JOCK TOUR 2016 (My Experience)
What a wonderful experience it was. First race back in 2 months joining Team RoadCover. To be honest I really did not know what to expect. It was my first Clavicle Fracture as a Pro Cyclist a few weeks ago. My preparation did not go as planned. I always knew this day would come, just not so soon. Anyway as painful as it was I've long forgotten about it.
The first stage presented a challenging "uphill" ITT. JC Nel managed to outclass most of us by winning overall with 5 seconds. After a few mechanicals I had to settle for 3rd place- 15 seconds off the pace. To be honest I was really shitting bricks. Bad legs or day... Perhaps. But before I move on... WOW, What a sensation Mornay van Heerden has become. Less than a minute off the winning time for the 19 year old on a normal bike. Enough Said.
The second stage of Jock started at Mbombela Staduim - Whiteriver - Sabie and back. I did not expect the general classification to change much as there would be more than 50km to go after the final big climb out of Sabie. But to my surprise, with team tactics playing out very well for us, we managed to distance the yellow jersey at the top of Spitskop forming a five man break in pursuit of the break-away leading through Sabie. After joining the first break of the day on Longtom pass Mornay, Nico and Myself opened up the taps to quickly pulled away on the final kilometers of Longtom Pass. We worked well together and opened up the gap to the rest of the field all the way from there. Mornay and myself managed 1st and 3rd respectively for Team RoadCover.
Stage three of Jock Tour features two monumental climbs known to most people in Nelspruit and South Africa as Boulders and Hilltop. Boulders is the first climb which comes quite early and which is also the most crucial one of the two, followed by Hilltop in the final 15 kilometers. As expected the break of the day went quite early, just before Boulders, with my teammate Kent Main there to keep an eye on things. I felt good going over Boulders and decided to put it all on the line and wait for the final climb, Hilltop. I rode as conservatively as possible with Clint Hendriks and Brad looking after me, making sure I had to waste no extra energy in the wind or feeding. I learned a new trick in France which definitely makes their Job easier. Squeezing a bottle into my pants while riding. No need to stop for a nature break, when the pressure is on. Ultimately no need for my Team to pace me back.
With a strong Team performance unfolding the least I could do was to give it my best shot. With a section of Hilltop being headwind I had to be patient. I had to wait for the final kilometer before launching whatever was left in the tank. At the end of the day it was never about getting over the climb first but actually sustaining the effort all the way to the end. I knew Nico Bell is one of the fastest guys in SA when it comes to going fast on the flats and downhills. But fortunately for me my gap over the climb was decent enough to finish it off.
Like i've mentioned before, the Team has always been the foundation of my and the Teams success. Its never been about finding the best riders and trying to make a puzzle out of it. Cause it will never fit. There is an African Proverb that says, If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far, go together. Massive thanks to our sponsors who made this all possible. Eugene, Colin, George, Nic and Mark. Its been such a journey so far. One I hope lasts for many more years to come.
