Brendon Davids continued his recent run of good form with victory in the coveted Sunday Tribune Jeep Hill2Hill mountain bike marathon from Hilton to Hillcrest on Sunday however Andrew Hill’s second place secured him a record fourth consecutive Quattro ROAG Series title while Jeannie Dreyer all but sewed up the women’s series spoils.
After struggling for form at the start of the season, along with some poor luck, Davids has come good of late with Sunday’s podium topping effort his third back-to-back victory on the local marathon circuit.
A fascinating tussle unfolded at the Sunday Tribune Jeep Hill2Hill MTB marathon, the penultimate event of the 2015 Quattro ROAG Series, between Kargo Pro MTB Team’s Brendon Davids (left), TIB Insurance’s Andrew Hill (middle), Team Thule’s Tyronne White (right) and Leigh’s Cycle Centre’s Leeroy Emslie. Jon Ivins/ Gameplan Media
The win will however be a bittersweet result for the Kargo Pro MTB team rider though as TIB Insurance’s Hill charged to yet another Quattro ROAG Series crown when he finished the 100km tussle shortly after Davids and ahead of Leeroy Emslie of Leigh’s Cycle Centre and Team Thule’s Tyronne White.
The result not only sees Hill hold off his nearest 2015 series title rivals but he in fact extends his advantage over the rest with just the Quattro Lake Eland Classic, the ninth and final leg of the 2015 Quattro ROAG Series, still to come.
“I came into this year’s series thinking if it (winning a fourth title) happens then it happens but not really expecting too much,” said TIB Insurance’s Hill.
“I’ve been quite fortuitous this season but at the same time, I think if you keep putting the hard graft in then hopefully the rewards will come.
“I’m not really one for records but winning four series titles in a row is something that I guess could take some beating in years to come due to the tremendous depth of talent that continues to come through the mountain biking ranks in KZN,” he added.
TIB Insurance’s Andrew Hill’s second place at the recent Sunday Tribune Jeep Hill2Hill MTB marathon handed him a record fourth Quattro ROAG Series title. Jon Ivins/ Gameplan Media
USN/Hi-Tec’s Jeannie Dreyer’s victory in the Sunday Tribune Jeep Hill2Hill sees her well on track to win the women’s title of the 2015 Quattro ROAG Series. Jon Ivins/ Gameplan Media
The women’s tussle soon became the Dreyer show as she surged to the front of the pack right from the get-go and was unrivalled throughout the clash after the last minute withdrawal by pre-race favourite Mariske Strauss (Novus OMX Pro) due to illness left her peerless at the front.
Dreyer’s victory comes as her fifth of this year’s Quattro ROAG Series and with six results to count and her significantly superior points advantage, the USN/Hi-Tec ace now has both hands firmly on this year’s women’s trophy.
Jowett Cycles Natalie Bergstrom still has a mathematical chance of catching Dreyer however given Bergstrom’s patient journey back from injury the chance of anyone but Dreyer claiming the series’ top honours in 2015 is small.
The 2015 Quattro ROAG Series is a nine leg series that sees all of KZN’s top mountain bikers doing battle for the coveted title and the winner’s cheque of R22 000 for both the male and female overall winners. More information can be found at www.roagseries.co.za.
