Rourke Croeser (Kargo Pro MTB) claimed a vital victory in the 60km Illovo Eston Marathon, the feature race of the Illovo Eston MTB Challenge, as he builds towards the UCI MTB Trials World Championships. Photo: Anthony Grote / Gameplan Media
As the UCI MTB Trials World Championships draw nearer South African Under 23 star Rourke Croeser claimed a major morale boosting victory when he edged out James Reid and Brendon Davids in a dramatic sprint finish to take Sunday’s 60km Illovo Marathon.
The three top men’s competitors rode the entire race with each other, leaving little room for anything else but a sprint finish to decide the winner in which Croeser (Kargo Pro MTB) gain the ascendency and the inside line with just a couple hundred meters to go, giving him the edge over Reid (Craft/Trek) and Davids (Team Jeep) at the death.
Being in the top three within the last kilometre was something that Croeser had been working towards all race and felt that he would have enough power to claim the title should it come down to the likely sprint finish.
“I had a really good race and James (Reid) rode really well too,” Croeser said. “I just had to make sure that I was with the other guys at the end of the final climb because I backed my sprint in the final kilometre and I felt confident I could win it if I was there.”
World Champs, the pinnacle of the of the global MTB calendar, get underway at the end of the month at Cascades MTB Park and Croeser feels that he is heading in the right direction ahead of the international spectacle.
“I am at about 80% at the moment but I definitely will be ready,” enthused Croeser. “There is still a long way to go for me but this result was great for my preparations for the World Champs.”
Related articles
