Yesterday evening at six o’clock Ramses Bekkenk started in Oudtshoorn South Africa and finished this morning after 13 hours 59 minutes and 55 seconds as winner of the 36One MTB Challenge. With this time Bekkenk didn’t only win the race but also set a new course record. One week ago the KMC-Fruit to Go biker already travelled to South Africa to be hundred precent ready for the race. This thorough preperation obviously paid of.
“After some food, drinks and sleep I look back on an intense fourteen hours. I had to rejoin the leading group after I flattened early in the race. With 275 kilometers to go my only companion Jean Biermans flattened and I decided to continue solo through a dark South Africa. When the sun rose though and I realised I was in with a shot of breaking the course record I put the hammer down. I saw I had an hour and ten minutes to do the last 40 kilometres and knew it was mostly downhill so I pushed really hard. What a great experience and mental challenge! The ostrich meat kept me going.”, stated Bekkenk.
Bennie Viljoen and Dusty Day crossed the finish line as second and third behind Bekkenk. Jean Biermans had to deal with another flat tire and came in at 5th place. In the ladies race Jeannie Dreyer returned first in Kleinplaas Holiday Resort in Oudtshoorn.
