Riders complete Stage 1 of South Africa's 800km Gravel Burn race

VIDEO SHOWS: HIGHLIGHTS OF STAGE 1 OF GRAVEL BURN RACE IN SOUTH AFRICA BETWEEN KNYSAN LAGOON AND AVONTUUR RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: VARIOUS, SOUTH AFRICA (OCTOBER 26, 2025) (QUATTRO MEDIA – Editorial use only. No monetisation. No resales) MEN'S RACE 1. RIDERS GATHERING BY START LINE AT KNYSNA LAGOON 2. VARIOUS CLOSE UPS OF TOM PIDCOCK (RED FRAMED GLASSES)/ MATT BEERS (WHITE HELMET AND BLACK COAT)/ LACHLAN MORTON (PINK HELMET) 3. VARIOUS OF START OF MEN'S RACE 4. AERIAL FOOTAGE OF RIDERS ON DIRT ROAD 5. VARIOUS OF BEERS (RED AND BLUE JERSEY) DURING THE RACE 6. VARIOUS OF BEERS LEADING A BREAKAWAY GROUP OF THREE OVER FINISH LINE 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) STAGE 1 WINNER, MATT BEERS, SAYING: "Yeah, obviously, the conditions were super gnarly out there. It's really cold, but I studied the GPX file, so I knew what the finish was like, and I kind of knew if I just kept it full gas, no one could really come past me. So, I'm glad that worked out." WOMEN'S RACE 8. VARIOUS CLOSE UPS OF LAUREN STEPHENS (NAVY BLUE HELMET AND SHADED GLASSES)/ HAYLEY PREEN (WHITE HELMET WITH WHITE JERSEY AND RED, GREEN AND BLUE BAND THROUGH THE MIDDLE)/ ALISON JACKSON (PINK HELMET) 9. VARIOUS OF START OF WOMEN'S RACE 10. PREEN LEADING THE GROUP ON TARMAC SECTION DURING HEAVY RAIN 11. CLOSE UP OF AXELLE DUBAU-PREVOT (WHITE HELMET, BLACK JERSEY WITH BLUE SLEEVES) ON A CLIMB 12. VARIOUS OF PREEN LEADING THE RACE 13. AERIAL FOOTAGE OF TWO RIDERS DUBAU-PREVOT AND ASHLEIGH MOOLMAN PASIO WHO HAVE BROKEN AWAY FROM THE GROUP TO TAKE THE LEAD 14. VARIOUS OF DUBAU-PREVOT AND PASIO CROSSING THE LINE IN ORDER RESPECTIVELY 15. (SOUNDBITE) (English) STAGE 1 WINNER, AXELLE DUBAU-PREVOT, ON HAVING TO WEAR EXTRA CLOTHES FOR THE CONDITIONS SAYING: "I didn't realise yet, but a good first stage and I could not wear my tri-color jersey, so tomorrow I have to wear the leader's jersey, so it was unexpected. Yeah, it's super cold." STORY: The inaugural Gravel Burn, an 800-kilometre (500-mile) 7-day gravel bike race in South Africa, is underway after the riders completed stage 1 in wet and windy conditions. The stage traversed from Knysna to the plains of the Great Karoo with some famous names in the field. Great Britain's Tom Pidcock, a two-time Olympic Champion, was joined by Matt Beers, a triple Cape Epic champion and Ashleigh Moolman Pasio. Beers, who grew up in the Garden Route region, is always the hometown favourite when he starts a race in South Africa and didn’t disappoint with a commanding performance from start to finish. Swiss rider Andri Frischknecht finished second. France’s Axelle Dubau-Prevot triumphed in a two-up sprint finish into Avontuur against South Africa’s Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio in the women's race..  On a cold, wet day, Moolman-Pasio lead the way in the pro women’s race on the final climb of the stage up Prince Alfred’s Pass, but Dubau-Prevot was able to make her move within sight of the finish line and hold off the South African rider to claim victory on Stage 1. (Production: Simon Ormiston)

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