The race boiled down to a group sprint of just over 20 riders, and this is how the stage from Paarl unfolded:

A small group escaped early, on the way into Franschoek before the first of the day's two big climbs. Then over the top of Franschoek Pass the group consolidated and five riders eventually opened their gap over the bunch. The front riders: Michael Pepper (House of Paint), Jock Green (DCM), Dylan Girdlestone (MTN), Malcolm Lange (Medscheme) and David Garret (Daikin Gu).

MTN were taking responsibility for the pace of the bunch, as Garret was the nearest challenger to their General Classification (GC), at just less than 4 minutes from the lead. Meanwhile, Lange was gobbling up the hotspots in the break, and won the two available, to take the lead again in the Pickfords Points competition.

Back in the bunch, MTN's Kevin Evans made sure that he increased his lead in the Powerade King of the Mountains Competition and sealed it from Waylon Woolcock and Burry Stander with an impressive display on the peaks.

In the front the break was gaining ground, while there was a lull in the bunch, and with 70kms remaining, the leaders had almost seven minutes advantage! The pressure fell onto team Specialized to control the gap, who then kept the pace high, until with just 50kms remaining, MTN decided to reduce the gap leading up to the final big climb of the day - Du Toitskloof Pass.


The leaders were almost in sight once the peleton reached the lower slopes of Du Toits, and by half way, only Garret and Girdlestone remained in front. Christophe Sauser kept the pace high for Stander, and a small acceleration over the top split the front group a little more, leaving only Girdlestone clear up ahead. The long descent was not a good place for a lone rider just a few seconds in front of a chasing bunch, and soon, the MTN rider was absorbed into the group.

It looked certain that a sprint would decide the race, but DCM tried last minute attacks with Pieter Seyffert and Jeremy Maartens in the final run into to Paarl. These did not have their desired effect, and a full group arrived into the final kilometer to contest the sprint.

Sauser led up until the final 500m, and then Nic White opened up the sprint. Stander in the leaders pink jersey had his sights set on the finish and kicked off White's wheel, but Kachelhoffer was in close proximity, and fought his way off the Specialized mountainbiker's wheel, drawing alongside, and just getting ahead by the line to secure his first Giro stage win! Jacque Janse van Rensburg of DCM rounded off the podium for the day. Kachelhoffer moves ahead into second on the GC, and Stander increases his lead due to some time bonuses for the stage.

Results:

The final day of the race is a time trial with a difference, and has become an institution for the Giro del Capo. It is the Signal Hill time trial of 5.5km! This stage which had always featured as the penultimate of final stage, as always suited a certain type of rider, and only only a few occasions have there been 'upsets' in terms of surprise winners. To excel in this race, riders need to have good climbing skills along with a great time trailing ability. This stage will decide the winner again, as the three stages prior have only managed to separate the first 8 riders by 31 seconds, so there is everything to race for up the hill!

9h30 on Friday in Cape Town on Signal Hill, the action starts.

Pictures © Michelle Cound - www.procycling.co.za, and © Ronelle Rust - Torquepics