Toyota Specialized rolled across the lawns of Kaleo Guest Farm to claim the team\u2019s second
\nsuccessive Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen, victory on Sunday, 11
\nFebruary. Matt Beers backed up his 2023 winning effort, by securing three stage victories en route to
\nthe 2024 title, alongside new teammate Alex Miller. The South African\/Namibian combination were
\njoined beaten to the line, on the day, by KMC-Ridley while Imbuko Pro Cycling the Bulls Mavericks
\nstood alongside Toyota Specialized on the general classification podium.
\nBeers and Miller had got the race off to a perfect start on Thursday, 8 February, by winning the 26
\nkilometre opening stage. KMC-Ridley\u2019s Gunnar Holmgren and Martins Blums placed second on Stage
\n1, but then endured a difficult middle two days of the four-day race. Imbuko Pro Cycling, meanwhile,
\nstruggled on the opening day, but secured second behind Toyota Specialized on Stage 2 to leapfrog
\nup the overall standings. On Saturday\u2019s Queen Stage, Beers and Miller conquered the imposing
\nMerino Monster to win the King of the Mountain hotspot prize before edging out Marco Joubert and
\nWessel Botha to secure stage honours too. Holmgren and Blums, had slipped from second on the
\ngeneral classification, on Stage 2, and then suffered an early puncture on Stage 3. This led to a day-
\nlong chase to salvage their podium place. Despite recovering to fifth on the stage they ceded a spot
\nto Simon Schneller and Axel Roudil-Cortinat, of the Bulls Mavericks.
\nStage 4 was thus a showdown between the teams hoping to maintain their positions and the KMC-
\nRidley squad who would go all-in to regain their podium place. \u201cI actually, to be honest, got a bit
\nangry this morning,\u201d Beers confessed. \u201cIn the early morning light, the dust the group was kicking up
\nmade it difficult to see. There was also lots of jostling in the peloton, so I decided to attack as off the
\nfront was the safest place to be.\u201d
\nThis move saw Toyota Specialized take an advantage of a handful of seconds into the first singletrack
\nclimb. \u201cMatt and Alex were about 10 or 15 seconds ahead of us going into the first climb and we
\nwere only able to bridge across on the descent,\u201d Holmgren said. \u201cWe raced the rest of the stage as
\nhard as we could, but with all the singletrack there wasn\u2019t really an opportunity to make back the
\ntime we needed to.\u201d
\nBehind the KMC-Ridley led front group, Imbuko Pro Cycling were attempting to bridge across too.
\n\u201cMy legs were a bit sleepy this morning,\u201d Botha laughed. \u201cThe plan had been to go on the attack \u2013
\nbut after the Merino Monster, yesterday \u2013 that wasn\u2019t actually possible. My legs came back to me
\nafter about 20 kilometres and we tried to catch the leaders, but just couldn\u2019t.\u201d
\n\u201cI\u2019m happy with second place overall though,\u201d Joubert noted. \u201cIt would have been good to win a
\nstage, but we did what we could and there are a lot of positives to take out of the race.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s great
\nto see the standard of South African mountain biking levelling up every year,\u201d Beers added, praising
\nhis local rivals.
\nIn the final kilometres KMC-Ridley ensured they led into the singletracks which put them in pole
\nposition to win the sprint for the final stage victory. Beers and Miller sat up behind them, once the
\nopportunity to complete a clean sweep of stages had been denied to them. Their second place on
\nthe day only cost them 4 seconds to a team 13 minutes behind them on the general classification
\nstandings. As a result, Toyota Specialized\u2019s overall margin of victory was 4 minutes and 8 seconds<\/p>\n
over Joubert and Botha. Schneller and Roudil-Cortinat finished fourth on the day to hold onto their
\nthird place overall, while PYGA Euro Steel were fifth on the stage. The Bulls Heroes, Urs Huber and
\nLeon Kaiser, were fifth overall.
\n\u201cThis was my fourth Momentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen,\u201d Miller smiled.
\n\u201cIt was definitely my best one yet; it was great racing with Matt [Beers] and taking the victory. I love
\nracing here; the trails are incredible and everyone \u2013 from Momentum and Dryland \u2013 to the route
\nmarshals go the extra mile for the riders. We really appreciate it!\u201d
\nTo reflect on all the highlights from the 2024 Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen,
\nfollow @tankwatrek on Instagram or like the Tankwa Trek Facebook page. Further information,
\nincluding reports from Stages 1, 2 and 3 \u2013 as well as the women\u2019s race \u2013 visit www.tankwatrek.co.za.
\nMomentum Medical Scheme Tankwa Trek, presented by Biogen, Results:
\nMen\u2019s Stage 4 Results:
\n1. KMC Ridley: Gunnar Holmgren & Martins Blums (02:14:44)
\n2. \u2060Toyota Specialized: Alex Miller & Matthew Beers (02:14:48 | +4)
\n3. \u2060Imbuko Pro Cycling: Marco Joubert & Wessel Botha (2:15:31 | +47)
\n4. \u2060Bulls Mavericks: Simon Schneller & Axel Roudil-Cortinat (2:16:52 | +2:08)
\n5. \u2060PYGA Euro Steel: Pieter du Toit & Jaedon Terlouw (02:19:46 | +5:02)
\nMen's General Classification Results after Stage 4:
\n1. Toyota Specialized: Alex Miller & Matthew Beers (10:29:16)
\n2. Imbuko Pro Cycling: Marco Joubert & Wessel Botha (10:33:24 | +4:08)
\n3. \u2060Bulls Mavericks: Simon Schneller & Axel Roudil-Cortinat (10:40:40 | +10:07)
\n4. \u2060KMC Ridley: Gunnar Holmgren & Martins Blums (10:42:23 | +13:07)
\n5. \u2060Bulls Heroes: Urs Huber & Leon Kaiser (11:04:10 | +34:54)<\/p>\n
Photo: The early morning light and dust kicked up by the group made riding dangerous in the bunch
\nand inspired Toyota Specialized\u2019s early attack. Photo by Oakpics.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"