Team RE:CM's Erik Kleinhans (RSA) and Waylon Woolcock (RSA) secured the men's title, while team RE:CM Davinci's Ariane Kleinhans (SUI) and Annika Langvad (DEN) claimed the women's crown at the seven-day international mountain bike stage race.
It was also the first time that a married couple, Erik and Ariane Kleinhans, were crowned champions in the same event.
Erik is the son of Jannie and Ida Kleinhans of George and received his high school training at Oakdale in Riversdale. He married the Swiss MTB star Ariane and lives in Stellenbosch, from where they travel the world to participate in the toughest MTB challenges.
Woolcock and Kleinhans finished fourth, 54 seconds behind the winners in the final stage, but with their overall lead firmly secure. They ended up beating runners-up Buys and Beukes by 9:48, with FedGroup Itec's Brandon Stewart (RSA) and Konny Looser (SUI) completing the final podium.
In the women's race, Langvad, the Danish marathon champion, and Kleinhans, the Swiss marathon champion, confirmed their complete dominance of the event when they claimed their seventh stage win. They beat Wheeler BMC's Esther Suss (SUI) and Jane Nuessli (GBR) by 01:35:15 in the General Classification, with defending champions, Klein Karoo Chicks' Yolande Speedy (RSA) and Yolande de Villiers (RSA), taking third place overall.
"We knew some teams were going to go hard for the stage win and that Philip and Matthys wanted to attack our overall lead, so we really had to make sure we kept them in our sights and kept our risk of crashing or mechanicals as low as possible," said Erik Kleinhans.
"This was probably the toughest week of my bike racing life. The tougher stages were on the four good weather days and the easier stages were made tough by the rain and mud! It's a great feeling to win here again. We had some really strong competition, which makes the win even more special," added Kleinhans, who won the inaugural edition with Jonny Kritzinger in 2009 and the Mixed division with his wife, Ariane, in 2011.
"It's a great feeling to win what has been a really tough race. Annika was an amazing partner and so strong throughout. I must thank our manager, Kandice Buys, and our mechanic, Magnus Gouws, who are so experienced and so professional and they make it easier for us to focus on racing; and of course, our sponsors for all their support," said Ariane Kleinhans.
"The women's field was stronger than ever before this year and we never once were able to let our guard down. It's great to see this women's category growing in depth and I'm sure this growth will continue in the future," added Kleinhans.
Cube Nutswerk MTB's Birgit Lavrijssen (NED) and Marco Minnaard (NED) grabbed their fourth stage win and the overall title in the Mixed category on Saturday. They fought a race-long battle with Asrin Cycling 3's 2012 winners, Jennie Stenerhag (SWE) and Craig Gerber (RSA), who finished as 2013 runners-up. Third place went to Asrin Cycling 2's Nizaam Esa (RSA) and Catherine Williamson (GBR).
The Veteran division title will also go to the Netherlands. The Cube Nutswerk 2 team of Micha de Vries and Rik van den Hanenberg finished second on Saturday to Klein Karoo Vets' Wynand Mulder (RSA) and Gerrie Beukes (RSA), but the Dutchmen had done enough on the previous six stages to capture the overall title ahead of Mulder and Beukes. Cannondale Blend Vets' Martin Epstein (RSA) and Stefano Madies (RSA) were third overall.
Wilde 3's Izak Visagie and Lieb Loots dominated the Master's category racing.
South African Darren Lill won his third stage in the Solo men's division on Saturday, but Adriaan Louw (RSA), winner of the other four stages, claimed the overall title. In the Solo women's category, Dalene van der Leek won Saturday's stage, but ended up as overall runner-up behind Germany's Bettina Uhlig, who captured five stage wins in total.
Results:
- Open men: 1 RE:CM - Waylon Woolcock (RSA) & Erik Kleinhans (RSA) @ 21:10:11; 2 SCOTT Factory Racing - Philip Buys (RSA) & Matthys Beukes (RSA) @ 09:48; 3 FedGroup Itec - Brandon Stewart (RSA) & Konny Looser (SUI) @ 26:42.
- Open women: 1 RE:CM Davinci - Ariane Kleinhans (SUI) & Annika Langvad (DEN) 24:19:50; 2 Wheeler - BMC - Jane Nuessli (GBR) & Esther Suss (SUI) @ 1:35:15; 3 Klein Karoo Chicks - Yolande Speedy (RSA) & Yolande de Villiers (RSA) @ 02:10:07.
- Mixed: 1 Cube Nutswerk MTB - Birgit Lavrijssen (NED) & Marco Minnaard @ 26:02:09.
- Veteran: 1 Cube Nutswerk 2 - Micha de Vries (NED) & Rik van den Hanenberg (NED) 24:14:02.
- Master: 1 Wilde 3 - Izak Visagie (RSA) & Lieb Loots (RSA) 25:21:41.
- Amateur: 1 Contego Giant 2 - Sakkie Hannekom (RSA) & Hannes Hannekom (RSA) 24:38:05.
- Solo men: 1 Adriaan Louw (RSA) @ 22:58:43.
- Solo women: 1 Bettina Uhlig (GER) 28:32:23.
