Tshwane disrupts cycle plans

Johannesburg - The route for the fourth stage of the Mzansi Tour cycle race on Saturday was changed at the last minute, according to the organisers, due to safety concerns.

Tanya Hartford, a director of Echelon Events, said the Tshwane Metro had not provided the required support to guarantee the safe passage of the riders through Pretoria.

"It is a pity that we had to move the finish but in the interest of safety we had no choice," Harford said.

She said the Tshwane Metro had breached a contract, as they could not deliver the official required for the riders to pass through the capital city, and the stage could no longer finish at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

Instead, the penultimate leg would start and finish in Hartbeespoort, with two laps around the dam.

Robert Hunter, leading the SA National Team, was nearly six minutes clear of Frenchman Julien Antomarchi in the general classification after three stages of the five-day race.