The double defending champions, Candice Lill and Tyler Jacobs, made their lives difficult by missing a marker and riding kilometres down the wrong track while leading Stage 1 of the Chardonnay Race at FNB Wines2Whales. Margot Moschetti and Claudia Peretti were unable to capitalise on the error, however, as Liv-Sabi Sabi Seattle Coffee e-Fort raced back to the e-Fort MB-Race combination, then launched a stage-winning attack in the final 7 kilometres.