After extreme winds in the morning of Stage 6, it was decided to neutralise the stage up to the first Padstal (water point) at 46km. But after consulting with riders on the route, as the weather continued to wreak havoc and the race commissaire decided to neutralise the entire stage. But this did little to dampen the spirits of the riders.

“We had to hide ourselves from the weather in the morning, and away from the camp structures, so it was a hectic start to the day,” said Simon Pellaud. “In the end, I spoke to the organisation and said that it might be a good idea to neutralise until the first feed zone. In my opinion, it was the right decision to ride and not race. I was the most interested in racing today because I am only 33 seconds behind Matt, but in the end, it is what it is. Also, after Andri’s crash, it was hard to focus on racing. After halfway, it was quite nice, though, so we were able to ride home and still enjoy a day on the bike.”

Former Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee echoed Pellaud’s sentiments. “The winds were hectic this morning,” said Brownlee, “so I think neutralising was the right thing to do. It was okay to ride, but I don’t think I would have enjoyed racing in those conditions. It was such a crazy start to the day – it would have been very hard to focus on racing after that kind of morning. The route was actually very cool, though. And it was a tailwind for most of the day after the start.” 

Brownlee added that the overall experience – even with the weather fluctuations – has been brilliant. “This whole event has been exceptional,” he said. “We are riding in the middle of nowhere, and then arrive at these wonderful villages that have food and bar facilities. It’s a brilliant concept. Every day has amazing scenery, too, so I am having a fantastic time.” 

Lauren Stephens (Aegis Cycling Foundation), fourth in the Pro Women’s GC, said the best decision was made. “I think it was the best idea not to race. It seemed that everything was getting thrown at us out there. There was hail and crosswinds, plus it was technical in the beginning. After that, it became a good ride to the finish, but I think it’s still another tough day on the legs because you still had to work to finish 144km.”

With one stage left and a highly anticipated Burn Celebration to come at Shamwari Private Game Reserve, riders like Australia’s Cameron Wurf have been revelling in the Nedbank Gravel Burn experience. 

“My wife already said to me on Stage 2 that she can’t wait to come back next year,” said Wurf at the end of Stage 6. “Everything has been so well organised, even the decision to neutralise the stage today was done calmly and efficiently. I think we are so deep into the Nedbank Gravel Burn experience now that everyone has just accepted that this is what happens at events, and it’s become another part of the experience. You can’t control Mother Nature, so when obstacles appear, you just have to deal with them. We all accepted the decision; everyone was riding with the same spirit.”

Wurf added that the Burn Camp experience has been a highlight of the week. “I think the camp environment and culture have been great, for us to be here and listen to war stories, but then also for the participants to hang out with guys like Tom Pidcock. I think the pro riders are all loving it and everyone has really embraced the fun and tough aspects of the race.”

Pro Men General Classification after Stage 5

1 Matthew Beers – Specialized Off-Road Toyota – 15:46:42

2 Simon Pellaud – Tudor Pro Cycling – +:33

3 Hugo Drechou – Numéro31.cc / Pinarello – +6:42

4 Lukas Baum – Orbea x Leatt Speed Company – +8:28

5 Tristan Nortje – Imbuko ChemChamp – +9:19

Pro Women General Classification after Stage 6

1 Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio – AG Insurance Soudal – 19:39:21

2 Melisa Rollins – Liv Racing Collective – +4:20

3 Hayley Preen – ChemChamp Honeycomb 226ers – +6:31

4 Lauren Stephens – Aegis Cycling Foundation – +7:01

5 Axelle Dubau-Prevot – Numéro 31 par Café du Cycliste / Pinarello – +8:54