Erasmus Shalihaxwe
Drikus Coetzee and Anri Greef emerged victorious in the elite men’s and women’s categories, respectively, during the third instalment of the Nedbank Windhoek Power Pedal (WPP) race series held last Sunday at Döbra Loops in Windhoek.
In the men’s race, Coetzee finished first with a time of 2:19:55, followed by Roger Suren in second place with 2:21:35, and Marco Thiel, also clocking 2:21:35, in third.
Coetzee expressed relief after the win, especially after experiencing a puncture in the previous race.
“The guys started easy, and on the second lap, the attacks began with a few guys breaking out. I took it easy at the back, but my teammates made sure I was in the race every time an attack happened. When the moment came in the third lap, I took over the lead,” Coetzee said.
In the women’s race, Greef secured first place with a time of 1:52:50, while Michelle Doman narrowly took second with 1:56:17, just ahead of Rosemarie Thiel in third, also with 1:56:17. Greef attributed her success to strong team tactics.
“I managed to get a break on the second lap, and the team helped me to keep it. It was quite a strong field, so my team worked well together and kept the other teams at bay,” she said.
Greef is now shifting her focus to the national championship at the end of February and upcoming races in South Africa and UCI-sanctioned events.
The team standings are also heating up, with Team MBM Men and Hollard Elite tied as joint log leaders in the men’s category with 63 points, followed by Cymot Men’s Racing Team with 60 points.
In the women’s category, Hollard Ladies led the log with 40 points, trailed by the Food Lovers Market Ladies Team with 31 points and the Cymot Ladies Racing Team with 26 points.
Race organiser Stefanus Feris from the Windhoek Pedal Power Road Cycling Club praised the cyclists and thanked sponsors for their support.
“Everything went according to plan. We are committed to delivering competitive races with the help of our sponsors, Nedbank Namibia,” Feris said.
Selma Kaulinge, Nedbank Namibia’s spokesperson, applauded the event for its success and impact.
“Congratulations to WPP for hosting their third cycling event of the year. Nedbank remains committed to supporting initiatives that promote cycling and community spirit,” Kaulinge said.
