Summarize

Gauteng Cross Country riders shine at Modimolle

*Please note that these results remain provisional

Gauteng OR2 rider Ian Rall restored upcountry honour when he blasted his MCA Dragon Energy Husqvarna to overall victory in the second round of the South African Cross Country Motorcycle Championship at Modimolle in Limpopo Province on Saturday. 

In a thrilling, dramatic and ultimately confusing race that took in terrain from sand to fast and flowing, and then rocky hill sections that deteriorated as the day progressed, Rall won by five minutes from Brett Swanepoel, who took his second OR1 race win on the trot for Rockstar Energy Husqvarna. OR2 runner-up Bradley Cox came home third overall, a further two minutes adrift on his Brother Leader Tread KTM.

Race results were delayed after several riders wrong-slotted and organisers had to dig deep into satellite tracking data, with those lost earning various levels of penalty to ensure that riders who kept on track were not compromised by others’ short cuts, even if they were unintentional. 

Once all that was sorted, open class OR1 rider Mike Pentecost emerged fourth overall on his Husqvarna ahead of impressive South African motocross star Kerim Fitzgerald’s OR2 Red Bull KTM, a delighted D'Artagnan Lobjoit riding an OR1 Pepson Plastics Motul Kawasaki and OR3 winner Erik Ernst Merry's Husqvarna.

Swanepoel took the OR1 win from Pentecost, Lobjoit, on Kawasaki’s first podium in the team’s second race, Jarryd Coetzee’s Brother Leader Tread KTM, Ruan Smith on a RAD KTM and Hayden Louw’s Dynamic Racing HWM KTM. Tyron Beverley’s TFC CIT Husqvarna, Hein van Niekerk on a Prowatech KTM, John-Care de Lange on a Husqvarna and Darren Gray's P Trimborn KTM rounded off the big bore top-ten.

Rall beat Cox and Fitzgerald home to draw even with Cox in the OR2 points, with Devan Smith’s Vans Husqvarna fourth, while Merry took OR3 from Dylan Cox on an RBS Yamaha, Matthew Wilson’s MCA Husqvarna, Stefan van Deventer’s KTM, Taki Bogiages on his Pepson Plastics Motul Kawasaki and Scott Heygate’s Alfie Cox Racing Fuchs KTM. 

KTM Durban lad Haydn Cole was next home from Peter Karam’s Roost KTM, Daniel Van Zyl’s Peak bLU cRU Yamaha and Kyle Mckenzie’s Pepson Motul Kawasaki, but perhaps the most remarkable OR3 story is about GXCC regional race winner Davin Cocker. He was leading the final national loop when his Rockstar Energy Husqvarna ran out of oil after loosing its oil cap minutes from the finish. So he pushed the bike several kilometres home to the finish.

Branden Swanepoel took High School honours on his Sherco ahead of KTM Durban lad Dylan Jones, Derek Karam’s Roost KTM, John Botha on a TFC CIT Husqvarna, Damon Cox’s RBS Yamaha and Joss Alexander on a Bikers Warehouse Husqvarna.

Wade Blaauw meanwhile extended his SA National Senior Cross Country Moto advantage with a back-to-back win aboard his Roost KTM. He beat Dirk Olivier on a Yamaha, Deon du Toit’s Kawasaki, Stuart Gregory’s KTM, Ronald Venter’s Expert Mining KTM and Marco Cocci on Yamaha. 

And Greg Nairn took the Masters win on his Husqvarna from Mielies le Roux’s Alfie Cox KTM, Wayne Farmer on a Biker's Warehouse Husqvarna, Ernst Slabbert’s Rhubein KTM, Pieter Höll’s Pepson Motul Kawasaki and KTM duo Marius de Klerk and Martin Poole.

The South African Cross Country Motorcycle Championship will return for round 3 at Vryburg in the Northwest on 29 May, where the upcountry riders will once again be hoping that the quick conditions will be an advantage.

ENDS

Issued on behalf of SA Cross Country

What:South African Cross Country Moto Round 2 Report
Where:Modimolle, Limpopo Province
When:Saturday 27 March 2021
Community:South Africa National

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