After a rain enforced break of two weeks, Andrew Crossman (Mecer NMMU) and his team will be hoping to control proceedings in the second leg of the Jaco Rademeyer Estates Criterium Series that will take place at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University on Sunday.
The second race in the series of four, which was postponed from last Sunday after heavy rains left the technical course waterlogged and the organisers deemed it too dangerous for racing, will be contested over 60 kilometres plus one lap.
“It is nice to go into the rest of the series with an advantage,” Crossman said after his victory. “It gives our team a tactical advantage.”
Crossman led home a one-two finish for Mecer NMMU after escaping 12 laps into the 21-lap opening leg. Although he won the race, team-mate Wesley Augustyn (19), who finished second, currently heads the standings on 59 points after scoring well in the two hot spots.
Crossman is second with 58 points, followed by Ironman Raynard Tissink (34; Friendly City Cycling Club), who won the first hot spot, on 54.
“The onus will be on the other teams to try and wrest control from us. However, I won’t be sitting back,” said the 20-year-old, who is using the series to prepare for the South African Student Championships at the end of the month.
“My aim will be to slip into a small breakaway group. There is no better way to control the race than from the front.”
Although he knew he was in good shape, Crossman said his win in the opening leg came as a surprise after a lengthy layoff due to a troublesome knee.
“I haven’t shown form for so long, so I’m very pleased,” he said. “I took my chances and it worked out well. This victory has been a great confidence booster.”
According to him, the extra week’s break has been a blessing in disguise as it has given him extra time to recuperate after a hectic recent training schedule. “I was extremely tired before last weekend’s (cancelled) race, but I’ll be fresh this time around.”
Apart from Tissink, Crossman is expecting an all-out attack from criterium specialists and former Boks André Burger (Coimbra PE Club), who was fourth in the first leg, Mario Nell (Friendly City), whose challenge fizzled after dropping his chain towards the end of the first race, and Wayne Pheiffer (Wayne Pheiffer Cycles), who missed the series opener.
“They are all world-class sprinters. I will certainly be on the back foot if the bunch stays together.”
Racing starts at 8am on Sunday over a distance of 60 kilometres plus one lap. The rescheduled dates for the third and fourth legs will be announced shortly.
Issued by:
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Coetzee Gouws
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On behalf of:
Jaco Rademeyer Estates (JRE)