The overall lead changed for the third time in three days after Jaco Ferreira and Pieter Henning of Team TCS GWM captured victory on Stage 3 of the MTN Panorama Cycle Tour in Mpumalanga on Monday.

The 113km stage, which started and finished in White River and took the 250 two-rider teams via Sabie, Long Tom Pass and Brondal, included more than 2000 metres of vertical ascent. It was a stage expected to separate the contenders from the pretenders, but such is the depth of this year’s field that it ended in another eight-team final dash for the finish line, won by Henning and Ferreira in 3 hours, 6 minutes and 57 seconds. The win moved them into the overall race lead.

The Cape Town-based Daikin GU pair of Moolman Welgemoed and David Garrett were second overall and first Sub-veterans two seconds back with Andrew McLean and Bruce Diesel (Cycle Lab Supercycling 1) another two seconds down securing third overall on the stage and a third consecutive stage win in the Veteran category.

Lying second overall after Sunday’s stage, Daikin Gu went on the attack early on in an effort to topple overnight leaders, Brand du Plessis and Alwyn Scheepers of TCS Cough Syrup. The latter responded to the attack but sat on defensively and the break was caught at around 40km. Du Plessis later punctured and the entire front group sportingly waited for him to return after getting a wheel from neutral service.

But the pressure of defending yellow against so many experienced teams caught up with them in the finale and Scheepers and Du Plessis lost almost a minute by the finish, following aggressive riding by Daikin Gu and the Blackrock 1 team of Jacques Fullard and Blaine Wickner in the last 10km.

“I actually crashed and hurt my ribs on Stage 2 and today I wanted to save myself for a big push at the end of the stage,” explained new leader Ferreira. Luckily for Pieter and I, our clubmates, Brand and Alwyn who were in yellow, were able to follow the early attack, which took the pressure off us and left us relatively fresh for the final 10 kays where the racing got crazy. We really just followed the moves and then were able to secure the stage win.”

The MTN Energade Ladies pair of Larissa Kleinmann and Lisa Vermaak stormed to a comfortable victory in the women’s category in a time of 3:33:21, more than 11 minutes quicker than the MTN Energade BMI Activeworx team of Yolande Speedy and Vanya Gerber (3:44:35). The MTN Club 100 Girl Power pairing of Kobie-Marie Hamman and Lylanie Lauwrens (3:48:56) completed the stage podium. Kleinmann and Vermaak extended their General Classification lead to more than 23 minutes and are unlikely to lose any of that in tomorrow’s final stage.

In the Mixed category, there was a change of leadership as Joanna and Tijl van der Winkel (Northcliff Cycles Bring it on) captured the stage win in 3:15:28, more than four minutes quicker than overnight leaders, Graham Cronje and An-Li Pretorius (Liz-An-Lee Auto). The Van der Winkels now have just over a two-minute lead going into the final stage.

In the Master category, the Cycle Lab Masters team of Johan Spies and Paul Furbank claimed their third consecutive stage win to extend their overall lead, while Jurie and Adolf Krige (Young an Vris) did the same in the Tandem section.

Tuesday’s final stage is a 20km time trial over an undulating out-and-back course. Among the favourites to capture the stage win are McLean and Diesel, rated as time trial specialists. But such is the increased depth in the 2009 edition of the event, that it’s still going to be a nailbiting stage and all top eight teams still have a shot at finishing on the final podium!

Leading results
Stage 3: 113km
Overall
1 TCS GWM – Jaco Ferreira / Pieter Henning 3:06:57
2 Daikin Gu – David Garrett / Moolman Welgemoed 3:06:59
3 Cycle Lab Supercycling 1 – Bruce Diesel / Andrew McLean 3:07:01
4 Slow and Furious – Niewoudt van Lill / Gert Janse van Rensburg 3:07:02
5 Northcliff Cycles – Alex Pavlov / Henry Uys 3:07:06
6 Mecer NMMU – Jade Muller / Conrad Viljoen 3:07:07
7 BH Medscheme – Hanco Kachelhoffer / Mike Hewan 3:07:10
8 Blackrock 1 – Jacques Fullard / Blaine Wickner 3:07:10
9 Matlosana 1 – Dusty Day / Egon Campbell 3:07:56
10 TCS Cough Syrup – Brand du Plessis / Alwyn Scheepers 3:08:08

Women
1 MTN Energade Ladies – Larissa Kleinmann / Lisa Vermaak 3:33:21
2 MTN Energade BMI Activeworx – Yolande Speedy / Vanya Gerber 3:44:35
3 MTN Club 100 Girl Power – Kobie-Marie Hamman / Lylanie Lauwrens 3:48:56

Mixed
1 Northcliff Cycles Bring It On – Joanna van der Winkel / Tijl van der Winkel 3:15:28
2 Liz-An-Lee Auto – Graham Cronje / An-Li Pretorius 3:19:49
3 Voltex – Pierre Veldtmann / Jade Roberts 3:36:02

Open Men
1 TCS GWM – Jaco Ferreira / Pieter Henning 3:06:57
2 Slow and Furious – Niewoudt van Lill / Gert Janse van Rensburg 3:07:02
3 Northcliff Cycles – Alex Pavlov / Henry Uys 3:07:06

Sub-veteran Men (30-39 years)
1 Daikin Gu – David Garrett / Moolman Welgemoed 3:06:59
2 Blackrock 1 – Jacques Fullard / Blaine Wickner 3:07:10
3 Cycle Lab Brothers – David Labuschagne / Johan Labuschagne 3:09:38

Veteran Men (40-49 years)
1 Cycle Lab Supercycling 1 – Bruce Diesel / Andrew McLean 3:07:01
2 Cycle Lab Supercycling Cape Town – Adrian Einthoven / Gary Marescia 3:18:36
3 Lab Rats – Mike Andrews / Helder Amorim 3:31:31

Master Men (50-years-plus)
1 Cycle Lab Masters – Paul Furbank / Johan Spies 3:19:48
2 Cycle Lab Supercycling – Chris Rossouw / Joe Visser 3:32:43
3 Club 100 50-plus Koning & Carel 3:39:49

Tandem
1 Young and Vris – Jurie Krige / Adolf Krige 3:25:38
2 Breakthru – Allistair Scott / Damian Murphy 3:30:50
3 Oom en Laatjie – Sampie Swanepoel / Marthinus Krige 3:32:55


General Classification after Stage 3
Overall
1 TCS GWM – Jaco Ferreira / Pieter Henning 8:31:24
2 Daikin Gu – David Garrett / Moolman Welgemoed 8:31:31
3 Cycle Lab Supercycling 1 – Bruce Diesel / Andrew McLean 8:31:52
4 Mecer NMMU – Jade Muller and Conrad Viljoen 8:32:05
5 TCS Cough Syrup – Brand du Plessis / Alwyn Scheepers 8:32:35
6 Slow and Furious – Niewoudt van Lill / Gert Janse van Rensburg 8:33:21
7 Blackrock 1 – Jacques Fullard / Blaine Wickner 8:33:21
8 Northcliff Cycles – Alex Pavlov / Henry Uys 8:33:31
9 Cycle Lab Brothers – David Labuschagne / Johan Labuschagne 8:34:28
10 BH Medscheme – Hanco Kachelhoffer / Mike Hewan 8:35:02

Women
1 MTN Energade Ladies – Larissa Kleinmann / Lisa Vermaak 9:39:53
2 MTN Club 100 Girl Power – Kobie Marie-Hamman, Lylanie Lauwrens 10:03:10
3 MTN Energade BMI Activeworx – Yolande Speedy / Vanya Gerber 10:07:05

Mixed
1 Northcliff Cycles Bring It On – Joanna van der Winkel / Tijl van der Winkel 8:49:58
2 Liz-An-Lee Auto – Graham Cronje / An-Li Pretorius 8:52:12
3 Voltex –Pierre Veldtmann / Jade Roberts 9:08:37

Open Men
1 TCS GWM – Jaco Ferreira / Pieter Henning 8:31:24
2 Mecer NMMU – Jade Muller and Conrad Viljoen 8:32:05
3 TCS Cough Syrup – Brand du Plessis / Alwyn Scheepers 8:32:35

Sub-veteran Men (30-39 years)
1 Daikin Gu – David Garrett / Moolman Welgemoed 8:31:31
2 Blackrock 1 – Jacques Fullard / Blaine Wickner 8:33:21
3 Cycle Lab Brothers – David Labuschagne / Johan Labuschagne 8:34:28

Veteran Men (40-49 years)
1 Cycle Lab Supercycling 1 – Bruce Diesel / Andrew McLean 8:31:52
2 Cycle Lab Supercycling Cape Town – Adrian Einthoven / Gary Marescia 8:49:59
3 B.O.S.S Logistics Super Vets – Keith Litten / Stanley Rourke 9:13:00

Master Men (50-years-plus)
1 Cycle Lab Masters – Paul Furbank / Johan Spies 8:54:26
2 Cycle Lab Supercycling – Chris Rossouw / Joe Visser 9:20:56
3 Club 100 50-plus Bayne & Jurgens – Bayne Slabbert / Jurgens Wagner 9:47:00

Tandem
1 Young and Vris – Jurie Krige / Adolf Krige 9:00:09
2 Breakthru – Allistair Scott / Damian Murphy 9:27:31
3 Contract Germiston Wheelers – Simon Davenall / Dean Puntis 9:45:21