![\"ccs-62657-0-74472600-1407146859.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-62657-0-74472600-1407146859.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nKargo Pro MTB Team’s Rourke Croeser (center) narrowly edged out Trek South Africa’s Brendon Davids (right) and FedGroup ITEC’s Max Knox (left) to win the 60km Illovo Marathon, the feature race of the 2014 Illovo Eston MTB Challenge. \/\/ Image credit: Anthony Grote\/ Gameplan Media. <\/span><\/p>\n In 2013 Croeser narrowly edged out Trek South Africa\u2019s James Reid and Brendon Davids and while may not have been quite as tight as last year\u2019s dice, it came down to the final few hundred meters for the Kargo Pro MTB Team rider once more as he again pipped Davids and FedGroup ITEC\u2019s Max Knox to the post.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was great to come here and win again,\u201d said Croeser. \u201cAs a team came here looking for a win for the team and not necessarily the individual so the fact that we were able to do that and then I was able to retain my title at the same time is really awesome!\u201d<\/p>\n Hot, dry and dusty conditions greeted the riders on Sunday morning and the writing was on the wall from as early as the first four kilometers as Davids and Croeser went head to head for the King of the Mountains hotspot prize, Croeser eventually clinching the early accolades by a matter of centimeters.<\/p>\n \u201cEston always brings a really good field. Brendon (Davids) rode well, Max (Knox) rode well and a couple of the youngsters also really rode well so it was a really tough race all the way through,\u201d said Croeser.<\/p>\n \u201cMyself and Brendon took the race up to the King of the Mountains and we got a little gap which ultimately caused the field to split.<\/p>\n \u201cIt soon became a group of five of us at the front and then it was a three horse race.<\/p>\n \u201cBrendon and I threw a couple of attacks at Max which gave us a slight gap at one stage but he managed to ride himself back up to us and so it was then all about getting the end sprint right which I\u2019m stoked to have been able to do,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n After Davids lead proceedings into the final few hundred meters before making a crucial mistake which saw him finish third last year, the under-23 athlete was pleased with his effort this time around.<\/p>\n \u201cOne place better than last year and while it is still a little disappointing having not won, it\u2019s still nice to have got a really good result,\u201d said Davids.<\/p>\n \u201cRourke and I took the bull by the horns and made racing as hard as possible right from the King of the Mountains and then I knew that if it came down to a sprint I\u2019d have to try take it from a long way out so I went with about two kilometers to go but Rourke managed to ride back onto me with about five hundred meters to go and hats off to him on taking the win.\u201d<\/p>\n Knox rounded out the podium ahead of TIB Insurance\u2019s Andrew Hill before Travis Walker and Stuart Marias finished fifth and sixth respectively to make it three out of the top six for the Kargo outfit.<\/p>\n The women\u2019s race was one of attrition for Dreyer who almost didn\u2019t make it to Sunday\u2019s start line after having been struck down by a nasty stomach bug however the USN\/Hi-TEC rider dug deep and bravely fought her way to a rare back-to-back Illovo Eston title.<\/p>\n USN\/Hi-TEC’s Jeannie Dreyer had to dig deep to fight off sickness as she clinched her second consecutive victory in the women’s race of the 60km Illovo Marathon, the feature race of the 2014 Illovo Eston MTB Challenge. \/\/ Image credit: Anthony Grote\/ Gameplan Media. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt really is a very special win for me today!\u201d said a drained Dreyer afterwards. \u201cI have had a bit of an upset tummy and nearly didn\u2019t race but when I heard there were almost 3000 entries, I thought \u2018Flip, it would be so good to be the best girl on the day here!\u2019 and it\u2019s great to have done just that!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI wasn\u2019t sure if any of the girls were on my tail at any stage of the race so I just put my head down and tried to stick with the guys coming past me and keep my momentum going which really seemed to help me and pulled me to the finish!<\/p>\n \u201cIt really is such a phenomenal event with a phenomenal route. The course is opposite to what we did last year so there were parts I did recognize as well as some great new sections of single track and it was just a phenomenal day to be riding here,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n It soon became apparent that her own demons would be her biggest obstacle on the day with Dryer eventually crossing the line ten minutes ahead of second place finisher, Coffeeberry\/VELOlife\u2019s Natalie Bergstrom, while Time Freight VELOlife\u2019s junior rider Frankie du Toit finished third to claim a memorable senior podium.<\/p>\n The day\u2019s festivities also included the action of the 40km aQuell\u00e9 Half Marathon where Joshua Nelson and Julieann Hampson walked away with the men\u2019s and women\u2019s spoils respectively while Jett Bradshaw and Tiffany Keep were the fastest male and female riders home in the hugely popular 18km Tala\/aQuell\u00e9 Family Ride through Tala Game Reserve.<\/p>\n Scores of young cycling enthusiasts also tackled the 10km STIHL Kids Ride and it was all smiles as exciting adventure came to an end for the participants at Eston Club.<\/p>\n<\/a> Kargo Pro MTB Team’s Rourke Croeser (left) pipped Trek South Africa’s Brendon Davids to the post to clinch the King of the Mountain award as well as the overall win in the 60km Illovo Marathon, the feature race of the 2014 Illovo Eston MTB Challenge. \/\/ Image credit: Anthony Grote\/ Gameplan Media. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n