Events

Davids does double to take overall Summer Series title

· By Press Office · 0 comments

Brendon Davids rode hard and fast with Road Cover teammate Kent Main and crossed the finish line together after a long 135-kilometre distance on Day Two of the KZN Summer Series for Men in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday 26 March.

ccs-62657-0-67132400-1490604497.jpgTeam Road Cover’s Brendon Davids and Kent Main rode away to place first and second respectively on Day Two of the KZN Summer Series for Men in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday 26 March. Photo: Andrew McFadden/BOOGS Photography.

Davids and Main formed part of the initial leading bunch of close to thirty riders after losing many to the first climb of the day. 26 kilometres into the race however, Northcliff Cycles’ Alex Pavlov attempted and succeeded at an impressive breakaway, and rode away to a gap of one minute and 45 seconds.

The race was temporarily neutralised after a rider had an incident with a cow. Once the race continued, Pavlov soon fell behind and Davids, Main and Sampada Cycling Team’s Jan Montshioa made a break. After dropping Montshioa, Davids and Main then went ahead after hearing that Team BCX’s Calvin Beneke was hot on their heels.

ccs-62657-0-76230900-1490604792.jpgTeam BCX’s Clavin Beneke fought hard to hold on and finish in third place on the day and third place in the Series overall on Day Two of the KZN Summer Series for Men in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday 26 March. Photo: Andrew McFadden/BOOGS Photography

With 40 kilometres to go, Davids and Main had widened the gap over Beneke to more than three minutes. Beneke fought hard to stay put, which landed him in third position on the day.

“I think it’s really cool that the organisers have put on an event like this for the Elite South African riders,” said Beneke, who described today as a very hectic stage.

He said: “It was super hilly. Road Cover put the pressure on us and the course definitely suited them. Kent and Brendon rode away and I was stuck in no-man’s land for close to 40 kilometres. Myles van Musschenbroek and Ivan Venter caught up to me, and that’s how we finished.”

Beneke claimed the overall third place for the KZN Summer Series for Men Elite race, with Main in second and Davids with the overall victory.

ccs-62657-0-77614900-1490604498.jpgThe KZN Summer Series for Men took place in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 March. Photo: Andrew McFadden/BOOGS Photography.

Road Cover Team Manager Mark van der Merwe was chuffed with Davids’ double victory.

“We go to every race to win it,” said Van der Merwe. “We didn’t really know what everybody’s form was like because we all kept to the Cape Town Cycle Tour and Tour of Good Hope. We’ve all sort of been in holiday mode since then, training when we can. We haven’t really been full on the gas,” he added.

Van der Merwe spoke about Pietermaritzburg being the hometown of Davids and Bradley Potgieter. “When they come to a race like this it’s always motivation to race where they know,” he said.

When asked about today’s win, he said: “Having such a great result in the first day – this was just awesome. Seeing how the guys worked together out there – it was definitely one of the best team performances I think we’ve had in the last couple of years. To finish it off today was absolutely great.”

ccs-62657-0-80326800-1490604496.jpgWinner of the Junior race, Infinita’s Ryan Kelly on Day Two of the KZN Summer Series for Men in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday 26 March. Photo: Andrew McFadden/BOOGS Photography.

The Junior race was won by Infinita’s Ryan Terry with Pro Touch’s Ricardo Broxham in second and Saturday’s winner, Callum Ormiston in third place. When chatting about his race, Terry said: “Yesterday’s race wasn’t good for me because 10 kilometres before the finish I broke my derailleur and that was the end of the race for me. But today I arrived with a positive mind set. At about 30 kilometres in, I went into a break. I was alone from there. One of my teammates then caught up to me and bridged the gap, but at about 40 kilometres to the end I gave it everything I had, and I rode away with the win.”

PROVISIONAL SUMMARY OF RESULTS – 2017 KZN SUMMER SERIES FOR MEN DAY 2 (Sunday 26 March)

Elite Men

1.Brendon Davids 3:57:46.630
2.Kent Main 3:57:47.653
3.Calvin Beneke 4:01:31.651
4.Ivan Venter 4:01:32.740
5.Myles van Musschenbroek 4:01:52.899
6.Steven van Heerden 4:05:08.118
7.Travis Walker 4:05:09.306
8.James Fourie 4:05:11.022
9.Jan Montshioa 4:05:11.154
10.Chris Jooste 4:05:11.715

Junior Men

1.Ryan Terry 4:17:12.515
2.Ricardo Broxham 4:21:32.341
3.Callum Ormiston 4:29:01.758
4.Devin Shortt 4:31:09.203
5.Andries Nigrini 4:31:16.799
6.Esias Joubert 4:31:19.677
7.Ruben Helberg 4:31:21.195
8.Demarco Pillay 4:31:33.623
9.Imraan Gasant 4:31:46.445
10.Jean-Pierre Lloyd 4:35:20.694

For more information about the KZN Summer Series, click here: https://www.cyclingsa.com/2017-kzn-summer-series-for-men/.

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