![\"Willie-Smit-yellow.jpg\"](\"https:\/\/wp-media.bikehub.co.za\/production\/uploads\/2023\/02\/ccs-2-0-16741400-1372405045.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWillie Smit (left) leads the four-man breakaway group during the third stage of the Bestmed USSA student cycle tour in Port Elizabeth on Thursday. <\/em><\/span><\/span>Photo: Coetzee Gouws\/Full Stop Communications<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Smit added the 120km queen stage \u2013 and the day\u2019s sprint prime \u2013 to his tally after claiming the 83km opening road stage and 15km individual time-trial at the national student championships on Wednesday.<\/p>\n The Team Bonitas pro went clear of a four-man lead group in the closing kilometres to take a convincing win in 3:17:51 for an overall time of 5:46:53.<\/p>\n Hans-Werner Heuer of Stellenbosch University claimed the runner-up spot in 3:19:32. He was chased to the line by Shukuma-NMMU\u2019s Marinus Prinsloo, who finished five seconds back.<\/p>\n Heuer and Prinsloo occupy the same positions in the general classification with aggregate times of 5:50:54 and 5:51:11 respectively.<\/p>\n Prinsloo also put on a powerhouse climbing display to take both King of the Mountain hotspots.<\/p>\n The host institution, which last won the event in 2008, now leads the team classification.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a team, we\u2019re very happy today,\u201d said Prinsloo.<\/p>\n \u201cOur main goal for the tour is to get a podium in the team classification. The individual positions are a bonus for us.\u201d<\/p>\n Overnight leader Smit started conservatively in the wet conditions as his team paced hard upfront.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t do a lot of work seeing as I have the yellow jersey \u2013 all I had to do was defend it. My team did a brilliant job.\u201d<\/p>\n Then, 40km into the race, the first of two demanding laps started.<\/p>\n \u201cI told them to make it as hard as possible on the second lap when we hit the big 5K Hill climb and there was a small break that went on the climb. I think it was about 70km into the race.\u201d<\/p>\n This effectively split the race into the lead group of four riders, which also included Adriaan Louw of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, and a chasing bunch of 12.<\/p>\n