Reinardt Janse van Rensburg won a four-man sprint to the finish to win the 2021 Jock Classic on Sunday.

The group had been riding together for 25 kilometres, but there could be only one winner – the one who not only outpowered the other three, but had the savvy to get that front wheel fractionally in front of the others.

Janse van Rensburg, a five-time Tour de France finisher, clocked 02:50;11 for the 106.29-kilometre, single-stage road race.

The Jock Classic is traditionally held in July, but had to be postponed last year due to the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.

The race route started at Casterbridge Lifestyle Centre, went to Sabie and finished at Mbombela Stadium.

Janse van Rensburg, Travis Barrett, the Lowveld’s Willie Smit and Rickardo Broxham fought it out in the sprint to the finish line, but it was Janse van Rensburg’s who crossed first.

Barrett was credited with second place and Smit third, both recording the same time as Janse van Rensburg.

The four, and Brandon Bownes, had broken away from the rest of the riders earlier in the race.

“The five of us got away from four chasers with around 25 kilometres to go on one of the hills,” Janse van Rensburg told Lowvelder on Monday. “It was a very hard race and everybody got to the finish pretty tired. Nobody felt strong enough to ride away on their own towards the end.

“Rickardo tried to make a move at the roundabouts (traffic circles) with about five kilometres to go, but in the end (Team) Honeycomb decided to take it to a sprint with Travis Barret there.

“Willie opened up the sprint, but I knew from the National Champs in 2012, which had the same finish, that there was still time after the final corner to get round from the second position. So I waited until after the corner and used the speed to come around Willie just before the line.

“I am happy to win the Jock Classic after winning Gauteng Champs the previous weekend. But the SA champs in Graskop in mid-February is the only place where it really counts. So I am keeping my head down until then,” said Janse van Rensburg.

The 2021 Jock Classic was well organised by H&A Toere and the participants were full of praise for the smoothly run event.

“Thanks to the organisers for the event. It is the hardest one-day road race in South Africa and hats off to all the finishers,” concluded Janse van Rensburg.

Travis Rademan-Ludeke won the Jock Classic 60.31-kilometre race from Sabie to Mbombela Stadium in 01:45;49.

He was followed by Connor Ward in 01:46;08 and Francois de Jager in third in 01:49;55. Shirley Emmerick won the women’s 60.31-kilometre race in a time of 02:24;10.

Keryn Reeves-Moore clocked 02:27;26 to finish second and Angelique Furstenberg was third in 02:31;25. A total of 146 riders finished the 106.29-kilometre race and 37 completed the 60.31-kilometre event.