The Argus has been a big event on my calendar the last three years now, you can’t help but get caught up in the whole atmosphere in what is dubbed South African’s World Champs. Your not a real cyclist until you have done the Argus and the question that always follows ‘have you done it?’ is ‘what was your time?’ As a racing cyclist this one is always a funny one, I don’t think I have ever done a bike race and stopped my watch as I cross the line.
This year though my whole focus since January has been the Cape Epic and training for an 8 day race of distances over 100km has left me with my ‘base’ legs. Despite mixing the long rides off road with intervals the speed on the road has been a bit of an issue, especially up climbs, and I wasn’t even sure I would finish this Argus in a contending group.
Race day started early and as we drove to the start I noticed the temperature already 22 degrees, at 5am this was a little concerning and I was thankful for the 6.30 kick off. The excitement at the start gets me every time, hundreds of cyclists milling around in the dark, dance music blasting out and, to add to it, seeing my parents and friends there after nearly two months away from home.
Once we got going the group was pretty edgy and I stayed near the front out of trouble. The climbs were rode at tempo so no real accelerations until round mid way where you turn back in land. Over the top I was just off the front group and we chased back on. Once the pace eased at the front so more riders tagged back on and so started the fight to stay near the front again. It was the same up Chapman’s Peak and the final climb up Suikerbossie during which I was so thankful for some electrolyte from Annriette as my calves and quads were threatening to cramp.
Towards the finish I never left the top 10, keeping a close eye on Ashleigh when she was in front but also just watching the guys as a few were trying to escape early and I thought how nice it would be to get away and ‘solo’ into a victory! However that wasn’t to be and instead there was a stampede to the line. I stayed right, in the wind but not boxed in as the group was too twitchy. About 300m to go I saw Ashleigh go off to my left so I went too. Not on anyone’s wheel I had no one to hide behind and expected a herd of riders to come past. Instead I heard a big crash so just kept going and came over the line 2nd woman with Ashleigh taking the win and Lynette Burger taking 3rd.
One by one the injured riders came through the finish which is always a terrible sight. Out of the Bizhub girls Marissa broke a finger and Annriette looked like she’s been tattooed with chain rings. There were a few nasty accidents in the Toyota team and I heard a few guys had broken collarbones. I guess that’s the danger in road cycling and I hope everyone recovers 100%.
After the disappointment at the Nationals for Bizhub-FCF I was pleased to get our kit on the podium. Two second places in both the Road and MTB Argus’ in two weeks and two matching bottles of bubbly that were easily polished off a few days after on my 30th Birthday.
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