The 2007 edition of the Tour du Maroc took place over the past two weeks, a 10-day 1500 km stage race consisting of 11 stages. MTN Microsoft was invited along with the South African Nation team to take part in the race. Jeremy Maartens of the National team was a past winner of the event (2004) as well as Nic White of MTN Microsoft (1998).

The race started well with Nic White winning the first stage and taking the Yellow Jersey. The team did not relinquish the valued tricot for the remainder of the race - just passing it between them in a game of chess with the field. Neil Macdonald won the 2nd stage to take the jersey, and then Waylon Woolcock was best of an escape group that put White back into the lead on the 3rd day. It also moved Spence and Woolcock into contention again with Macdonald in 2nd place few seconds adrift of White.

The tour was dominated by the MTN Microsoft boys as they played one against the other, all riding superbly, the race lead possible for any of their six members. The opposition didn’t know who to watch!

Malcolm Lange eventually racked up a series of three wins in a row, taking the green points competition and also the mountains competition from his team mate Spence, in a long breakaway group that took the field over the biggest climbs of the race. It was on this 6th stage that Spence crossed over to the break, eliminating a strong threat by the tough Tunisian, Rafaa Chtioui. This move gave Spence the lead and yellow jersey. It also put huge pressure on the SA National team who had to chase in the final 30 km of the 200 km stage to keep their best rider, Maartens, in contention (4th overall). It also kept White, Macdonald and Woolcock within striking distance of the lead!

Day 7 saw tragedy strike the diminutive Spence, as a stomach bug set him beside the road, and his lead and jersey were lost as the strong Moroccan National teams got wind of his situation and split the race to pieces in the gutters with 120 km remaining. Spence, too ill to continue his chase ended up losing his strength and having to abandon. A sad situation, as he had ridden a very aggressive race, against many adversities and some bad luck, to reach the coveted leader’s position, only to succumb to the dreaded illness that catches stage races off-guard and fells even the mightiest!

The MTN Microsoft team, angry at the stance of the locals during the stage, attacked en mass in the final 20 km, taking only Maartens and Kachelhoffer along with them. Lange took the stage, and all riders moved up on the competition by a good 30 sec!

The final three days took the riders up the coast towards Casablanca, and this was the most dangerous of areas, as the wind blew gales across the roads. Some bad luck for the South Africans and aggressive riding by Morocco put MTN on the back foot. White punctured in the gutters at a time when the Moroccans and Rafaa Chtioui of Tunisia (the strongest man of the race) were attacking. This left only Neil Macdonald staying on the wheels with all the others along with the SA National team left to chase. With 40 km remaining of the stage, the aggressors had timed their effort prematurely, and MTN and the Big Five (National team SA), were able to get to the front with just 5 km remaining. Malcolm Lange proved to be the quickest again, taking his 3rd stage in a row. However, the hero of the day was definitely Macdonald who kept the flag flying in front!

The final stages were controlled by the two South African teams, for fear of riding in the dreaded gutter, and suffering crashes or punctures and for the hope of a stage win for the Big Five. A Moroccan surprised the field to win the penultimate day - and on the final day, Impey got his stage win on a circuit finish in Casablanca!

The final results, briefly: 1st Nic White (MTN Microsoft); 2nd Neil Macdonald (MTN Microsoft)(22 sec); 3rd Waylon Woolcock (MTN Microsoft)(42 sec), 4th Jeremy Maartens (SA National team)(st); 5th Malcolm Lange (MTN Microsoft)(1 m 01 sec).

Points Competition: Malcolm Lange

Mountain Competition: Malcolm Lange

Team Competition: 1st MTN Microsoft; 2nd Morocco; 3rd SA National team

This is just a short report

Nic White