Railways club wins inaugural Botswana Classic 2014

Calistus Kolantsho | Monday February 24, 2014 14:41

 

The team walked away with a trophy and a cash prize of P12, 000 with an overall time of 19:02:15.

The second prize went Gaborone Cycling Club (GCC) with a time of 19:30:23. GCC also got the third position with a time of 19:55:26. The winner of the main event was Bernado Ayuso from Railways. The cyclist walked away with P9, 000. 

He was also awarded a yellow jersey. Ayuso showed his domination of the race by winning the stages section with a time of 2:55:39.

The cyclist pocketed P1, 000 for section. Right behind him was Bright Chipongo from Zimbabwe with a time of 2:56:36, taking home P4, 000 and Darren Ryan from South Africa came third with a time of 2:56:36 and got P2, 000.  Chipongo was given a dotted jersey. The King of the Hill category was won by Chipongo, who got a cash prize of P2, 000. Ayuso came second in the same category.

Speaking to Monitor Sport after the race, Ayuso said the competition was tough, especially when going to Rasesa. He said that when coming back, cyclists had to move at a high speed due to wind.

“I was under pressure from other cyclists. I managed to get away in the last 30 kilometres.  The competition is a sign that the sport is growing in Botswana.

We had a lot of youngsters participating,” he said.  Under the veteran’s competition, Vic Potgitter came the victor, taking home P2, 000. The first master to arrive was Metlha Masire with a time of 3:11:53 and took prize money of P2, 000.

In the ladies section, in the Sunday event, Anouk Van Der Geest was the winner with a time of 3:6:18. Geest took home P1, 000. Madine Davis came second followed by Debra Bailey in the third position.

The winner of the overall three days event is Davis who did a time of 6: 57:41. The winner was rewarded with a cash prize of P9, 000 and a pink jersey.

Bailey came second with a time of 7:09:03 and walked away with P4, 000. Geest was third with a time of 7:19:58, taking home P2, 000.  The Botswana Classic was sponsored by Builders World to a tune of P235, 000. The event started on Friday  at Masa Centre. It was followed by an 84 kilometres road race at Boatle. The final 109 kilometres road race saw cyclist riding to Rasesa and back.