Matt Beers (Specialized Off-Road Toyota) won the inaugural Nedbank Gravel Burn today, finishing at Shamwari Private Game Reserve, just north of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. After seven days of racing that threw everything from hail to high temperatures to extreme wind at the riders, Beers managed to outlast his challengers with a powerful and precise performance. He walks away with a new title under his belt and $23 500 (approximately R406 000) in prize money.
“The Nedbank Gravel Burn definitely lived up to expectation,” said a champagne-soaked Beers on the finish line. “It was rough and tough, and throughout the week we dealt with everything from wild wind to hail and heat… Stage 6 was neutralised due to the extreme weather, so I am glad we got to race today and finish on a high.”
Beers added that the final stage of the event couldn’t have gone any better for him. “Everything went right today. It was a really nice route. The weather was good. I had no issues and felt strong from the start, so at the final climb I was able to attack and roll away from Simon.”
Stage 7 started in cool, calm conditions at the Gwanishi Burn Camp and took riders 112km to the final finish line of the event at Shamwari Private Game Reserve. At the start of the day, the Pro Men’s race hung in the balance, with Swiss rider Simon Pellaud (Tudor Pro Cycling) only 33 seconds behind Beers in the General Classification.
Beers had said overnight that he anticipated Pellaud to go all out on the stage, but Beers proved to be the stronger rider on the home stretch.
Pellaud, competitive all week at the sharp end of the racing, said he just didn’t have the legs to chase down the South African favourite. “I was just completely dead. Today was my worst day on the bike all week. Overall, though, it’s been a great experience. We started in rain, then it was freezing, then hot and windy, then the hail came – but today was a beautiful day to end a great race.”
At one point in the week, it looked like Beers might be fading, with Pellaud getting stronger with every kilometre. “It was such a tight race all week,” said Beers. “Simon is such a strong rider, so it was a great battle. I was hurting a little bit on the middle stages when riding at altitude and he is super strong when riding in those conditions. But as we got closer to the coast, I could feel my power coming back.” Beers added that he h opes the event goes from strength to strength, “then I can tell people when I am old and fat that I won the very first Nedbank Gravel Burn.”
In a race stacked with top pros from around the world, Stage 7 turned out to be an exceptional day for South African cyclists. After early attacks from Georg Egger, Lukas Baum (both Orbea x Leatt Speed Company), and Lukas Pöstlberger (Rose Racing Circle), Travis Stedman (Team Toyota Specialized) won the stage, with Beers coming second after a discussion between the two riders in the final kilometres. Tristan Nortje (Imbuko ChemChamp) completed the all-South African top three.
“So happy with that win,” said an elated Stedman. “It’s been great fun to be out here, racing hard against some top guys on our gravel bikes. It’s been tough but enjoyable. I think it’s great that we had three South Africans at the top today; I’m very happy with the performance today. It all went so well.”
Pro Men Stage 7 Results
1 Travis Stedman – Team Toyota Specialized – 3:14:14
2 Matthew Beers – Specialized Off-Road Toyota – +7
3 Tristan Nortje – Imbuko ChemChamp – +15
4 Lukas Pöstlberger – Rose Racing Circle – +1:29
5 Lukas Baum – Orbea x Leatt Speed Company – +2:20
Pro Men General Classification Final
1 Matthew Beers – Specialized Off-Road Toyota – 19:01:03
2 Simon Pellaud – Tudor Pro Cycling – +5:26
3 Hugo Drechou – Numéro31.cc / Pinarello – +8:56
4 Tristan Nortje – Imbuko ChemChamp – +9:27
5 Lukas Baum – Orbea x Leatt Speed Company – +10:41
For full stage results and final General Classification, click here.
