Welcome to the South African National Championship. Today the riders will contest the title on a flat route. There are 12 professionals on the start list:
Rider
SP
AC
FL
RS
Van Heerden
81
72
72
66
Gibbons
73
74
71
69
Bester
71
71
72
71
Main
63
68
67
71
Van Niekerk
63
72
69
74
Dlamini
62
67
73
69
Van Niekerk
61
67
74
73
Meintjes
61
69
71
76
De Bod
60
67
71
74
Janse van Rensburg
60
76
70
71
Augustyn
59
67
75
71
Venter
58
66
70
74
Van Heerden with his premium speed seems the likely favorite. Bester has the advantage of two professional teammates on his side. Dlamini is the defending champion.
With 29km to go Xero shuts down the 4 amateur rider breakaway. There are 30km crosswinds so the peloton under some stress.
But the peloton holds together until 4k to go when the defending champion launches an attack.
With 1k to go Dlamini is still 16 seconds clear. Van Heerden has lots of riders to pass (bib 1, middle back). Van Niekerk and Meintjes are better positioned but mostly amateur riders up front.
500 meters to go for Van Heerden on the far left. Dlamini is going to be caught. Ahead of Van Heerden he has Gibbons and Bester. Just to his right are Main and Morne Van Niekerk. To the far right is Janse van Rensburg.
Van Heerden has left it too late, Gibbons is going to win the South African RR Champions jersey for Phillips, as Bester fades near the line.
Welcome to the South African National Time Trial. We only have 12 professional riders competing so let’s look at all of them:
Rider
TT
Prologue
Resistance
Janse van Rensburg
78
78
71
Van Niekerk
76
75
73
De Bod
73
73
74
Bester
73
72
71
Meintjes
71
71
76
Dlamini
71
71
69
Main
70
70
71
Augustyn
70
70
71
Gibbons
66
70
69
Van Niekerk
65
65
74
Van Heerden
61
61
66
Venter
60
60
74
Janse van Rensburg is the favorite with Morne Van Niekerk his closest competition. Janse van Rensburg is the current jersey holder.
Van Niekerk reaches the first time check and beats the prior best time of De Bod, by 22 seconds.
Janse van Rensburg follows him at the first check.
Janse van Rensburg leads, but by just 1 second.
At the second time check Van Niekerk has added 15 seconds to his lead over De Bod. But it isn’t enough as Janse van Rensburg extends his lead to 3 seconds. Either rider could still win.
Van Niekerk comes home in 1’05’49 good enough for a 1’01 lead over De Bod.
Janse van Rensburg is the last man to finish the course.
And his time is 7 seconds faster than Van Niekerk, who put up a good fight. Janse van Rensburg retains the South African National TT championship.
South African National Championships 
