STAGE 5

A taste of the stage

The route drops off the Karoo plateau along the reversed end of Stage 4 and the Klein-Visrivier. In general, the stage consists of a general downhill trend, with some kickers along the way, punctuated by two significant climbs (including the steep Renosterkop) and a 7km liaison section after 128km of racing. Riders’ efforts will be influenced heavily by the prevailing wind conditions – find a suitable group and stay in it. There’s a wide variety of road surfaces, from paved to rough farm tracks. It’s a long, challenging day and experienced stage racers will know not to dig too deep while staying in contention for GC for the last two days. Liaison: 7km | 50m climbing | 70m descending