MANKAYANE – A new champion has been crowned!
Johannesburg’s finest lit up the roads of Eswatini yesterday, as the 11th edition of the MTN Khemani Road Classic delivered thrilling racing through the heart of Mankayane Town. Over 100 cyclists from South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique lined up, tackling one of the toughest editions yet, featuring steep climbs, technical descents and challenging wind conditions.
The South African outfit Fly Coom Collective dominated the elite men’s 100km race, sweeping the podium. Wijan Nieuwoudt stormed to victory in 02:29:38, taking home E5 800, edging teammate Keanan Roodt (02:29:38 – E4 300) and Kent Main (02:29:39 – E3 300) who completed the podium.
Nieuwoudt praised his team for executing their strategy perfectly: “The tactic was simple – get the whole team to the front early and control the race. We went from the start, committed to the pace and it paid off. The climbs were brutal, but the route was fantastic. Credit to the local riders too – they showed great fight.”
Flying the Eswatini flag high was Kwanele Jele, who dug deep to claim seventh overall in 02:36:53, finishing as the first Eswatini rider home. He pocketed E2 200 for his strong performance: “The route was tough, especially near the Gege border stretch, where I had to chase every breakaway on my own. The South Africans worked well together as a peloton, setting the pace, while I was isolated. It was hard, but I gave it everything for the home crowd.”
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