Cape riders Van der Bank and Preen conquer Herald Cycle Tour

Theuns van der Bank won the 106km men's race at The Herald Cycle Tour, hosted by Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, after breaking away in the latter stages of the race on Sunday. Photo: Richard Pearce

Cape Town riders took the honours in both the men's and women's races at the Herald Cycle Tour road race at Pollok Beach in Summerstrand on Sunday.

Realty Dynamix rider Theuns van der Bank sprinted his way to the finish line, coming in at two hours, 35 minutes and 21 seconds to capture his first-ever Herald Cycle Tour victory.

The 37-year-old from Cape Town was followed by Nolan Hoffman in 2:35:36 in second, with Wynand Hofmeyr third in 2:35:37.

Capetonians took first and second place in the women's race as Hayley Preen bagged her second Herald Cycle Tour gold medal in a time of 3:01:09.

The battle for second was between Maroesjka Matthee (3:03:16), also from Cape Town, and local rider Juanita Mackenzie (3:03:17), with the Cape cyclist edging home by a split second.

Van der Bank said he first competed in the Herald Cycle Tour 20 years ago, but had been inconsistent.

The full-time teacher said he was happy to finally break his podium duck.

"The event was well-organised and tough," he said.

"It was quite a flat course.

"I knew it was just one climb that can split the race but, unfortunately, there was a rider [Daniel Loubser] ahead so we could not split up, we needed to keep the numbers strong in the bunch.

"So one rider got away and the numbers stayed together over the climb.

"Luckily it was not very windy so it counted in favour of the bunch.

"The rider had two minutes on us.

"We had to work quite hard to bring Cronje back but we did with 20 minutes to go.

"After coming here for years, I've at last got onto the podium.

"This is probably my ninth or 10th one and my first time on the podium.

"I am glad I can tick that box at least," he said.

Preen, 24, of Team Freewheel Cycology, said she was happy to be back on top after finishing in fourth place in 2022.

"The race was really good, and the weather this year was much better than last year when we were pretty much being blown off our bikes.

Hayley Preen took an imposing solo victory in the 106km women's event at The Herald Cycle Tour, hosted by Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, on Sunday. Photo: Richard Pearce

"I went solo from about 15km into the race so I was on my own until the end, which was about 90km.

"It was a hard race — I am tired now but I am very happy to take the win," she said.

"This is my second Herald Cycle Tour win.

"The course was good.

"There were some rolling hills in the beginning, which is where I got away, and then it was pretty flat.

"There was one climb 40km from the end, and it was just flat until the finish."

Uthando Youth Cycling Academy members, who are beneficiaries of the Herald Cycle Tour, had the opportunity to rub shoulders with and gain some words of advice from former SA cricketer Makhaya Ntini, SA and multi-Herald Cycle Tour winner Hoffman and former EP Rugby life coach Brad Verreynne, among others.

During the pop-up motivational session which took place at Pollok Beach on Saturday, Standard Bank provincial head, consumer client coverage Eastern Cape, Unathi Maqalekane, also provided some encouragement.

"In our understanding as a bank, the youth is our future as a country.

"[They are] getting involved in a whole lot of things outside the values we want to see just because they have less to do that is inspiring them, keeping them safe and away from what we do see in the country in teams of crime, and so on.

"So where you find a foundation like Uthando really doing the best they know how in terms of taking these kids out of the streets and really investing in their future and identifying them as talent, we can only back them up," he said.