Jonas Rickaert has been preparing for the new season in South Africa for a few years now, but a victory in the Paarl Boxing Day Track Challenge was not yet possible.
This 25-mile (40-kilometer) track race has been held every Boxing Day for 123 years. As a warm-up Rickaert won the points race and the elimination. Then he further emphasized his dominance during the main menu.
Rickaert finished with no less than 4 laps (of 460 meters!) ahead of the peloton and a big lap on the number two, HB Kruger.
On the last lap, our compatriot took plenty of time to celebrate, missing the course record of local hero Josh van Wyk by 1 second.
As a reward, Rickaert was allowed to show off the Minnaar Cup, a trophy that is more than a century old. “I’ll be back next year to break the record,” he promised enthusiastic fans.
