Durbanville - World under-23 Mountain Bike champion, Burry Stander, notched up his first major victory in a cycling road race when he outsprinted David George and Kevin Evans at the end of the second stage of the Pick n Pay Cape Argus Giro del Capo based in Durbanville in the Western Cape on Wednesday.

His time for the 143km stage, held in cool overcast conditions, was three hours 21 minutes 53 seconds.

Stander, who hails from Port Shepstone on the KZN South Coast, was part of the 21-man group of riders than managed to make a clean get-away from the bunch of 200 that started the three-lap stage, the successful move coming immediately after the sprint to the first Hot Spot in the middle of Durbanville at the end of the first lap.

The breakaway steadily opened the gap between themselves and the chasing group to over three minutes as they negotiated the two remaining laps of the 48km circuit which incorporated the three stiff climbs up the steep slopes of the Vissershok.

The stage ended in the traditional sprint to the finish on a downhill gradient with Stander's Specialized teammate, Christoph Sauser, jumping into the lead followed by Evans and George but it was Stander who got to the line first with his trademark explosive finish.

"It's my first major road win," said a visibly elated Stander.

"But it was the stage my team and I most wanted to win.

"Sausi and I were both in the mix near the end and when he jumped off the front Kevin and the others took the bait and I got on to Kevin's wheel with 200m to go and then managed to pass him and David just before the line. I guess I must have a stronger kick than he has!"

Stander took not only the stage two honours but also became the overall race leader and will wear the traditional pink jersey for Thursday's 171km third stage at Paarl.

Evans, the SA 2010 road time trial champion and winner of last weekend's Sani2C MTB Classic, takes over the Powerade King of the Mountain jersey and stage one winner, Austrian Rene Haselbacher, will wear the Pickfords Points jersey.

Results - Pick n Pay Cape Argus Giro del Capo - Durbanville (143km):

(RSA unless stated)

Stage 2:

1 Burry Stander (SPE) 3:21:53
2 David George (SAF) same time
3 Kevin Evans (MTN Energade) same time
4 Waylon Woolcock (MED) 3:21:57
5 Ian McLeod (MTN) same time
6 Tiaan Kannemeyer (HOP) same time
7 Johannes Kachelhoffer (MED) 3:21:59
8 Rene Haselbacher (AUT, SAF) 3:21:59
9 David Garrett (DGU)
10 Shaun Ward (CLS) same time

General classification:

1 Burry Stander (SPE) 5:52:29
2 Rene Haselbacher (AUT, SAF) 5:52:37
3 David George (SAF) 5:52:37
4 Kevin Evans (MTN Energade) 5:52:38
5 J Kachelhoffer (MED) 5:52:43
6 Tiaan Kannemeyer (HOP) 5:52:47
7 Ian McLeod (MTN) 5:52:47
8 Waylon Woolcock (MED) 5:52:47
9 Nicholas White (MED) 5:52:54
10 Stephan Ihlenfeldt (CTM) 5:56:24