Cycling
De Groot learns the hard way
2010-03-15 18:38
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Slip-streaming in the peleton. (Gallo Images)
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Johannesburg - The grass is not always greener on the other side, or in the case of cycling behind another wheel.
That is the lesson Robyn de Groot (MTN-Energade) learnt on Sunday while she was sprinting at full speed to win the Pick n Pay Cape Argus women’s race.
At first she was right on Anritte Schoeman's (Biogen-Toyota) wheel, but then she got side tracked.
"I suddenly became aware of Cherise Taylor (Nashua) coming up on my left hand side at high speed," De Groot said.
"I thought that she was faster than Anritte so I decide to jump to the left and got onto her wheel. In hindsight that might have cost me the race, because Anritte proved that she is faster."
Schoeman won the race for a record sixth time with De Groot finishing second and Catherine Williamson (Bizhub) taking third.
"Finishing second is my best Argus result so far, but I am not racing to finish second, I am racing to win so I am a bit disappointed," De Groot said.
"But if I am realistic and I have got to admit that there was no way that I would have beaten Anritte in the final sprint. She was a class act and a deserved winner."
According to De Groot the wind and well known veteran Andrew McLean played a big part in the women's race. The women were racing with the men's 44-49 age group.
"The moment Andrew managed to get away in a break it was as if the remaining men were sort disorganised and that had an influence on our race as well," she said.
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