Stage Favourites:

Mendes	Kolobnev	Fernandez
Iglinski		Schafer

The first stage for the GC men. The significant climb is the Du Toitskloof pass, which summits 18 KM before a sharp descent to the finish.



Unlike yesterday ONCE-Eroski Cycling Team were willing to take up more of the pace setting early on.



Four riders get away, they are:

Sørensen would take the first sprint of the day before the 1. cat, Franschhoek pass, would be negotiated.



Orozco shows his climbing prowess by summiting the climb first. Results of KOM with 126 KM to go:

The rest of the points were mopped up by the ONCE domestiques.


The chase is on!

Despite having a more than competent rider in the break Euskaltel-Bavaria Continental Team are doing much of the pace setting on the peloton. Bank of Ireland – Irish Cycling have added their muscle to the chase as well.


29 KM to go: break @ 1'16.

The final climb is almost upon us as we see five riders attack out of the peloton, they are: Kimeli, Ghyllebert, Diniz, Poorseyedi and Chu. The latter looks to be the strongest as he was the only one to create any real gap, however, he too, like the four others, would not be allowed to get away.


The final climb.

Immediately a group of around 20 of the lesser climbers are dropped from the peloton on the climb which lasts for around 5 KM.


The big guns fire!

With less than 5 KM of the climb to go and the break up the road at 1'00, it is Moinard who is the first rider to attack out of the peloton.



Chris Anker Sørensen gives his team something to shout about as he is the next rider to make a move, attacking just as two of the early breakaway are caught.



Moinard riding up to his teammate, Duenas, and Orozco.



With a little over 1 KM to the top of the climb, the yellow jersey is safely entrenched in the peloton which amounts to around 60 riders. We see Rosskopf and Kolobnev leading the peloton, trying to bridge across to the leading quartet.



The quartet are caught with only a few hundred meters, max, left of the climb. Orozco gives everything to survive out to the top. Marentes and Moinard try to attack over the top.


Super climber Orozco!

Orozco claims max points over the top of the climb, he moves into the KOM jersey now with a commanding lead.

Result of KOM with 18 KM to go:

Orozco, one of the worst descenders in the race, starts the descent with '17 over the 62 man yellow jersey group. This stage is definitely not as selective as some would have liked.



Indeed Orozco is caught with over 10 KM to go, ironically by one of the best descenders in the race, Kulhavy as ONCE-Eroski Cycling Team lead the peloton down the mountain.



The question is which riders, with a decent sprint, have made the 62 man group? Well Jelloul is the first noted decent sprinter to be spotted in the first 15 riders.

But then ...... !

Rangel is spotted towards the front! The Mexican, who finished stages 1 and 2 in the top 5, has to be the favourite.

However, ONCE-Eroski still lead with 200 meters to go and no one has started to sprint. Has everyone miscalculated the finish?



Moinard surges to lead the race with 100 meters to go, can he hold off Rangel?



50 meters to go.



Stage win Moinard! A well deserved stage win as well as he was one of the major players in the race for the last 22 kilometres. Marentes finished very quickly for another podium finish and Schachmann, after having perfect position into the sprint rounds out the podium, finishes 3rd and consolidates his yellow jersey lead.

Rangel, faded towards the end, finished in 4th, another good place for him. The Mexican is showing really well in one of his team's home races. We can't expect him to finish another stage, tomorrow, in the top 5 however we didn't expect him to do that today!