Candice Lill and Tyler Jacobs put in a performance worthy of a five-star review as they completed a perfect clean sweep of FNB Wines2Whales Chardonnay stage wins on 3 November.
The SeattleCoffeeCo eFORT ALMAR pair had time to stop for a selfie at the FNB Private banking picture frame on their way to victory at Benguela Cove. When the dust settled on the three days of racing they were joined on the final general classification podium by Efficient Infiniti Racing and e-FORT 1.
The final stage took the Chardonnay teams along a 64 km route from Oak Valley, in Elgin, to Benguela Cove. It featured an undulating start before the descent down Katpas, to Botrivier, Wildekrans and Genevieve MCC. After crossing the river on the old steel bridge, Karwyders Contour and Gaf se Bos presented the terrain the top teams needed to distance their rivals, ahead of the rewarding single-track descent along the Church and Escape Raz trails into Benguela Cove. Perched on the hillside, overlooking the lagoon, the finish line was a beacon for the last kilometres and the festive welcome it provided called the teams home in style.
Having established an early lead on Stage 1, and ridden the first half of Stage 2 conservatively before cantering to victory, Lill and Jacobs let their rivals take the initiative in Stage 3.
Despite the SeattleCoffeeCo eFORT ALMAR team’s dominance it has certainly been a captivating three days of racing. Stage 1 saw Keep puncture and, despite her and Haw’s bush mechanic skills, loose nearly 45 minutes fixing a side wall cut. Later in the day Moschetti faltered, which allowed Elrika Harmzen-Pretorius and Felicitas Geiger to secure third on the stage. The next day Almari de Milander, Monique du Plessis, and Nicola Walker all crashed dramatically, and only the Pretty Pedal woman was able to continue. Jacobs also had a small off on Stage 2, but it only served to remind her to remain fully focused throughout Stage 3.
“The biggest difference between Tyler [Jacobs] this year, compared to last is her confidence,” Lill stated. “For any athlete confidence is so important and Tyla has grown so much into that in the last 12 months. Today I told her we’d be following her race plan, and I’m really happy with her decision making.”
It was not all easy-going and plain sailing for the women in the orange CIOVITA leaders’ jerseys. “That last, long, climb really hurt,” Jacobs confessed. “I was on or over the limit there!” As were Looser and Hill though, and with Jacobs setting the tone for the attack she and Lill edged away from the Efficient Infiniti Racing combination. At the summit the gap was 90 seconds, which Jacobs and Lill were then able to extend further on the single-track descent.. The FNB Wines2Whales was born from the desire to create a world-class three-day stage race. Since inception in 2009, the three events, aptly named after the wines of the area, have become a must-do event on the mountain bike calendar with riders from the farthest reaches of the country and the world.
Like a fine wine, the race has only improved with time. In 2024, back to its roots, it tackled the original route from Lourensford Wine Estate to Hermanus via Oak Valley Estate.
