Sunday Tribune Jeep Hill 2 HIll

[TimW]

BRENDON Davids made sure there was no repeat of his disappointment from two years ago when he won the 10 Anniversary Sunday Tribune Jeep Hill 2 Hill in convincing fashion on Sunday.

 

The talented Kargo Pro Team rider was cruelly beaten into third position in a three-way sprint for the title after 100km of intense racing in 2013, but on Sunday made sure there was no chance of a repeat heartbreak when he broke away with 30km to go and held on to beat Andrew Hill by two minutes.

 

However his joy meant a déjà vu disappointment for runner-up Hill who fell short by a narrow margin for the second year in a row, with Davids securing victory in virtually identical fashion to the way in which James Reid clinched the title last year.

 

Last year Reid made the decisive race-winning 31kms from the finish, just before the dreaded Hill ‘n Dale climb, this year Hill was with his main rival as they hit the foot of the climb with 30km to go but as the crested the steep ascent he was 25 seconds off the pace and drifted further back for the rest of the race.

 

Leeroy Emslie was also gapped on the climb and ended third, holding of Tyrone White who fought back to fourth after a puncture stopped his challenge for the win when he was in the lead group. 

Derrin Smith claimed fifth by overtaking the up and coming Sthembiso Masango near the finish after the latter had ridden himself into contention podium place with a powerful second-half surge.

 

In perfect cool, dry and windless conditions Jeannie Dreyer used the fitness she has picked up on two mammoth rides, a ten-repeat ride up and down Sani Pass in July and a 900km race in the United States in August, to claim her second women’s title.

 

The 2013 Champion claimed the Queen of the Hill prize 25km into the race and was never challenged as she steadily rode away from the rest of the female competitors. Hayley Smith and Desiree Verwey fought a race-long battle for second, seven minutes back from Dreyer, with the South Coast youngster eventually beating her North Coast rival by just over a minute.

 

On Saturday, in the 45km race, Julian Jessop, fresh from his 14th place at the junior World Championships last weekend, decimated the men's field, while Frankie du Toit, also just returned from the World Champs in Andorra, prevailed in a tight women's event.

Jessop broke away from Jedson Tooms about ten kilometres into the race from Cato  Ridge to Shongweni and then rode a solo time-trial to a solid three-minute win, despite a fall near the finish.

In the women's race, Du Toit had to work hard over the first 20 kilometres before finally getting a small gap over 15-year-old Tiffany Keep which she was able to slowly grow over the hills in the final 20 kilometres two eventually win by just over two minutes.

100km results: 1 Brendon Davids 3.37.44, 2 Andrew Hill 3.39.46, 3 Leeroy Emslie 3.42.28, 4 Tyronne White 3.43.00, 5 Derrin Smith 3.47.06, 6 Sthembiso Masango 3.47.06, 7 Ryan Piercey 3.49.17, 8 Jarred Higgins 3.50.23, 9 Matthew Wilkinson 3.50.54, Stuart Marais 3.51.59.

Women: 1 Jeannie Dreyer 4.23.15, 2 Hayley Smith 4.29.51, 3 Desiree Verwey 4.31.26, 4 Brenda Potts, 4.40.16, 5 Sarah van Heerden 4.43.45