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BULAWAYO’S finest cyclist Nkulumo “Nkust” Dube of Flying Eagles Club won the 70km elite event in two hours seven minutes and 30 seconds on Sunday. The race started at Umguza bridge along Airport Road with the elite class racing 35km along Nkayi Road before making a U-turn at Turk Mine to finish where they started.
The weekend competition attracted 30 cyclists.
Dube, who is based at the Zimbabwe Military Sports Academy in Harare, shrugged off stiff challenge from Eben Manaba who came second in two hours 13 minutes and 56 seconds and third placed Clem Peinke who clocked two hours 14 minutes.
Dube also won the 30km time trial on Saturday in 46 minutes 46 seconds with Manaba finishing in 49 minutes 26 seconds while Bukhosi Ndlovu came third in 50 minutes 52 seconds.
“I am happy that being in the army keeps me fit and it’s an advantage over other guys because I train a lot and that makes winning easy.
“I really want to compete on the world stage and winning here spurs me,” said Dube.
In the intermediate category, Mthokozisi Sibanda won the 30km race in one hour two minutes and 21 second with first runner-up being Mdule Gatsheni in one hour six minutes and 23 seconds.
The intermediate race started from Umguza Bridge with participants going 15km along Nkayi Road before making a U-turn to the starting point.
The Flying Eagles Cyling Club chairman Chrispen Kazingi said they expect to have more races to keep riders active.
“We had a good turnout and it was quite a good ride as the times were good and now we expect to have more events so that our riders are kept fit,” said Kazingi.
Results
Saturday Time trial
Intermediate (20 km): 1. Mthokozisi Sibanda (27 minutes 13 seconds), 2. Knowledge Khuphe (28 mimutes 01 seconds)
Elite (30 km): 1. Nkulumo Dube (46 minutes 46seconds), 2. Eben Manaba (49 minutes 26 seconds), 3. Bukhosi Ndlovu (50 minutes 52 seconds)
Sunday Ride
Intermediate (30km): 1. Mthokozisi Sibanda (1hr02mins21sec), 2. Mdule Gatsheni (1hr06mins23 sec)
Elite (70 km): 1. Nkulumo Dube (2hrs07mins30sec), 2. Eben Mawaba (2hrs13mins56sec), 3. Clem Peinke (2hrs14mins)
Online Reporter