![\"ccs-62657-0-26694500-1524991262.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-26694500-1524991262.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a>The early climb up Magoebaskloof Pass brought the climbers to the fore as teams worked cohesively to aide their front riders in the race for the GC positions on Stage 4 of the Tour de Limpopo from Tzaneen to Polokwane on Thursday 26 April 2018 \u00a9 HaydsBrown<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cWe wanted to go on an early move and get some guys up the climb first and hopefully Clint could jump over, but unfortunately Gustav and Jayde marked him and wouldn’t let him go,\u201d said Van Heerden. \u201cTowards the end after most of the climbs, our plan changed a bit with Clint not getting any gaps in the bunch. We decided to ride for the stage and it worked out perfectly, one-two-three, so we\u2019re happy with that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The final stage took the teams from Tzaneen back to Polokwane however there was no plain sailing as the peloton approached the base of the majestic 11km Magoebaskloof Pass. From there, the undulating route took riders back to the finish, where three laps of 2.89km around the Sports Precinct were completed.<\/p>\n
From early on, Jaco van Dyk and Jason Oosthuizen (ACDC Luso) animated the race with several attacks with Team BCX. Team MCB\u2019s Christopher Lagane was also prominent in the mix as they charged up the pass with Jan Montshiao and Songezo Jim (Sampada), Redwan Ebrahim, Kiflom Gebreselassie and Temesgen Buru (World Cycling Centre Africa Mixed Team), James Fourie, Jayde Julius and Gustav Basson (ProTouch Sports), Pritzen and Clint Hendricks (Team BCX) and Dirk Coetzee (Officeguru Racing).<\/p>\n Retaining the yellow jersey was ProTouch Sport\u2019s Gustav Basson, marking all the BCX moves with his teammates in a valiant effort to protect the yellow jersey. \u201cProTouch came to the tour to win,\u201d said Basson. \u201cWe try and win the races that we take part in, we work as a team and try to win as a team. The boys rode phenomenally today, if it wasn’t for them this wouldn’t be possible. Our management team has also been outstanding \u2013 Tony Harding and Brad and Sasha Eliot \u2013 helping us in the car and with everything that we do makes it all possible. It is nice to give back to the other guys as well.<\/p>\n \u201cWe knew that BCX was coming to race and they also wanted to win. The guys controlled everything for us, I feel like I had a free ride today. Mitch and Myles were controlling the front up to the climb and Pops and Jayde up and over the climb \u2013 it’s a proper team and it\u2019s nice racing when everything works and comes together.\u201d<\/p>\n Serbian-registered team Java Partizan Pro Cycling thoroughly enjoyed the South African sunshine and hospitality. Belgian Mehdi Tigrine relished the terrain and warm autumn climate, while teammates Martin Ford and Dominic Schils were adamant they would return to train and race.<\/p>\n \u201cThe race was an amazing experience,\u201d said Tigrine. \u201cThe race organisation was good, the hotels as well. There were some problems today and on stage two during the race but in the future the race organisation needs more police on the road. But apart from these two cases everything was perfect for me and our team. I hope to come back to South Africa again to race.\u201d<\/p>\n When asked about the \u201ctouring\u201d aspect, Tigrine said, \u201cWe\u2019ve booked a day trip to the Kruger National Park on Friday and our wish is to see the Big 5.<\/p>\n<\/a>The four race jerseys \u2013 Gustav Basson (yellow \u2013 ProTouch Sports), James Fourie (polka \u2013 ProTouch Sports), Jayde Julius (red \u2013 ProTouch Sports) and Clint Hendricks (green \u2013 Team BCX) \u2013 sticking tightly together for most of the race with Christopher Lagane (Team MCB) and Jason Oosthuizen (ACDC Luso) driving hard on Stage 4 of the Tour de Limpopo from Tzaneen to Polokwane on Thursday 26 April 2018 \u00a9 HaydsBrown<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Steven van Heerden launched several attacks and rode out front with Redwan Salih Ebrahim (World Cycling Centre Africa Mixed Team) at one point on Stage 4 of the Tour de Limpopo from Tzaneen to Polokwane on Thursday 26 April 2018 \u00a9 HaydsBrown<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Clint Hendricks (Team BCX) was a marked man as all his moves were closed down by his challengers on Stage 4 of the Tour de Limpopo from Tzaneen to Polokwane on Thursday 26 April 2018 \u00a9 HaydsBrown<\/span><\/p>\n