Smit way better than the rest of the pack
Smit knew that he had to pull up his socks and so he emerged to again become the leader of the pack.
For the second consecutive year, Willie Smit took the spoils at the Way Better Clover Lowveld Tour.
This is Mpumalanga’s oldest race of its kind and the event once again offered cyclists the opportunity to get in the saddle and brave the province’s treacherous mountains.
Willie Smit verower Clovertoer-titel
Where as it used to be a five-day tour, this year was a four-day which offered a new route for the Elite.
Things got underway on Saturday, with a 131km route starting in Graskop, to Hazyview to Sabie past God’s Window, before finishing back in Graskop.
Mitchell Eliot won the stage with Willie Smit more than four minutes behind him.
Smit knew that he had to pull up his socks and so he emerged to again become the leader of the pack after the 27km-time trial between Hazyview and Bushbuckridge. He finished more than a minute ahead of the stage’s runner-up, JC Nel who failed to complete all four stages of the tour.
Smit claims consecutive title at Jock Cycle Tour
Stage 3 saw riders complete a gruelling 165,3km hill climb at Kowyn’s Pass. Smit became king of the mountains as he finished in four hours, 46 minutes and 24 seconds.
In the fourth and final stage on Tuesday, the 96km loop past Blyde River, Willie Smit and Nico Bell were awarded the same time of 02:36:35, with Kent Main hot on their heels.
The tour started in Graskop and ended at the same venue after 367,8km of racing. The Elite winner was Willie Smit. Nico Bell finished second with Kent Main in third place.
The overall winner in the u/23 category was Triston van Niekerk. Alex Pavlov came out on top of the 30+ category and Thys Oosthuizen won the 40+ category.
Jose Antunes was overall winner in the 50+ category. The best junior of the day was Jason Oosthuizen and the best u/16 was Rickardo Broxham.
For a full list of results, visit www.hatoere.co.za.
