A record 204 cyclists took part in the opening race of the 2024 Nedbank Windhoek Power Pedal Race Series (WPP), on Sunday morning along the Dordabis Road.

The event, which was the first of the six races of the 2024 WPP season, saw the introduction of the mountain bike category, the school team’s category and the para-athlete category. 

Alex Miller won the Men’s Team race in 2 hours 40 minutes and 32 seconds, ahead of Christian Janse van Rensburg, who clocked 2 hours 40 minutes and 35 seconds, and Daniel Abraham who took third place in 2 hours 40 minutes 53 seconds.

In the Women’s Team category, Melisa Hinz clocked 2 hours 23 minutes and 06 seconds, a split second ahead of second placed Vera Looser, who finished the race in 2 hours 23 minutes 06, and third-placed Anri Greef, who clocked 2 hours 23 minutes and 15 seconds. 

In the Men’s team rankings, Cymot Racing Team A leads the points chart with 22, followed by Hollard Insurance and MBM both ending with 19 points.

In the women’s teams, Hollard Ladies leads with 14 points, MBM is in second with 11 points, and Cymot Ladies Racing Team is third with eight points.

Men’s teams can have up to nine members, while women’s teams can have a maximum of eight, but points can only be scored by the first three members to cross the line. The team with the highest points at the end of the season (after six races) wins the series. 

The next event is at Teufelsschlucht next week.

Nedbank Namibia Head of Marketing and Communications, Gernot de Klerk, said: “Here we are once again for the first race of the cycling season — the Nedbank Windhoek Pedal Power Race Series. Graced by a record-breaking number of entrants, we are truly humbled to have had cyclists show up with families and friends for this edition of the race. As we are already in the midst of our ‘Festival of Cycling’, there are back-to-back cycling events lined up over the next few weeks, including the greatest ride under the sun — the Nedbank Cycle Challenge,” De Klerk said.