Beers and Dubau-Prévot race to overall victories at Gravel Burn
After seven challenging stages, which included over 800 km of racing through extreme weather fluctuations across South Africa, Matt Beers (Specialized Off-Road Toyota) and Axelle Dubau-Prévot (Numéro 31 par Café du Cycliste / Pinarello) have won the professional men's and women's Gravel Burn General Classification. The inaugural event finished at Shamwari Private Game Reserve, just north of Port Elizabeth in South Africa's Eastern Cape.
Following a week of racing that threw everything from hail to high temperatures to crosswinds at the riders, Beers sealed victory ahead of Switzerland’s Simon Pellaud, rounding off an unforgettable debut edition of the race. The South African managed to stay ahead of his challengers with a dominant performance through the majority of seven stages. He walks away with a new title under his belt and US$23,500 (approximately R406,000) in prize money.
In the women's field, Dubau-Prévot stormed back dramatically on the final stage, winning stage 7 and overturning an 8:54 deficit in the General Classification. After the French rider had all but ruled herself out of contention earlier in the week, she produced an extraordinary ride to win both Stage 7 and the General Classification in what has been one of the most unpredictable and exciting races of the week.
Pro Men General Classification Final
- 1 Matthew Beers – Specialized Off-Road Toyota – 19:01:03
- 2 Simon Pellaud – Tudor Pro Cycling – +5:26
- 3 Hugo Drechou – Numéro31.cc / Pinarello – +8:56
- 4 Tristan Nortje – Imbuko ChemChamp – +9:27
- 5 Lukas Baum – Orbea x Leatt Speed Company – +10:41
Pro Women General Classification Final
- 1 Axelle Dubau-Prevot – Numéro 31 par Café du Cycliste / Pinarello – 23:40:55
- 2 Melisa Rollins – Liv Racing Collective – +2:07
- 3 Hayley Preen – ChemChamp Honeycomb 226ers – +2:15
- 4 Lauren Stephens – Aegis Cycling Foundation – +2:44
- 5 Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio – AG Insurance Soudal – +10:41
- 1 Axelle Dubau-Prevot – Numéro 31 par Café du Cycliste / Pinarello – 23:40:55
