Modern Cyclist Magazine Issue 1, September 2014 | Page 38

MC race news

PUNCTURES
AND CRASHES
heighten
drama
Getting air: Martin Zietsman competed
in the sub veteran men’s category and
finished fourth in a time of 1:44:29.

R

ourke Croeser (Kargo Pro MTB
Team) raced in an epic duel with James
Reid (Trek South Africa) to claim the 2014
South African Cross-country National
Championship Elite men’s title in a time of
1:32:29 at Thaba Trails.
An early neck-and-neck tussle between
Croeser and Reid showed that no one
gave an inch away as they made the
early break and challenged each other in
the first three laps.
Reid attempted another early attack on
the rocky climb, but Croeser remained
glued to his wheel. The epic tussle
continued until disaster struck in the fourth
lap. Croeser appeared across the start/
finish line with a lead of over three-minutes
to Reid, who had punctured.
According to Croeser, it was not only
Reid who suffered bad luck \