Stage 2 of inaugural Gravel Burn sees repeat of opening day’s racing as sun finally comes out for South African challenge
It was a case of double delight for riders Matt Beers and Axelle Dubau-Prevot as the in-form duo followed up on their opening stage wins with further successes on day two of the Nedbank Gravel Burn in South Africa.
The pair, having battled through Sunday’s ‘brutal’ weather conditions to take the line in their respective races, repeated the feat on Monday’s Stage 2, as they trekked the 108km from Avontuur to Willowmore across the stunning Eastern Cape.
Thankfully, while the winners were the same, the weather was vastly improved as the 500 amateur and professional cyclists set out on a second leg that would see them climb 1,150m and enjoy their first experience of ‘champagne gravel’ – the term used to describe smooth, fast and open gravel roads.
Beers holds slender overall lead
Hometown favourite Beers now holds a slender one-minute lead over Swiss rider Simon Pellaud in the overall standings, with Lukas Baum of Germany sitting in third just behind them. Baum had finished Stage 2 in second place behind Beers, while Pellaud was in third.
Dubau-Prevot (FRA) leads the Pro Women ahead of Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (SA) and Melisa Rollins (USA), who finished Stage 2 in fourth and second places, respectively, with Haley Smith (CAN) finishing in third.
South African Beers said: “We all worked really well out there today. All three of us, me, Simon and Lukas, were trying to make time in the general classification, so it was a perfect scenario to have the two of them setting the pace at the front with me.
“Lukas set a super hard pace up the Shallot climb. It was really rough, and I sort of slipped a little bit, but I was able to bridge the gap, and Simon came with me. That was around 30 km into the stage, and after that we stayed together all the way to the finish.”
Beers and Baum broke clear in the final kilometres after dropping Pellaud, who continues to be in awe of the race leader.
“It was fast from the Shallot climb, and Lukas just pushed and pushed,” said Pellaud. “I struggled in the technical section and was on the limit the whole time. I was out of my comfort zone a few times, for sure. Matt is so strong; he has come back to South Africa from America in great shape. It’s really impressive.”
On the straight tar road finish into Willowmore, Beers just had the edge over Baum to win his second stage of the Nedbank Gravel Burn.
Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee finished Stage 2 in 27th place, leaving him in 27th place overall.
The Pro Women’s race saw Dubau-Prevot storm to victory by reeling in the leaders with just metres to go before the line in a most dramatic finish into Willowmore.
Shallot climb causes big problems
As with the Pro Men field, the decisive moment came on the first climb of the day, the Shallot, as riders were forced to weave their way up the rugged terrain. And once the pack had split, Dubau-Prevot waited patiently, biding her time, before pouncing for the win.
Rollins and South African Hayley Preen had managed to break free from the group, but after being caught by the chasers, Preen suffered a puncture and was forced to ride home ‘on the rim’ with no air in her rear tyre for a sixth-place finish.
“I thought it was an easy day to begin with, but by the end, that wasn’t the case at all,” said Dubau-Prevot. “The stage ended up being a good battle among all the leaders. I am really happy to get the win because Melisa was so strong out there today and such a great opponent.”
Dubau-Prevot said she walked for a short stretch on the Shallot climb, allowing Preen and
Rollins to create a gap at the front: “Ashleigh (Moolman-Pasio) came back and we rode
together with some of the other ladies to chase down the leaders. But that climb was where all the difference was made today.”
Still smiling after her second-place finish, Rollins said that the unknowns of the route were making for exciting racing: “I know nothing about anything. All I have is the race guide, which warned us about a steep, technical climb, so when I see something like that, I just think, ‘Go, go, go,’ and that’s what I did.
“I knew I had a gap coming into the finish. I didn’t know what the gap was or who was coming, but I looked back and saw Axelle coming fast – she closed me down right at the finish with around 50 metres or so to go. She is really strong, and it was great racing with her. It’s been a great fight with a strong field. I am feeling good; I think I’ll get stronger as the week goes on.”
Covering a total of 800km over seven days of challenging mountain passes in the Great Karoo plateau, the riders have started to make their way inland from the resort of Knysna to Blaauwater, before they head back out toward the sea and finish in the Shamwari Private Game Reserve.
Designed very much as a pro-am event by mastermind Kevin Vermaak, the event also includes a full-service package, which ensures all riders have a tent, food, provisions and mechanical support waiting for them when they arrive at the end of each stage.
Leading names from across the varying formats of cycling are taking part in this, the first-ever hosting of the 800km race, while the likes of Alistair Brownlee (GB), Cameron Wurf (AUS) and Ruth Astle (GB) from the world of triathlon are also competing.
Gravel Burn Stage 2 results and overall standings
Pro Men Stage 2 Results
1 Matthew Beers (Specialized Off-Road – Toyota) 2:55:18
2 Lukas Baum (Orbea x Leatt Speed Company) +1
3 Simon Pellaud (Tudor Pro Cycling) +14
4 Lawrence Naesen (Next Level Racing: Rapha – Orbea) +3:42
5 Marco Joubert (Imbuko ChemChamp Specialized) +3:42
Pro Men General Classification after Stage 2
1 Matthew Beers (Specialized Off-Road – Toyota) 5:49:37
2 Simon Pellaud (Tudor Pro Cycling) +1:03
3 Lukas Baum (Orbea x Leatt Speed Company) +1:46
4 Hugo Drechou (Numéro31.cc / Pinarello) +3:59
5 Tristan Nortje (Imbuko ChemChamp) +4:31
Pro Women Stage 2 Results
1 Axelle Dubau-Prevot (Numéro 31 par Café du Cycliste / Pinarello) 3:41:45
2 Melisa Rollins (Liv Racing Collective) +0
3 Haley Smith (Trek Driftless / MAAP / COROS / The Feed) +5
4 Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance Soul) +12
5 Lauren Stephens (Aegis Cycling Foundation) +17
Pro Women General Classification after Stage 2
1 Axelle Dubau-Prevot (Numéro 31 par Café du Cycliste / Pinarello) 7:13:15
2 Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance Soul) +13
3 Melisa Rollins (Liv Racing Collective) +1:46
4 Hayley Preen (ChemChamp Honeycomb 226ers) +2:07
5 Haley Smith (Trek Driftless/ MAAP/ COROS/ The Feed) +6:41
For a full list of all the results, click HERE to go to the Gravel Burn website.
