{"id":35735,"date":"2014-05-05T10:34:55","date_gmt":"2014-05-05T08:34:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/2014\/05\/rabie-and-combrinck-win-joberg2c\/"},"modified":"2014-05-05T10:34:55","modified_gmt":"2014-05-05T08:34:55","slug":"rabie-and-combrinck-win-joberg2c","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/rabie-and-combrinck-win-joberg2c\/","title":{"rendered":"Rabie and Combrinck win joBerg2c"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fortune smiled on Johann Rabie and Gawie Combrinck as they rode safely into Scottburgh to claim their maiden win in the nine-day Old Mutual joBerg2c mountain bike race on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast on Saturday.<\/p>\n

The EAI Cycling duo sprinted across the floating bridge on the Scottburgh lagoon to complete their 880km journey from Heidelberg on the outskirts of Johannesburg to the sea in 33:36:41.<\/p>\n

They finished three minutes clear of overnight leaders Waylon Woolcock and Darren Lill, who took the runner-up spot for Cannondale-Blend in 33:39:45.<\/p>\n

Max Knox and Kevin Evans of FedGroup-Itec outsprinted Rabie and Combrinck by a single second to win the final stage in 2:48:04, in the process securing third place in the overall standings in 34:45:27.<\/p>\n

Third on the stage belonged to Louis-Bresler Knipe and Craig Boyes of Contego, who came home in 2:55:48 to secure fourth overall in 35:26:47.<\/p>\n

South Africa’s longest fully serviced stage race was largely characterised by a ding-dong battle between EAI Cycling and Cannondale-Blend, with the teams claiming three and four stage wins respectively.<\/p>\n

While both pairs were alternately plagued by mechanical issues, it was Woolcock and Lill whose title hopes deflated when they suffered a serious blow-out 20km from the finish on the 84km final stage.<\/p>\n

Forced to stop for repairs, the Cannondale-Blend riders saw their overall lead of more than six minutes ebb away. They fought back to finish sixth on the stage in 2:57:51 to fall one place in the general classification.<\/p>\n

“I think it’s a bit unlucky for them but yesterday we had our bad luck again with two flats and a cracked rim,” said Rabie, who made his joBerg2c debut.<\/p>\n

“That’s the thing with mountain biking, it’s never over till it’s over – not even in the last 20km of a nine-day stage race.”<\/p>\n

Woolcock, the 2012 champion, said he and Lill were extremely disappointed with the result.<\/p>\n

“We came here to win; not to finish second. The stage wins were nice but we would have liked the overall title.”<\/p>\n

Woolcock said he had personally not felt on winning form during the tour.<\/p>\n

“But I rode myself in and, as we proved yesterday, we had the legs to set the fastest time on that part of the route.”<\/p>\n

In the women’s race, Valencia Girls’ Amy McDougall and Janine King took an uncontested overall victory in 40:35:55.<\/p>\n

They took their seventh stage win in 3:27:26 ahead of overall runners-up Brenda Potts and Sarah van Heerden of Old Mutual in 3:33:59 (42:55:29).<\/p>\n

Sasol Racing’s Yolande de Villiers and Franso Steyn won the stage in 3:07:52 and with it the mixed category (36:50:51). Second, in 3:12:41, were teammates Leana de Jager and Johan Labuschagne (37:16:51).<\/p>\n

Avis Van Rental’s Alison Richardson and Rob Dormehl took fifth on the stage in 3:27:30 to finish third overall (40:26:14).<\/p>\n

Old Mutual’s Mokaedi Dilotsotlhe said as the title sponsor they were delighted with the success and excitement of the fifth edition of the race.<\/p>\n

“We are especially proud of the economic contribution the race makes all along its journey to the finish. The joBerg2c is truly about racing, riding, touring and making a difference in these communities.”<\/p>\n

For updates, go to Facebook or follow @joBerg2c_journo. Alternatively, visit www.joberg2c.co.za.<\/p>\n

Stage 9 Results:<\/strong><\/p>\n