Video: Highlights From Round 3 of the South African XCO Cup
Race Highlights From Round 3 of the SA XCO Cup - Produced by WILD AIR Sports
UCI points were up for grabs at the South African XCO Cup Round 3 presented by Insect Science. The beautiful and remote Summerplace Game Reserve an incredible location for South Africa’s best to come together for a heated battle, with the addition of one Aussie!
3 hours North of Johannesburg, the reserve located in the Waterberg has a formidably technical track that puts even the most seasoned XCO racers to the test. At 4.3km long with 185m of elevation gain per lap set at 1350 meters above sea level, the hard work isn’t only due to the unyielding technicality of the terrain.
Watch the riders go shoulder to shoulder in contest for precious UCI and SA Cup points in the Waterberg!
The pace was hot off the start at Round 3 of the SA XCO Cup though an incredibly technical track would certainly make it difficult to sustain a high trail speed.
Junior rider Lillian Baber, who calls Summerplace Game Reserve home, shows how comfortable she is on on the sizeable jumps common to this track.
The beauty of Summerplace Game Reserve undoubtedly added to the atmosphere of the event. The location is remote and the riders made the most of the time out there, enjoying the trip, catching up with fellow competitors, and the slow pace of the bushveld.
Elite mens winner Phil Buys of team Pyga Eurosteel dropping into the most consequential feature on the track, Red Rock Roll. This rugged and near vertical obstacle claimed some skin and pride from a good few riders on race day.
It was a track of 2 halves, one relentlessly physical and the other incorporating more flow and mellow terrain. The Summer Flow jump line was a firm favourite among the riders!
Results
Elite Men
1st - Philip Buys (01:29:13)
2nd - Johan van Zyl (+ 02:14)
3rd - Arno Du Toit (+ 03:05)
4th - Keagan Bontekoning (+ 03:33)
5th - Cameron Wright (+ 05:06)
Junior Boys
1st - Ernest Roets (01:08:12)
2nd - Massimilliano Ambrosi (+ 00:09)
3rd - Justin Swanepoel (+ 01:41)
4th - Ruan Janse van Vuuren (+ 02:02)
5th - Jordan Boshoff (+ 03:16)
1st - Philip Buys (01:29:13)
2nd - Johan van Zyl (+ 02:14)
3rd - Arno Du Toit (+ 03:05)
4th - Keagan Bontekoning (+ 03:33)
5th - Cameron Wright (+ 05:06)
Junior Boys
1st - Ernest Roets (01:08:12)
2nd - Massimilliano Ambrosi (+ 00:09)
3rd - Justin Swanepoel (+ 01:41)
4th - Ruan Janse van Vuuren (+ 02:02)
5th - Jordan Boshoff (+ 03:16)
Elite Women
1st - Mariske Strauss (01:33:23)
2nd - Candice Lill (+ 04:05)
3rd - Karla Stumpf (+ 19:47)
4th - Liz Pretorious (-1 lap)
5th - Anneke Van Der Walt (-1 lap)
Junior Girls
1st - Tyler Jacobs (01:04:50)
2nd - Lillian Baber (+ 05:24)
3rd - Madison Mann (+ 13:50)
4th - Riley Smith ( + 15:42)
5th - Anna Marx (+ 15:59)
1st - Mariske Strauss (01:33:23)
2nd - Candice Lill (+ 04:05)
3rd - Karla Stumpf (+ 19:47)
4th - Liz Pretorious (-1 lap)
5th - Anneke Van Der Walt (-1 lap)
Junior Girls
1st - Tyler Jacobs (01:04:50)
2nd - Lillian Baber (+ 05:24)
3rd - Madison Mann (+ 13:50)
4th - Riley Smith ( + 15:42)
5th - Anna Marx (+ 15:59)
Catch the full interviews with the Elite Men HERE and Elite Women HERE.
Great to see riders who can be competitive between the tape but still good mates after the racing is done! Candice Lill and Mariske Strauss will be off in Europe racing on the World Cup circuit in the coming weeks.
A huge thank you goes out to Insect Science and Summerplace Game Reserve for putting on a spectacular event in a beautiful little corner of the world.
Dom Barnardt worked tirelessly behind the lens to capture the scenes of the day!
The 2022 SA XCO Cup will wrap up with the 4th and final round at Thaba Trails in Gauteng province on the 4th of June.
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