Former Road Champs Wins Spring Classic Mountain Bike Race

Race Report : Release Centre

Former two-time South African road race champion, Jock Green, showed that at the age of 35 he’s still knows the way to the top of a race podium when he won the popular Century Property Spring Classic mountain bike race just north of Johannesburg on Sunday.

Green no longer races professionally, but now rides for the Toyota Supercycling Academy, a road racing team where he is mentoring and co-managing a crop of some of the country’s most talented young riders. He’s been racing mountain bikes for the last couple of years, which has helped keep his cycling interest fresh.

“It was good to win today. I’ve finished many mountain bike races in the top five over the last couple of years. But I’ve only won a couple, which is why it made a nice change to finish first today.”

Green clocked time of 1hr43min44sec for the 40km race, which started and finished at Riversands Farm, just north of Fourways, Johannesburg. He was 26 seconds ahead of Dion Froneman, with Chris Frankiskos, John Michael du Preez and Julius Cobbett rounding out the top five overall.

“John Michael was incredibly quick through the technical sections, but ultimately it was my ability to climb the long drags a bit more powerfully than him and the others that gave me the edge,” said Green, who said that since changing to a dual suspension bike, his mountain biking racing had notably improved.

“It’s just more forgiving than a hardtail. And for a guy like me that only got into mountain biking recently, lacking a bit in the technical skills department, it’s perfect!”