Former Norwegian national champion Linn Torp turned mechanical problems into opportunity as she sprinted to her first podium finish in South Africa at the 97- kilometre MTN OFM Classic in Bloemfontein on Sunday.

The Team bizhub rider, who was stuck in top gear for the last 40 kilometres after snapping a gear cable, was sandwiched by MTN-Energade team-mates Robyn de Groot (first) and Marissa van der Merwe (third) on the finishing line.

Reinhardt Janse van Rensburg, MTN-Energade’s most prolific winner on the road for 2010, has competed in every one of the Super Classics, except in the OFM Classic that will take place on Sunday (7 November).

It is, therefore, not surprising that Janse van Rensburg readily admits that he has no idea of what to expect on Sunday.

“I think I can win, but I will have to rely on my teammates who had raced the MTN OFM Classic before to tell me when and what to do during the race.”

It was third time lucky for MTN-Energade’s Kevin Evans as he soloed to his first victory in the Mondi Herald Addo Mountain Bike Challenge on the outskirts of Port Elizabeth on Sunday.

Evans (3:15:07) made the most of the tough conditions on a breezy, overcast day to stretch his lead to three minutes at the Addo Polo Club finish.

During the sixth stage of the DCM Cape Pioneer Trek, on the last day of his career as a professional mountain biker, Silvio Bundi from Switzerland learned an important lesson.

If you want to end your career as a professional mountain biker on a high note, do not tease one of your main rivals because they have not been able to win a stage. You might just be the one who end up finishing second.

Max Knox and Thomas Zahnd ensured that Ian van der Walt, owner of DCM, is a more than proud event-sponsor when they completed a hat trick of victories by also winning the fourth stage of the DCM Cape Pioneer Trek.

It is beginning to look more and more like the DCM-team will also win overall.

Evans crossed the line in fourth place which meant that the MTN-Energade team had to be satisfied with a second place finish. Knox and Zahnd finished third without losing time.

After three stages the DCM-team has an overall lead 5 minutes and 35 seconds on Evans/Niyonshuti. They are the only two teams who still are in contention for an overall victory. Brandon Stewart and Jacques Janse van Rensburg (DCM) who is currently the third placed team is now 37 minutes behind.

Kevin Evans (MTN-Energade) proved today that he is human after all when he and Adrien Niyonshuti finished second in the first stage of the DCM Cape Pioneer Tour.

The stage from Oudtshoorn to Mosselbaai (135km) was won by Max Knox and Thomas Zahnd (DCM) in five hours 43 minutes. Evans/Niyonshuti crossed the finish line at Milkwood Primary School 3 minutes and 09 seconds later with Brandon Stewart and Jacques Janse van Rensburg (DCM) third another 1 minute 14 seconds behind.