Play day at the GR300 on Stage 2

The 2016 GR300 and GRLite riders had a day to remember on the awesome trails of the Garden Route Trail Park where Craig Boyes and Robyn de Groot were once again the first riders across the line.

The stage results will not count to the general classification standings though as a number of the overall contenders rode additional sections of trail on the Trail Park’s scintillating singletracks, leaving the Cycling South Africa commissaires with no option but to neutralise the stage times. The warren of trials in the forests of the Garden Route Trail Park are a mountain biker’s dream and while flying down the singletracks many riders simply took the line which seemed most natural, regardless of route markings. This ensured big smiles at the finish but created havoc for the time keepers trying to confirm the results.

Credit: Seamus Allardice.

Credit: Seamus Allardice.

For the non-competitive riders it was a tough but rewarding day. The singletracks kicked off within 1km of the start as the route followed one of the flow trails which provided options for the more confident riders to take to the air over little trail features. After the singletrack warm up the route headed upwards along forestry roads and it was here that the first splinters in the field began to form. By the first water point at the 20km mark the lead group consisted of Robert Sim, Renay Groustra, Craig Boyes, Christopher Wolhunter and Dylan Rebello. But Wolhuter looked to be struggling slightly with the pace Sim was setting on the climb and was distanced a few times before re-joining on the long descent which followed.

The beautiful forest roads between water points 1 and 2 provided some respite for the leaders and the more social riders alike. But the hard work and the fun began again at water point 2 when the route re-entered the Trail Park. The GR300 riders completed virtually every kilometre of the park’s trails while some riders did a little more – some getting confused in the trails and riding some sections twice, or skipping a section of trail entirely.

Credit: Seamus Allardice.

Rebello lead an every reducing group of riders into the singletracks and used his local knowledge to pin the trails. The only rider to stay on his wheel was Boyes who followed Rebello closely before outsprinting the younger rider on the 500m farm road run in to the finish at the Garden Route Trail Park Café.

In the women’s race Robyn de Groot was in a class of her own again coasting in to victory with Catherine Williamson in second and Yolandi du Toit in third.

Credit: Seamus Allardice.
Credit: Seamus Allardice.

With the results neutralised Sunday’s final stage will be vitally important and brings the likes of Doug Brown and Wolhuter back into contention after their struggles on Stage 2. The top four in the men’s race are separated by the 15 seconds which separated them after the sprint finish on Stage 1. Follow the action live on the pivotal third stage tomorrow on Twitter at @gardenroute300, from 07:00.