(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) South African Timo Cooper claimed overall victory on Saturday in the Trans Hajar mountain race. After a closely fought two-way way battle with New Zealand's Roman Van Uden throughout the week's racing, Cooper edged ahead with a narrow overall victory time of 11:45:41, just seconds ahead.
South Africa's Hannele Steyn maintained the lead she had held from the first day's individual time trial to win the women's classification for the second year running, finishing in 13:44:30, a press release said.
The start of the race was technical; at just 3km in, Cooper was the only competitor to ride up a narrow and technical climb, giving him an early advantage. With a cool morning temperature, Cooper managed to ride and stay away from Van Uden at the 15km mark.
Saturday's final stage was the culmination of four days of hard racing, in the fourth year since Trans Hajar's launch in 2010. After Friday's marathon 128km haul, Saturday's route was shorter at 55km but by no means a procession, with a 530m elevation and two gruelling single-track sections through the picturesque Les Dent du Arqi and Wadi Ain.
Cooper finished the last stage in 02:16:32, ahead of Van Uden in 02:18:00 and Peter O'Higgin (Australia) third with 02:21:42. Their stage placings also mirrored the standings of the overall podium, the release said.
The winners and first and second runners up were presented with cash prizes, with the winners receiving RO10,000.
"Day one started off with a bit of disappointment when I lost a lot of time against my rivals, but from day two, I decided to make up all the time I could, especially on the third day,'' said Cooper at the finish.
He added, "We can't ask for more here. Oman has got it all. This is my first time here. It was really amazing. The scenery is mind-blowing and I keep telling people back home about the capturing terrain here.''
''Not one day was easy, not even the last day,'' explained women's winner Hannele. ''I think it is an incredible event and it is beautiful to stay here. We have met a lot of people; everything was catered for. This event has got it all whether you're a technical rider or a climber. You will always remember a race from how tough and challenging it was.''
The release said that from the winners to the charity riders, the race was thoroughly enjoyed by all its participants, who praised the Trans Hajar for its tough but rewarding routes, stunning coastal views and the sense of camaraderie amongst everyone taking par
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