Hendricks claims fourth stage of annual Tour de Limpopo

It was a foreign but friendly take-over after the fourth and final stage of the annual Tour de Limpopo with Dimension Data Continental team members Samuele Battistella (11:38.43) and Connor Brown (11:39.07) of Italy claiming overall victory and the third podium position respectively.
South African rider Kent Main took the second overall position with a combined time over the four stage of 11:38.44.
The race saw an interesting finish at the old Peter Mokaba Stadium as Alfa Bodyworks Giant cyclist Hendrik Kruger’s amateur mistake of celebrating victory too early cost him the gold medal when Pro Touch Continental rider Clint Hendricks snugged up on him and pipped him on the finish line during the fourth and final stage on Saturday.
Jason Oosthuizen of TEG Continental clocked in in third place.
Polokwane saw the start of the second stage of the Tour de Limpopo on Thursday as cyclist made their way to Tzaneen. The fourth stage concluded back in Polokwa­ne after cyclists had to endure the challenging route across Magoebaskloof on Saturday.
Speaking about the last stage Battistella was quoted in a press release saying: “There was a climb in the early part of the race, so we just rode a regular pace to drop some of the riders. On the top, I saw that two guys were ahead and I managed to get third place in the King of the Mountain. This has been a good tour for the team and for me as I am preparing for the Giro d’Italia under 23 race. My team mates have been very strong and supported me a lot, so I am very happy with the victory.”
For Hendricks the Tour de Limpopo was one of the biggest races for the year so far. “I didn’t come here with all the fire power as I was sick about two weeks before the tour started. The tour was really good this year, the level of racing was very high and there were more international teams.”
After the finish a disappointed Kruger said in an interview it was a hard day from the gun. “I had no ambition to win the sprint, so I didn’t contest for that, but I was going for King of the Mountain and I needed that gap up the mountain. I got into another move to the finish. Fortunately we stuck to the line and I made an amateur mistake to celebrate too early and lost the win, so it’s a bitter-sweet finish for me,” Kruger said.
Chief Executive Officer of Limpopo Tourism Agency Nomasonto Ndlovu said in a press release after the event that it was once again an event Limpopo can be proud off. “We are proud we were the first in the country and in the SADC region to introduce this massive edition of the cycling race. I am grateful we were this year able to add another gem to the race, showcasing the Waterberg region. This event should not only take place without leaving a legacy in areas along its route as well as we should see some upcoming young cyclists start teams that will eventually compete at this level,” she said.

Story and photos: RC Myburgh
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