Ryan Gibbons and S’annara Grove delivered decisive victories at the Amashova Durban Classic as the race celebrated its landmark 40th edition on Sunday 19 July in South Africa. Near-perfect winter conditions greeted over two thousand riders tackling the 106km route from Pietermaritzburg City Hall to Durban’s Masabalala Yengwa Pedestrian Bridge.
Gibbons, racing his first season back in South Africa after a career on the European professional circuit, attacked from a four-rider breakaway after the Inchanga climb and held off the chasers to win solo in 02:12:11. Gustav Basson, who has two UCI Gravel World Series wins, finished second, 1 minute 13 seconds behind, with Tyler Dane Lange rounding out the podium in the same time as Basson. The Johannesburg rider, who also won this year’s Cape Town Cycle Tour, now targets Ride Joburg in a bid to complete a sweep of South Africa’s marquee one-day amateur races.
In the women’s race, Grove claimed her third victory after going solo on the run to the finish, stopping the clock in 02:30:29. The victory completed a hat-trick of consecutive Amashova titles for the Durban rider, who also won the inaugural Amashova Criterium earlier in the weekend before making her first successful long-range solo attack in the race. Sonica Klopper won the sprint for second, 2 minutes 28 seconds back, ahead of Megan Botha, while Lucy Young finished fourth, 3 minutes 20 seconds down.
The milestone edition carried particular significance for race founder Dave Wiseman, who completed the course despite an ongoing battle with multiple cancers, crossing the line in 03:41:00.
“The numbers are growing again, the weather was fantastic, and the atmosphere out on the road was outstanding,” Wiseman said of the race he built from a field of just over 100 riders in the early 1980s.
In the 70km race, Keaton James Gaines claimed the men’s honours in 01:51:28, more than 10 minutes clear of runner-up Vorster Ricardo and Johnny Janssens, who finished third. Christelle Grobbelaar won the women’s 70km race in 02:17:07, edging Yolandie Bothma by 43 seconds, with Melissa James third, 15 minutes 8 seconds back.
Amashova Durban Classic results HERE
Photo Credit: KZN Tourism and Film
© 2026 Copyright Gran Fondo Daily News – All Rights Reserved