Tomorrow’s Stage 5 is 2016’s second transition stage – taking riders to a new race village in a different town – and the Absa Cape Epic participants will be hoping it is not as tough as Wednesday’s Stage 3 from Tulbagh to Wellington.
They will, however, be confronted by five big climbs dotted across the day’s riding as they ride the 93km route from Wellington to Boschendal Wine Estate, Stellenbosch. Being a transition stage there are some forest roads to negotiate, but soon after the start the route turns upwards on the Slangrivier climb. Then it’s on to Patatskloof again – but a different route to Stage 4 – and Beulah, which leads into Hawequa (with a great view of the Paarl Rock for those who have the time for such things), and then the Protea Climb. As the riders get close to the Drakenstein Prison – formerly Victor Verster, where the father of South Africa’s democracy, Nelson Mandela, took his first steps after being freed in 1990 – they will be greeted by the rugged Freedom Struggle climb and its Bone Rattler descent.
By the time they cross the finish line they will have ascended a total of 2 500m and finished a tough day. They should, however, be riding in cooler conditions with weather services suggesting the mercury will not get much above 20ºC and a bit of rain in the evening.
This will be a day for the climbers but the GC leaders will be sure to follow any challengers. With several long climbs there will, however, be many opportunities for breaks: will this be the day for a South African team to make a bolt for a stage win? Perhaps Darren Lill and Waylon Woolcock (USN Purefit), both light and good climbers, will fancy their chances.
I'll go for Dolomite superbike to take this 1