• cycling

Drikus and Delsia win third Pedal Power race

• 1 Day Ago 27 January 2026

Drikus Coetzee and Delsia Janse van Vuuren took top honours in the Nedbank Windhoek Power Pedal (WPP) 3, Döbra Loops event held on Sunday.

Over 170 cyclists took part in the third event of the six-part road cycling series.

Team Hollard Insurance’s Coetzee claimed top honours in the elite men’s race by coming home in a time of two hours, 38 minutes, 13 seconds after eight laps for a combined 120 kilometres.

Coetzee finished comfortably ahead of second-placed Marco Thiel of Cymot Racing Team A (2:41:08), Theuns van der Westhuizen of Hollard Insurance (third in 2:41:11) and Adrian Key of Hollard Life (fourth in 2:41:19).

Afterwards, Coetzee said it was a good race in good weather conditions. “We had stronger teams compared to (the previous) weekend, and for the first 30 kilometres we rode a hard tempo. The guys tried different tactics, and that made for good racing.

“After 30 km, I saw an opportunity, and I took it. I got a gap, and I knew I just had to hold it. I knew my capabilities over the remaining 80 km. Overall, it was a very good start to the series following last week's success.”

The 32-year-old added that this was good preparation for an international 1,000 km ultra-endurance race in Rwanda, where he will be competing in February.

Coetzee said he is very much looking forward to the Namibian national championship (time trial on Friday 6 February; road race two days later). Both titles were won by Alex Miller last year, with Coetzee absent.

 

Women’s race

In the women’s race (105 km, seven loops), Janse van Vuuren clocked 2:35:21, one second ahead of Rosemarie Thiel (second in 2:35:22), Belinda van Rhyn (third in the same time) and Louise Breed (fourth, one second later).

Janse van Vuuren said Sunday’s race was not that hard, as it allowed her to do things differently.

“I decided to go hard from the start, and at one point, I thought I wouldn’t make it. I already broke away during the first lap and kept my pace, even though the chasing pack caught me. There were a few more breakaways, but I just kept going until the end to claim victory.”

The 18-year-old said she uses the WPP races as training for upcoming regional and international competitions.

She said she will race as much as she can locally and internationally, with her eyes set on the South African Cup scheduled for the end of February, while also looking forward to some races in Europe, including the world championships.

 

Changes from the organisers

Nedbank Windhoek Pedal Power Race Series coordinator, Stephanus Feris, said riders will get points for general classifications (GC points). These points will then be tallied at the end of the season to determine the overall winners of the season.

This year, the organisers have changed the structure of teams in the men's category: “Compared to last year, the men's teams can have four members, but maximum three to start a race. A team can have one, two or three members starting a race.”

He added that there are no more female teams, meaning the ladies will compete as individuals.

Feris mentioned that the first two races have shown that there is still a hunger for cycling events, while explaining that the U10, U12 and U16 categories have seen a surge in the number of participants, a sign that there are many youngsters who are coming through the ranks.

 

Driving force

Nedbank Namibia Chief Commercial Officer, JG van Graan, paid tribute to WPP’s consistent effort to raise the profile of cycling in Namibia, saying this resonates with the bank's dedication and passion for sports.

Van Graan added that Nedbank Namibia’s continued support of cycling in Namibia through the sponsorship of key races like the Nedbank Desert Dash, the Nedbank Cycle Challenge, and the Nedbank WPP Series provides a consistent schedule for riders, which encourages more Namibians to start cycling and to live a healthy lifestyle.

“By fostering a sense of community and encouraging healthy lifestyles, Nedbank's dedicated partnership with WPP has been instrumental in establishing cycling as one of Namibia’s fastest-growing sports, creating a legacy for the nation's athletic landscape. As money experts who do good, our steady support has given cycling in Namibia a foundation to grow.”

The next race in the series will be the WPP4 at Matchless Mine on 22 March.