Alan Gordon was pleased to secure another second place at the Barberton XCM MTB Challenge at the weekend. It is a race he has yet to win despite coming close several times over the past four years.
Gordon was denied victory in 2016 and 2017, losing out on both occasions to Henry Uys.
Since Uys hung up his bike after the 2017 season, Gordon has been eyeing that top step of the podium.
Alan Gordon (pictured) was pleased to secure another second place at the Barberton XCM MTB Challenge at the weekend. Photo: Supplied
Last year seemed his best chance, but unfortunately his hopes were dashed when he suffered a mechanical, cracking his bike’s rear rim.
Asked how he felt about again coming second, Gordon seemed at peace with the result, noting that he had come up against the formidable NAD Pro duo of Nico Bell and Gawie Combrinck.
Bell won the 110km race in 4:47:24, just less than three minutes clear of Gordon. Combrinck finished third almost seven minutes back.
“I’m actually feeling good. I was up against two really strong riders,” Gordon told In the Bunch today.
“So I’m quite pleased with the result.”
Gordon said Bell and Combrinck broke away on the first major climb of the race, which was when he and Barend Burger gave chase and took on the ascent together.
Burger then played it safe and pulled back on the wet descent as Gordon opted to take his chances in an attempt to make up some time.
“Slowly but surely I made it closer to them [Bell and Combrinck]. But then Gawie’s pedals came loose and he had to stop for that.
“I went past him and caught up with Nico. From there on we rode together until about the 85km mark, where I needed to stop for water.”
That was when Bell rode clear of Gordon, he recalled. Luck also counted slightly against him in the last 25km.
“My shocks lever broke when I wanted to set it from solid to light on a downhill,” Gordon said.
“I couldn’t change it anymore so it was difficult on the steep and rocky descents. It was a bit tricky.
“I just couldn’t catch Nico again.”
He noted that Combrinck managed to fix his mechanical, but that he had lost too much time to catch up to him again.
The 28-year-old said he felt good form-wise as he builds towards the Cape Epic in March.
Gordon will next focus on the UCI-graded Tankwa Trek from February 7 to 10, another race he will use as preparation for the Epic.
He is set to partner Ben Melt Swanepoel at the Tankwa, which will have four stages this year.
