Butler ‘just kept sprinting’ to edge Gaze and serve up a photo-finish in Paarl

THE fourth stage of the Tour of Good Hope came to a dramatic conclusion when Reynard Butler took stage honours in a photo finish ahead of New Zealand’s Sam Gaze at La Paris Estate in Paarl yesterday.

Metres from the line it looked like Gaze had the victory in the bag, but Butler was able to draw even as the man from Cambridge lifted his arms in early celebration.

Video footage revealed that Johannesburg-based Butler had in fact crossed the line first, by two-thousands of a second, in 3:19:43.

“With 500m to go, my team was in front leading me out and the (Spur) Specialized guys came from the right with a flyer,” the 26-year-old said.

“I shouted at my boys, but it was a bit too late. Sam came on my outside and I just kept on sprinting as I had the belief that I could still do it.

“It is up to the officials in the end and the footage maybe showed that, too.”

Clint Hendricks completed the men’s podium in the same time while Stefan de Bod retained the yellow jersey ahead of teammate Keagan Girdlestone and Darren Lill.

The women’s race went according to form with the overall leader, Annika Langvad of Denmark, snatching another close victory ahead of Britain’s Sharon Laws.

“Sharon was putting the hammer down on the first climb, but I managed to hold onto her wheel and outsprinted her,” Langvad said.

Rugby: Premiership Rugby, Saracens v Northampton Saints, 5.10pm, SS2/CSN Super Rugby, Chiefs v Lions, 5.45am, SS1; Highlanders v Hurricanes, 8.35am, SS1/CSN; Reds v Force, 10.35am, SS1/CSN; Bulls v Rebels, 2.30pm, SS1; Cheetahs v Stormers, 5pm, SS1; Sharks v Jaguares, 7.10pm, SS1, World Rugby Sevens Series, USA Sevens Rugby, Portugal v Russia, 9.30pm, SS1; New, Zealand v Kenya, 9.54pm, SS1; Samoa v France, 10.16pm, SS1; Fiji v Argentina, 10.38pm, SS1; Scotland v Japan, 11.20pm, SS1; Australia v England, 11.46pm, SS1; New Zealand v Portugal, 1.40am, SS6; Kenya v Russia, 2.13am, SS6; South Africa v Canada, 2.35am, SS6; USA v Wales, 2.57am, SS6; Fiji v Samoa, 3.19am, SS6; Argentina v France, 3.41am, SS6; Australia v Scotland, 4.08am, SS6; England v Japan, 4.30am, SS6; New Zealand v Russia, 4.52am, SS6; Kenya v Portugal,