Hoffman, Le Court De Billot crowned Cape Town Cycle Tour champions | Sport

Nolan Hoffman, Kim Le Court Billiot (Gallo Images)

Local hero Nolan Hoffman became the second most successful men’s rider in Cape Town Cycle
Tour history when he won his fourth title in a tactical 2 hours, 37 minutes, 12 seconds in near
perfect weather on Sunday.

The 36-year-old ENZA team rider – who won in 2014, 2015 and 2018 – delivered the perfect
sprint after surviving the climbs up Chapman’s Peak and Suikerbossie and winning by over a
bike length ahead of Christiaan Janse van Rensburg and Craig Boyes.

“This is definitely the title that means the most. It has been a tough time for my family over the
last 18 months and we have lost family members to Covid. I am just blessed to be healthy and
be able to win,” Hoffman said.

“I put on a lot of weight during the lockdown but I have worked really hard at getting into shape
once we heard that the Cycle Tour was happening.”

Hoffman was able to save his energy for the big climbs when teammate David Maree got into
the only significant break of the day. Maree got clear with Alwyn Steenkamp (TEG Procycling)
and Keanan Roodt just after the climb up Wynberg Hill.

Through Misty Cliffs the escapees
stretched out the lead to 1:19 before they were eventually swallowed up by the charging bunch
up Chapman’s Peak.

As the lead bunch approached Suikerbossie, World Tour rider Nic Dlamini (Assos-Qhubeka)
was the first to attack as he attempted to burn off the sprinters. But the lead group eventually
reformed over the final 15km into the finish and Hoffman – helped by guest teammate and
mountain biking legend Christoph Sauser – got himself into the perfect position to deliver his
trademark sprint.

“I just told myself to relax and believe in my sprint. It was just a perfect day,” Hoffman said.

Only Willie Engelbrecht has won more titles than Hoffman in the men’s race with five to his
name.

In the women’s race, 2018 winner Kim Le Court De Billot took the title in a 78km that started in Fish Hoek.

She clocked 2 hours 13 minutes 37 seconds.
Le Court De Billot was part of a select group of six riders that managed to pull clear of the bunch
up Chapman’s Peak and included SA champion and Hout Bay local Hayley Preen, top mountain
biker Candice Lill, UK triathlon star Emma Pallant, Kelsey van Schoor and S’annara Grove.

Pallant was the early aggressor while Preen put down the hammer up Suikerbossie in an
attempt to break up the lead group. But, in the end, the group entered the final kilometres intact
and it was up to Le Court De Billot and Preen to contest the sprint.

Behind them Pallant and the
rest got tangled up and Pallant crashed heavily within sight of the finish line.
“I felt confident on the climbs, felt I was in the right place and my legs were good,” Le Court de
Billot. “I tried to save my legs for the sprint because I had confidence in that. I’m just glad I could pull
it off for my team.”

Sunday marked the 43rd edition of the Cape Town Cycle Tour.