A sawtooth profile is exactly what riders do not want to see come the penultimate day of the Absa Cape Epic.  Steep but mercifully short vineyard climbs start the day before the Wild Boar Rollercoaster provides singletrack thrills. District roads and farm dual tracks, through iconic wine farms, manage to avoid any serious climbs but the trail surface deteriorates sharply thereafter, demanding complete concentration. Upon exiting the reserve, the climbing begins in earnest.

The Python singletrack ascent adds another telling point of reference. Then the Wild Boar Trails are all about challenging thrills. Before the closing kilometres, riders will encounter True Grit, the stage’s fast but rocky Land Rover Technical Terrain. The Golden Mile then deposits riders into the farmlands surrounding Wellington and allows winding dual tracks to lead them home.