Attacking straight into a 40km/hr headwind and torrential rain, South Africa’s Callum Ormiston (PRO TOUCH) dropped his all-day breakaway companions to win the Smurfy 500 kilometre race with a time of 14:59:43 at an average speed of 33.3km/hr.

Finishing second was Jaco Ferreira at 15:03:29, only 3:46 behind Ormiston, while Gerhardus Fouche finished the day in third place at 15:23:29.

The 500 kilometre multi-lap race organized by pro Willie Smit (BURGOS-BH) is South Africa’s largest (and longest) amateur gran fondo.

2ND PLACE JACO FERREIRA AND PRO WILLIE SMIT (R) ALL SMILES AT THE START. © CYCLE NATION ZA

Always an epic event, this year’s edition on 12 December did not disappoint, starting out in blistering heat and finishing like a hurricane – literally, with 50km/hr wind and horizontal rain hitting riders like a fire hose many riders were forced to abandon.

In the “short” Smurfy 250 Dash for Cash, Francois Ebersohn won in 8:44:20, followed very closely by Cloete Murray in 8:44:26.  Andre Gibhard was next at 8:47:27.

The Women’s Smurfy 250 Dash For Cash was won by Juanita Venter in 9:03:53, with Annerie Van Velden second in 9:10:57 and Vanessa Bell third in 9:40:45.

Reinhardt Janse Van Renburg won the Men’s Smurfy 130 in 4:04:22, followed by Waldie Theron at 4:16:31 and Arrie Pienarr at 4:25:26.

The Women’s Smurfy 130 was won by Faye Darby in 4:52:17 with Mariette Kemp just 5 seconds back at 4:52:22 and master’s rider Sandy Kirby next in 05:57:17.

Complete results for Willie Smit’s Smurfy 500, 250 and 130 gran fondo races available here.

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