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Barrow shows his class in PE

National under 23 champion Clinton Barrow showed his class when he was declared the overall winner of the third leg of the Beachfront Lodges Premier Cycling League that took place in Port Elizabeth over the weekend.
Barrow shows his class in PE

The two-stage event consisted of a tough 78-kilometre road race on Saturday afternoon, followed by a flat, rain-drenched kermesse held over 45 minutes and two laps of a 1,8-km circuit on Sunday morning.

Mario Nell (Friendly City Cycles) and Brent Pheiffer (Walmer Club) secured second and third respectively in an event that was contested on points and not overall time.

Barrow, who rode for the EP Country Districts invitation team, managed to slip off the front within the first 10 kilometres of the road race and was never challenged again. He stopped the watch on 1 hour 57 minutes and 24 seconds.

Ronnie Scheffer of Mecer-NMMU won the bunch sprint for the second race running to finish runner-up in 1:58:22 and Antal Meiswinkel of Toyota-Cycle Lab also continued his recent good form to complete the podium in 1:58:23.

Pheiffer (Walmer Club) and Anriëtte Schoeman (Algoa Toyota) were fourth and fifth respectively.

As predicted, former Boks Wayne Pheiffer (Walmer Club) and Nell had too much firepower in Sunday's kermesse, with Pheiffer senior just edging out the latter.

Wesley Augustyn (EP Country Districts), who initiated several attacks, was best of the rest in third. Jimmy Baillie (PE Invitation) was fourth and Barrow cemented his overall win with fifth.

The road race came alive in the last 15km when Nell, Doug Shadwell (Toyota-Cycle Lab) and Reghardt Koen (Mecer-NMMU) set off in pursuit of Barrow. However, the punishing final 10 kilometres proved one bridge too far and the trio were pulled back within the last five kilometres.

Completing the top 10 overall standings were: Weslee Todkill (Toyota-Cycle Lab; 4th), Gerrit Nell (Walmer Club; 5th), Craig Mullins (Beachfront Lodges; 6th), Wayne Pheiffer (Walmer Club; 7th), Baillie (PE Invitation; 8th), Davie Kotze (EP Country Districts; 9th) and Augustyn (EP Country Districts; 10th).

Mecer-NMMU (312 points) won the team classification courtesy of the biggest combined points haul. Friendly City Cycles (251) and Walmer Club (248) were second and third respectively.

After three league events, Mecer-NMMU (43) lead the overall team standings ahead of Friendly City Cycles (32) and Toyota-Cycle Lab (31).

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