The Clover Lowveld Tour 2013 is a 5-day 6-stage tour that took place around Graskop, Mpumulanga from 7-11 August. Firstly, massive thanks must go out to all that made this trip possible! Thank you to Brendan from Interactive Technologies, Mills and to the club! We arrived on Tuesday to an overcast and chilly Graskop and quickly unpacked and set off for a 2-hour pre-race ride. The purpose was to get the long drive out of our legs and open up our lungs for the coming stage. The boys seemed nervous but excited to get this tour under way. Willie and I completed our fair share of tours in our careers and we also completed the Clover Tour 2012. However, this was Clint and Muneer s first multi-day stage race and they picked the hardest tour in SA. In my opinion it is a much harder route than the Mzansi Tour that took place earlier this year. Day1 - Graskop (via Robbers and the Bonnett passes) 155.2km The stage started in full swing from the get go as all riders wanted to get away before the first 2 km climb which was 8km into the race. The aim was to try and get into the first break of the day. This meant that the pace was well above 45-50 kph from the start. Soon after the start we hit the first hill. It is never easy climbing with real climbers at the best of times let alone in the first 10 min of racing. The hill did not disappoint.
Attacks flew from the bottom of the climb and continued over the top stretching the bunch to its limit. I was happy that our entire team was present as we climbed over the top. The bunch took a moment to collect themselves and assess the damage. My advice to the guys before the stage was simple: stick together as much as possible throughout the stage so that we can help each other if anyone was in trouble on a climb. I'm proud to say that for the better part of 30 km the four of us rode directly behind each other holding our own in the bunch right behind the team controlling the race. It was a good moment and a sign that the guys were serous about what I had said. After a few attempts from Willie and me around the 75km mark to try and get across to the break of nine riders up the road, I managed to attack and ride across the 2 minute gap to the break. When I joined the bunch I realized that the guys were riding negative as they were all waiting for the GC riders to come across on the passes. I decided not to wait and hit the break a few times to try and get as big a gap as possible before the big climbs and try get a result for the team. Unfortunately it was a doomed attempt. Although I succeeded in getting the gap to open, it was just not possible to follow the MTN climbers and the GC guys when they eventually caught up. I was forced to ride to my tempo to the line finishing 18th. The rest of the team came in a bit later with Muneer about 13 minutes behind me and Clint and Willie not much further back. All in all a really solid day out and a proper introduction to what still awaited everyone over the next 4days! Day2: 27km Time Trial starting at the bottom of Kowyn Pass and ending just outside Hazyview I decided to tell the team to use the TT as a rest day as none of us were equipped with TT bikes and did not stand a chance to get a real result. To come 12th or 15th on that day was not important at all and wasting that amount of energy would be a mistake as what was coming in the next 3 days would need all the energy they had just to finish let alone race. Day 3: 156km (Graskop/Sabie/Long Tom/Brondal/Sabie/Graskop - Queen stage 3000m climbing) Nearly every rider bar the pure climbers fears this stage! The stage route is a real test of not only physical but also mental strength. Graskop-Sabie-Long Tom-towards Nelspruit left up the steep climb, left again towards and over Spitzkop-Sabie and back to Graskop. The bunch was only 35 strong so it was always going to be a day of survival! The previous night Willie came down with a terrible stomach bug and spent the entire night throwing up. He was in no shape whatsoever to race let alone the tough
day that awaited us. It was a sad blow as he was in good form and showed it on the first day. Unfortunately, that kind of set the tone for what came next. After missing the break again, I tried to get across with Nico Bell and Gawie Kombrand. Muneer also came across and joined the effort. We pushed flat out to close the last 200m to get across and took serious risks on the descents, which ended Muneer's hopes as he was dropped on the decent and could not get back. I could not help as in that moment you have to commit 100 percent or you will be chasing all day as the break was not waiting for us to come across. The three of us managed to finally get to the break just as we hit the climb past Merry Pebbles. I could feel something was not right with me as I was at my limit from the start and sure enough the first of many throw ups began. I was cooked and only managed to stay with the break for 1 km before being dropped and returning to the peloton. On my arrival back in the bunch I realized that both Muneer and Clint were not there. Later I found out that a hard surge in the bunch up the Merry Pebbles climb had put them out the back with still 165 km left to race. Muneer and Clint explained later that both had not felt well at all and just simply could not keep up. Its unfortunate and it does happen in cycling. On a stage such as the one they were to race, they made a hard but smart decision to stop and go back home. I said to everyone before the Tour that no matter what they must finish every stage
irrespective of how far behind they were. In all honesty this was not the day to be left on your own just 15km in with NO back up at all. It proved to be a sad but wise decision as we had massive rain and later hail storms during the second half of the course. I managed to stay with the front bunch until 70 km was left to go. I was dropped with two others. It was the longest 70km of my life and I was happy to see the finish as I looked like a drowned rat. Stage 4A: 127km ending with 6 laps around the Gods Window circuit Unfortunately with stage races that are run under UCI rules, riders who do not start or finish a stage cannot continue with the tour. So it left just me in the race and a rather upset and disappointed Muneer and Clint. This circuit is known to be super hard on the best of days so it was to my joy that I woke up to it pouring with rain. It was misty and one could barely see 5 meters. Actually I don't mind riding in the rain at all, but racing in the rain when it s freezing cold is another story. Needless to say it took a while for me to get going and I was not able get into the move during the first lap. I later tried a number of times to get across but the bunch was having none of it. They would bring me back and let the break run. It s a frustrating yet great stage for me. Frustrating because nine weeks ago I set a goal to be the best I could for this tour by riding as far as I could with the climbers before getting dropped. I also had a goal of really going for the win on this Gods
Window stage. Last year I would have laughed at this thought as that would mean getting over an 8km climb 6 times and still go for the win. However, this year I had the legs to win and achieved my best ever result in 16 years of racing. I finished with a small front group that was left behind the break to end the day 11 th (was 10 th but officials mixed it up). It was frustrating to miss the chance to win but I was really happy to finish with only a handful of the best climbers in the race. By the way it was a warm 5 degrees with mist and rain all day. Stage 4B: Kowyn's Pass Hill Climb TT 7.3km This stage was run a few hours after the Gods Window stage and in pretty much the same conditions. Since I am no climber at the best of times, a hill climb TT was not going to threaten the leader board. I decided to ride and save as much energy as I could for the final stage the next day. Stage 5: 96km final stage out and back course taking in the reverse lap up Gods Window. At the end of the stage descend to the finish in Graskop. This is my third Clover Tour and every year during this stage I got into the break of the day. This stage was no different although it took a lot of attacking on my part to FINALLY create and get into the break of the day. Once away the break was not fully committed. We had guys sitting on because of team orders. Guys were not going hard enough because of the 5 km climb on the way back and the general up hill nature of the return leg. I ended up taking both hot spots on the course and managed to stay with the very select GC group that caught us on the 5 km climb. Things got real hard at that point as Bonitas had 5 riders in that group and were driving flat out to distance them selves from the other GC riders that missed the split. Over the top of the climb once Bonitas realized that they had not been able to get
away from their two main rivals the pace came down. At that moment I tried to get away again to get some distance between the climbers and me before we hit the hard side of Gods Window. The plan worked for a while but Bonitas had the stage in mind and were not going to let me slip away unnoticed. They brought me back. From that point it was a small selected group at the head of the race and all I could do was try and save as much energy as possible for the fire works that was bound to come on the final climb. Sure enough it came with a bang. As much as I would love to say I stayed with the 60-65kg flyweights, the truth is I never stood a chance when it got steep. They did what they do best and flew up the climb like it wasn't there From there it was a short 12 km ride to the line that ended a super hard but great race. Although we did not bring any podium places, we most certainly placed the Orange colors of Interactive Technologies and New Horizons firmly on the map and in front of the TV cameras. Once again, thank you to ALL that made this possible! This Saturday we will most definitely be going for a podium at the Lost City Classic. Willie and I have both been on the podium numerous times. I was on the podium last year. This year the team will do everything to make sure it happens regardless who of the team makes it. Keep well. Peter-Lee Jefferies 13 th August 2013