Erasmus Shalihaxwe
Drikus Coetzee and Anri Greeff were crowned champions of the Nedbank Windhoek Power Pedal (WPP) Race Series on Sunday after winning the men’s and women’s categories on the Heroes Acre bridge in Windhoek.
Coetzee scored 970 points to win the men’s overall title. Roger Suren came second with 745 points, while Jacques Hanekom of Team Hollard placed third with 720 points.
Hanekom was followed by teammate Martin Freyer, who finished in 02:34:39. Nicolaas Swart of Hollard Ambassadors crossed the line just behind him in 02:34:40.
In the elite women’s category, Greeff defended her title with a time of 02:29:39. Marissa Mouton of Food Lovers Market Ladies also clocked 02:29:39 to take second place, followed by Rosemarie Thiel of CYMOT Ladies Racing Team, who finished in the same time.
In the elite men’s team standings, Hollard took first place with 134 points. Team MBM Men followed with 117 points, while CYMOT Men’s Racing Team 2025 came third with 115 points.
In the elite women’s team results, team Hollard, made up of Greeff, Louise Breed, Marion Schoneke, and Marguerite Verwey, claimed the title with 76 points.
Food Lovers Market Ladies team, featuring Marissa Mouton, Michelle Doman, Jana Von Backstrom, and Jacky Shipena, took second place with 58 points.
CYMOT Ladies Racing Team, which included Rosemarie Thiel, Nicola Fester, Jean Marie Mostert, and Susan Pieters, scored 52 points for third place.
After the race, Hanekom said he was thrilled with his first elite race win and praised his teammate for a well-executed plan.
“It is my first ever win, so I’m very excited. I couldn’t have won without my teammates, especially Martin (Freyer), who devised today’s strategy, which worked out perfectly for my victory,” said Hanekom.
Greeff said she enjoyed the race despite the weather.
“As a team, we are pleased to take positions one and two today, as well as the overall win. The tactic was to try to get the second position today. It’s good that I won today and the overall WPP series, so I am happy to defend the title,” she said.
She added that more races are coming up locally and possibly in South Africa.
Race organiser Stefanus Feris from the Windhoek Pedal Power Road Cycling Club said they had a good turnout throughout the season.
“We had a successful season in terms of participation. In our previous race, we had excellent competition and a quality field. The ladies were also quite strong this year. The younger riders are coming through very strong as well,” he said.
He pointed out that planning routes, ensuring cyclist safety, and dealing with unexpected issues like wild animals on the route were among the main challenges.
“The safety concern is always our main priority. When you start to plan races, the riders need to be safe. We also had to consider that other road users may become agitated by the presence of cyclists. We always try to minimise all these dangers and get the riders safely to the finish line,” he said.
He added that they plan to introduce new events next season and may bring the Dordabis race back to the calendar.
Nedbank Namibia’s communication and public relations manager, Selma Kaulinge, congratulated WPP on a successful season.
“On behalf of Nedbank Namibia, I extend our warmest congratulations to the Windhoek Pedal Power Road Cycling Club for executing yet another exceptional cycling season, culminating in six successful races for 2025. As money experts who do good, we are immensely proud of our long-standing association with WPP and the incredible work they do to elevate the profile of cycling in our nation. Nedbank Namibia remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting cycling events that not only showcase athletic prowess but also foster community spirit and healthy lifestyles,” she said.
