Champ defeats mountains and sprints to title
The three-stage 151km Jock is billed as South Africa's toughest one-day road event and takes participants through some of the most scenic routes in the province.
The 32nd BestMED Jock Cycle Classique produced a new champion on Saturday. The title is also 22-year-old JC Nel’s first win in a classic cycle race.
The three-stage 151km Jock is billed as South Africa’s toughest one-day road event and takes participants through some of the most scenic routes in the province. It started with a 43km trip from Mbombela Stadium to White River over Brondal. From there riders embarked on the R537 to Sabie from where the final 65km stage from Sabie Primary School lay ahead. Cyclists faced a 12km climb up Long Tom Pass before the turn-off to the R37 saw the route oscillate between (mostly gentle) uphills and mostly downhill stretches.
Nel had to demonstrate all-round climbing and sprinting ability to not only finish the race in the best time but to also claim the King of the Mountain title.
The Westvaal BMC team rider gritted his teeth in the finishing sprints of the first two stages to hang on to the runner-up spot behind the leaders at that stage.
But in the final stage he finished safely in the bunch at Mbombela Stadium and his overall time of 3:58.41 secured the win.
James Fourie, riding for Europcar SA, and Willie Smit, riding for Vini Fantini-Nippo, finished in the same time of 3:59.04 and were placed second and third respectively.
Afterwards, Nel said, “This is one of the toughest races on the South African calendar and to win this is something I always wanted to do growing up.”
He said he has had a disappointing early season and the victory was a welcome return to form for him. He hoped it would prove to be a promising precursor to the upcoming Clover Lowveld Cycle Tour.
“I’m really happy to have my form back. The team did a superb job of keeping everything together for me on the last stage and I’m really happy that I could manage the win for them today.” Defending champion Dylan Girdlestone of Bonitas finished fourth overall with a time of 3:59.07. Shaun-Nick Bester of Westvaal BMC and Calvin Beneke of Europcar SA were placed fifth and sixth in a joint time of 3:59.30 followed by Thomas Weeks (3:59.30), Ian Pienaar of Europcar SA (3:59.30), David Maree ofAbantu (3:59.30) and Patrick Mxenge of Inter-Active (3:59.56).
