van Niekerk didn't have a half bad race, did he?

well he has had 2 top 10's in Langkawi so must be a decent climber

Great team, started following them on twitter at the start of the year when John-Lee Augustyn (a rider i always had a soft spot for) was rumoured to be moving across to the team.

unfortunately a nasty injury and hip surgery put John-Lee out for the season so far and on his return he realised that he had not recovered well enough and decided to put his career on hold for now.

Found an article about him. He's going to be managing a university team in South Africa now and is opening a shop. Bad luck, but good on him to still be involved. Crazy thing to be suffering from excess chrome and cobalt.
http://www.cyclingsa.com/Article.aspx?uid=859


Tour de Free State men's race starting today.

Qhubeka-
Calvin Beneke
Loto Petrus
Meron Russom
Songezo Jim
Jacques Janse van Rensburg

Strong team that.

MTN racing in Europe and South africa today

Lotto has been active in Free state, couple of attacks and think he is off the front now. strong winds apparently and the field getting broken up as a result

in europe they are racing the Tour de Gironde. A group of 16 riders now with a 35" gap over the bunch. Arran Brown, Martin Wesemann, Tsgabu Grmay in the break. Reinardt trying to cross

How far to go in Gironde? Could well make it Reinardt, wouldn't want to give him too much leeway.

The break in free state

Songezo Jim. now on his own with 25 to go

Apparently

Rabie wins! Fouche second

no idea what that means

He said he was targeting stage wins, not a half bad start.

Bloody Rabo Bloody winning again.


1   174   VAN DER LIJKE Nicky           RB3   
2   173   OLIVIER Daan                   RB3   s.t.   
3   81   FRAISSIGNES Fabien   GSC   @15   
4   127   CANOUET Gilles           USM   @46   
5   95   JANSE VAN                    MTN   @50   
6   101   BLANQUEFORT Sylvain   TOP   @50   
7   132   CORBEL Erwan                   CAM   @56   
8   34   POLUS Piotr Tomasz           OCP   @1.00   
9   121   SZKOLNIK Mickaël           USM   @1.00
10   22   VAN DER WEIJST Geert   CJP   @1.00

13   93   VAN NIEKERK Dennis   MTN   @1.00
47   96   GRMAY Tsgabu                   MTN   @1.11
84   91   BROWN Arran                   MTN   @2.37
101   92   POTGIETER Bradley           MTN   @4.06
105   94   WESEMANN Martin           MTN   @4.34

well stage 3 has started now so time to start scoring some points

Todays stage

Just seen the Free state post in the small races page, Rabie and Bonitas looking good I'd think.

Good luck to them.

Tour De Gironde stage 2



Reinardt just beaten in the bunch sprint, Rabos maintain their lead overall.
Two drapac riders got in an early break, but were caught when MTN tried to break things up in the crosswinds. That resulted in a lead group of 50 fighting out for the win, but depsite pulling things back together Reinardt was not able to finish things off.

Selected results below, full results here
http://assos.villenavedornon.fr/spip.php?rubrique1364

1   105   PANDELE Sylvain           TOP   
2   95   JANSE VAN                    MTN   @0   
3   46   ZAHNER Simon                   EKZ   @0   
4   22   VAN DER WEIJST Geert   CJP   @0   
5   43   DILLIER Silvan                   EKZ   @0   
6   156   DUTOUR Julien                   ERA   @0
7   2   ABERASTURI IZAGA            ORB   @0   
8   62   MALDONADO Anthony   MSC   @0   
9   34   POLUS Piotr Tomasz    OCP   @0   
10   121   SZKOLNIK Mickaël           USM   @0

32   93   VAN NIEKERK Dennis   MTN   @0
35   144   PHELAN Adam                   DPC   @0
40   147   SHAW Stuart                   DPC   @0
53   142   LAPTHORNE Darren           DPC   @0
61   96   GRMAY Tsgabu                   MTN   @0
65   92   POTGIETER Bradley           MTN   @8
71   91   BROWN Arran                   MTN   @12
78   94   WESEMANN Martin           MTN   @1.21
84   146   RUSLI Amir                   DPC   @5.30
101   145   RUDOLPH Malcom           DPC   @8.21
143   PALMER Thomas                   DPC   Abandon

GC

1   174   VAN DER LIJKE Nicky    RB3   
2   173   OLIVIER Daan                   RB3   @7   
3   81   FRAISSIGNES Fabien   GSC   @21   
4   95   JANSE VAN RENSBURG    MTN   @57   
5   127   CANOUET Gilles           USM   @59   
6   101   BLANQUEFORT Sylvain   TOP   @1.02   
7   132   CORBEL Erwan            CAM   @1.09   
8   46   ZAHNER Simon                   EKZ   @1.09   
9   43   DILLIER Silvan                   EKZ   @1.10   
10   144   PHELAN Adam                   DPC   @1.10

12   142   LAPTHORNE Darren           DPC   @1.11
20   93   VAN NIEKERK Dennis   MTN   @1.13
45   96   GRMAY Tsgabu                   MTN   @1.24
58   147   SHAW Stuart                   DPC   @2.31
62   91   BROWN Arran                   MTN   @2.56
70   92   POTGIETER Bradley           MTN   @4.27
77   94   WESEMANN Martin           MTN   @6.08
83   146   RUSLI Amir                   DPC   @7.38
95   145   RUDOLPH Malcom           DPC   @10.52

And for something completely different

Qhubeka also sponsor a few BMX riders

http://www.qhubeka.org/2012/2012/05/skizo-105-qualifies-for-olympics/