Mpumalanga Cycle Tour

The 4th Mpumalanga Cycle Tour started at Forever Resort Blyde Canyon.

January 14, 2019

Tobie van den Bergh 4 minutes read

There are a total of seven stages across Mpumalanga.

Apart from competing for the various titles the total value of the prizes add up to approximately R128 000.00.

Willie Smit, one of the well-known riders, was approached by the Italian team, Katusha Alpecin after his results last year. This year Smit will be participating alongside some of his Katusha Alpecin team members.

2019 Mpumalanga Cycle Tour Race Stages:

Friday, 11 January 2019: Stage 1: Forever Resort Blyde Canyon to Forever Resort Swadini

•Distance: 90,3 Kilometres
•Start Elevation: 1164 Metres
•Max Elevation: 1274 Metres
Saturday, 12 January 2019: Stage 2: Forever Resort Swadini to Orpen Gate and back to Forever Resort Swadini
•Distance: 121 Kilometres
•Start Elevation: 636 Metres
•Max Elevation: 742 Metres
Sunday, 13 January 2019: Stage 3: Forever Resort Swadini to Forever Resort Blyde Canyon
•Distance: 90,3 Kilometres
•Start Elevation: 628 Metres
•Max Elevation: 1274 Metres
Monday, 14 January 2019: Stage 4: Forever Resort Blyde Canyon to Mbombela Stadium
•Distance: 148,3 Kilometres
•Start Elevation: 1163 Metres
•Max Elevation: 1721 Metres
Tuesday, 15 January 2019: Stage 5: Forever Hotel White River
•Distance: 129,5 Kilometres
•Start Elevation: 943 Metres
•Max Elevation: 972 Metres
Wednesday, 16 January 2019: Stage 6: Mbombela to Forever Resort Badplaas
•Distance: 97 Kilometres
•Start Elevation: 682 Metres
•Max Elevation: 1557 Metres
Thursday, 17 January 2019: Stage 7: Forever Resort Badplaas to Forever Resort Loskopdam
•Distance: 197,2 Kilometres
•Start Elevation: 1112 Metres
•Max Elevation: 1791 Metres.

Katusha-Alpecin’s Willie Smit, who aims to use the tour as a training block, completed the 90km first stage in 2:16:56, beating ProTouch’s Jayde Julius and Luso AC/DC’s Calvin Beneke to the line.

Stage one

1. Willie Smit (Katusha-Alpecin) 2:16:56
2. Jayde Julius (ProTouch)
3. Calvin Beneke (Luso AC/DC) 2:16:58
4. Wessel Botha (NAD Pro) 2:16:59
5. Dylan Girdlestone (officeguru racing)
6. Matt Beers (NAD Pro) 2:17:02
7. Marc Pritzen (officeguru racing)
8. Travis Barrett (officeguru racing) 2:18:42
9. Devin Shortt (Luso AC/DC)
10. Alexander Worsdale (officeguru racing)
11. Gawie Combrinck (NAD Pro)
12. Nico Bell (NAD Pro)
13. Andrew Edwards (officeguru racing)
14. Chris Jooste (Luso AC/DC)
15. Jan Montshioa (Sampada) 2:23:49
16. Drikus Coetzee (Namibia) 2:28:07
17. Andries Nigrini (Luso AC/DC) 2:28:09
18. Alwyn Steenkamp (Cycle Power) 2:28:12
19. James Fourie (ProTouch)
20. Myles van Musschenbroek (ProTouch) 2:31:43Travis Barrett won stage three of the Mpumalanga Tour in Blyde Canyon.

The OfficeGuru rider completed the 90.3km stage in a time of 2:31:32.

Just before the first hotspot at 26.3km a leading group formed, which consisted of Barrett, Alwyn Steenkamp, Devin Shortt, Pieter Seyffert and Mornay van Heerden. They had a 1’20” gap to the peloton.

Shortt won the first hotspot, with Seyffert second and Steenkamp third.
Approximately 40km in the gap increased to 4’40”.

Barrett won the first King of the Mountains at 49km, with Van Heerden second and Steenkamp third.

The stage winner also took the second KOM at 55km. Van Heerden placed second, while Steenkamp came in third.

The second Hotspot at 73km was won by Shortt, with Barrett second and Van Heerden third.

Steenkamp won the third KOM at 86.4km, while Van Heerden placed second and Shortt third.

Nico Bell won the individual time-trial on stage two.

The NAD Pro rider completed the 42km time-trial in 0:56:09 to beat teammate Matt Beers (0:56:38) and Katusha-Alpecin’s Willie Smit (0:58:57).

Stage two results

1. Nico Bell (NAD Pro) 0:56:09
2. Matt Beers (NAD Pro) 0:56:38
3. Willie Smit (Katusha-Alpecin) 0:58:57
4. Gawie Combrinck (NAD Pro) 0:59:19
5. Rohan du Plooy (ProTouch) 0:59:38
6. Andries Nigrini (Luso AC/DC) 1:00:05
7. Wessel Botha (NAD Pro) 1:00:25
8. Myles van Musschenbroek (ProTouch) 1:00:33
9. Dylan Girdelstone (officeguru racing) 1:00:35
10. Calvin Beneke (Luso AC/DC) 1:01:01
11. Marc Pritzen (officeguru racing) 1:01:15
12. Drickus Coetzee (Namibia) 1:01:50
13. Jayde Julius (ProTouch) 1:02:24
14. Jean Pierre Lloyd (officeguru racing) 1:02:42
15. James Fourie (ProTouch) 1:03:08
16. Alexander Worsdale (officeguru racing) 1:03:27
17. Alwyn Steenkamp (Cycle Power) 1:03:57
18. Callum Ormiston (ProTouch) 1:04:29
19. Mornay van Heerden (ProTouch) 1:05:06
20. Jan Montshioa (Sampada) 1:05:14

Stage three results

1. Travis Barrett (OfficeGuru) 2:31:32
2. Devin Shortt (Luso AC/DC)
3. Mornay van Heerden (ProTouch) 2:31:35
4. Alwyn Steenkamp (Cycle Power)
5. Marc Pritzen (OfficeGuru) 2:32:37
6. Willie Smit (NAD Pro)
7. Wessel Botha (NAD Pro)
8. Matthew Beers (NAD Pro)
9. Dylan Girdelstone (OfficeGuru)
10. Callum Ormiston (ProTouch) 2:33:05
11. Calvin Beneke (Luso AC/DC) 2:33:33
12. Jan Montshioa (Sampada)
13. Nico Bell (NAD Pro) 2:33:38
14. Andrew Edwards (OfficeGuru) 2:33:48
15. Andries Nigrini (Luso AC/DC) 2:33:54
16. Alexander Worsdale (OfficeGuru) 2:34:19
17. Chris Jooste (Luso AC/DC) 2:36:08
18. Thokozani Mahlangu (Sampada) 2:36:59
19. Alex Miller (NAM) 2:37:01
20. Jayde Julius (ProTouch)

General classification

1. Matt Beers (NAD Pro) 5:46:15
2. Willie Smit (NAD Pro) 5:48:18
3. Nico Bell (NAD Pro) 5:48:28
4. Wessel Botha (NAD Pro) 5:50:01
5. Dylan Girdelstone (OfficeGuru) 5:50:10
6. Marc Pritzen (officeGuru) 5:50:54
7. Calvin Beneke (Luso AC/DC) 5:51:25
8. Gawie Combrinck (NAD Pro) 5:55:22
9. Jayde Julius (ProTouch) 5:56:15
10. Alexander Worsdale (officeGuru) 5:56:28
11. Devin Shortt (Luso AC/DC) 5:59:22
12. Chris Jooste (Luso AC/DC) 6:01:09
13. Andrew Edwards (officeGuru) 6:01:45
14. Andries Nigrini (Luso AC/DC) 6:02:06
15. Jan Montshioa (Sampada) 6:02:36
16. Alwyn Steenkamp (Cycle Power) 6:03:44
17. Rohan du Plooy (ProTouch) 6:09:34
18. Mornay van Heerden (ProTouch) 6:10:06
19. Drickus Coetzee (Namibia) 6:10:17
20. Travis Barrett (OfficeGuru) 6:10:21.