FORMER Iron Man Morne Bester rode to a hair’s breadth of a victory in the 109km Argus Pick ‘n Pay Cycle Tour on Sunday. Bester was German rider Alexander Kastenhuber rode neck on neck over the gruelling Ou Kaapseweg hill climb and Blue Route highway on the return to Cape Town, before Bester inched ahead at the finish. Both riders clocked times of 2:39:47. Sunday’s event took in a route over Ou Kaapse Weg as a detour around the traditional route that takes in Chapman’s Peak which is being repaired and is four kilometres longer. Riders said the long slog up Ou Kaapseweg was abolutely gruelling. The women’s race was a tight duel between Anriette Schoeman, Leslie Day and Annalise Stander over the route past Simonstown and along the ocean-hugging road through Millers Point before the turnaround at Smitswinkel Bay.
Men:
1 Morne Bester Cycle Mania 2:39:47, 2 Alexander Kastenhuber Germany 2:39:47, 3 Robert Forster Germany 2:40:13
Women:
Anriette Schoeman 2:57:01, 2 Leslie Day 2:57:59, 3 Annalise Stander 2:57:59