Nedbank Gravel Burn: Stage 5

After taking the first four stages easy and enjoying the pure South African gravel adventure, Double Olympic MTB champion Thomas Pidcock (GBR) targeted stage 5.

Recently finishing third in GC at the Vuelta and winning the iconic Alp D’Huez mountain summit at the Tour de France 2022 he is one of the world’s most versatile cyclists. He took the win after 137km and 1.580m with a 43s lead ahead of the current European MTB Marathon champion Andreas Seewald from Germany and Swiss Simon Pellaud in third who’s sitting 2 ^nd in General Classification.

Pellaud made up some time in the Overall by claiming back 24s from the overall leader Matt Beers (RSA) who came in 5^th and still leading by 33s. In the women race, the French Gravel Champion Axelle Dubau-Prevot who had back luck with a puncture yesterday and lost the leader jersey, showed a great performance today by winning the stage with 5:01:32. In second Lauren Stephens from the US and the Overall Leader Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio from South Africa who completed the podium. Moolman-Pasio will be wearing the coveted orange leader jersey going into tomorrow’s queen stage.