The P&L Hardware Cycling Club’s annual Kremetart One-Day Stage Race on Saturday, June 10, once again lived up to its reputation as one of the best cycling races in South Africa.

Thanks to a generous main sponsorship from Powerade, the Powerade Kremetart One-Day Stage Race this year attracted close to 1 000 cyclists in the main event with some of the country’s top names competing over a distance of 175km, divided into four stages with a short rest period after each stage. The uniqueness of the race is also what makes it very popular and many cyclists compare it with the annual Cape Argus cycle race. Feedback from competitors is that this year’s race has probably been the best-organised Kremetart ever with all credit going to the P&L Hardware Cycling Club as the hosts.

While the men’s race was closely contested by numerous big names in the national cycling circuit, it was a “one-woman show” in the women’s race for the overall winner.

First-time entrant in the event, Chrissie Viljoen, cycling in the Proline colours, took top honours after winning both all four stages of the race, as well as all four “hot spots”. She completed the 175km race in an overall time of 5:03:30, almost three minutes faster than Ronel van Wyk (5:06:40) cycling for Bionic. As many will remember, Ronel won the race for two consecutive times in 2005 and 2004. Robyn de Groot, also cycling for Bionic, was third overall in a time of 5:06:50.

Daryl Impey, cycling in team Microsoft’s colours, took prime position as this year’s men’s overall winner of the Kremetart in a time of 4:16:02, just .04 seconds faster than second-place winner, Hanco Kachelhoffer, cycling in the colours of Konica Minolta, in a time of 4:16:06. Jay Thomson (Axis Microsoft) was third, also in a time of 4:16:06.

The Kremetart 100km race’s overall men’s winner was Grant Trueman (Nashua Limpopo), completing the race kilometres before his nearest competitor in a time of 2:48:56. In second place was Trevor du Plessis in a time of 3:02:25, with Japie van Heerden (P&L Hardware) in third place in a time of 3:02:37.

The first woman to cross the 100km finish line was Venesca Serfontein in a time of 3:06:58. Claudette Bodenstein was second in a time of 3:19:08, while Maritha Redelinghuys was third in a time of 3:19:10.

For detailed results, visit the time keeper’s website at championchip.co.za