Davids achieves career first with Jock Tour title

The RoadCover pro finished the 138-kilometre final stage, which included 3 100 metres of ascent, in third to cement his overall lead in what is, on paper, South Africa’s toughest road cycling event.

Stage three was won by ProTouch’s James Fourie with Dimension Data’s Kent Main, who wore the yellow jersey yesterday after winning the opening day individual time-trial, in second.

ProTouch’s Jayde Julius finished runner-up in the general classification after a gutsy long-distance attack that saw him take the honours in yesterday’s 154-kilometre stage over Spitskop and Long Tom Pass.

Completing the overall podium was his teammate Myles van Musschenbroek, who has been on top of his game after returning from injury earlier this month.

“I’m happy with how this weekend turned out. It’s a really cool feeling,” said Davids, a former African continental mountain bike champion who switched to the road after missing out on selection for the Rio Olympics.

“It’s my first tour win, the first time I’ve worn a yellow jersey on the road, so I’m pretty happy with how things have turned out,” said the 23-year-old.

The final day included the feared Boulders climb early on, but it was status quo for the GC contenders until they hit the base of the Hilltop ascent after 131 kilometres of racing.

Demacon’s overnight leader, Carla Oberholzer won her second stage in a row to secure overall victory in what she termed as “probably the most difficult road tour in South Africa”.

Stage one winner Yolandi du Toit, riding for Garmin, minimised her losses to take second ahead of former national road champion Cherise Willeit.

Oberholzer, from Clarens in the Free State, was part of a three-woman sprint for the finish after she and Bestmed-ASG’s Sanet Coetzee formed an early breakaway a mere 3 kilometres after the start. They were joined by Willeit, Lynette Burger, Zanri Roussouw, Du Toit and Daleen van der Leek soon after Boulders and the group stayed together until Hilltop.

“We got a decent gap on the others on Hilltop and rolled together until the finish, where we sprinted it out,” said Oberholzer.

The 32-year-old said the overall victory had been her objective and she was extremely happy with the outcome.

“The main goal today was to keep the lead and anything we took on top of that was a bonus.

“It’s always great when you pull something like this off with great teamwork.”

Photos: Memories4U Photography