in the team classification. Shukuma-NMMU took the runner-up spot, with the Maties squad in third.<\/p>\n

Smit was full of praise for the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University<\/a>\u2018s organising committee.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe best thing about this tour was how well it was organised. Everything was perfect \u2013 the roads were nice and their route choices were brilliant.\u201d<\/p>\n

The newly crowned champion now turns his attention to his pro racing commitments as he prepares to compete in the Knysna Cycle Tour on Sunday.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis time I\u2019ll be working for somebody else but that\u2019s the nature of cycling.\u201d<\/p>\n

Earlier in the week, Cape Peninsula University of Technology<\/a> student Timo Cooper won the mountain biking event on a technical cross-country circuit at Hopewell Trails just outside the city. The women\u2019s race was won by Emily Clarke of UCT.<\/p>\n

Visit www.nmmu.ac.za<\/p>\n

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