Freyer  Adrian win national Cycling championship

Martin Freyer and Vera Adrian won the Namibian National Road Cycling Championships on Sunday. The race started at seven o clock in the morning at Carin Park next to the Elisenheim Bridge. 135 cyclists entered the race of which 28 riders were in the elite men's group. On the Daan Viljoen road it was already proving to be a two women's race as Vera Adrian and Michelle Vorster were the runaway leaders. In the men's category last year's champion Till Drobisch was not available as Dan Craven, Martin Freyer, Drikus Coetzee, Gerhard Mans, Xavier Papo and Lotto Petrus were challenging each other in the mountains. It was a sprint to the finish line between Vorster and Adrian and Adrian was simply stronger as she stormed to the finish line to defend her title. Adrian said she was happy to have won. “I am very happy to have won today. I will be based in Namibia for a while now and will participate in the Nedbank Cycle Challenge before going to Rwanda for the African National Championship. But the Commonwealth games this year will be my best event that I am planning to attend” It was a similar story for the men's group who had a strong bunch sprint to the finish. Martin Freyer had done just about enough as he punched the air before crossing the finish line ahead of Coetzee and Craven respectively. “This was a very good race for me. The weather was good and I rode exceptional today. The sprint to the finish always favoured me because I am build strong and will struggle on the climbs but on the sprint I managed to use that” said Freyer. “I am very happy today. I think the race was well controlled and the sprint to the finish was always going to determine the winner. For me, I’m happy that I managed to do well in the time trials, yesterday and then get a podium place today. I am ecstatic” said Drikus Coetzee. Dan Craven said , “Today was not my best day. I had a double puncture and had to catch up with the rest and then about 60 km to the finish my seat became lose and I had to do with that to the finish. But I am happy to see young and upcoming riders doing well in Namibia.” Besides the national accolades that these cyclists competed for there is an added incentive of making the national team that will compete at the Commonwealth Games in April. Full results of those who have qualified will be announced in due course.

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Lesley Tjiueza