![\"ccs-62657-0-92091800-1538912191.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-92091800-1538912191.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>Image credit: Berg & Bush.<\/span><\/p>\nBeukes and Buys started the final 48km third stage on Sunday with a two-second deficit to Nico Bell and Matt Beers (NAD Pro) after losing out on the final sprint on Day 2. But on Sunday they planned not to leave the final result dependant on a finish sprint and were quickest up the Spioenkop climb which was enough to secure the overall victory.<\/p>\n
On the mini-climbs leading up to the main section of the historic battle site, Beukes and Buys began to make things tough in preparation for the steep climb up to the top of the mountain.<\/p>\n \u201cAs soon as we hit the gravel road, even before we hit the gate that signals the start of the main climb, we made it difficult for the others,\u201d said Beukes after celebrating the victory at the finish.<\/p>\n \u201cYesterday we saw Nico struggling on some of the climbs but they were just a bit too short for us to get away.<\/p>\n \u201cSo we knew today we needed to make it as hard as possible and began attacking early and then on the steep part of the climb we got a gap and just pinned it on the downhill \u2013 that was so much fun.\u201d<\/p>\n On the 14km descent off Spioenkop down to the finish it was a super-fast downhill time-trial between the leading teams. As they weaved their way through the single-track descent the PYGA riders managed to open the gap from \u201cabout 20 seconds\u201d at the top to just under a minute at the finish and so claim victory by 54 seconds.<\/p>\n In the women\u2019s race, Amy McDougall and Samantha Sanders (dormakaba) were never challenged and wrapped up their hat-trick of victories and won their category overall by a substantial 50 minutes ahead of Hayley Smith and Christie-Leigh Hearder (Bell Equipment).<\/p>\n Despite the large winning margin, McDougall said it was not so simple.<\/p>\n<\/a>Image credit: Berg & Bush.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Image credit: Berg & Bush.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Image credit: Berg & Bush.<\/span><\/p>\n