Lampre's Deigo Ulissi won the second stage of the Santos Tour Down Under.
Stage Two was a 150km stage from Prospect to Stirling and went ahead without Belkin's David Tanner who broke his collarbone in a crash in the opening stage, which was won by Simon Gerrans who started in the leaders Ochre Jersey and Movistar's Jose Joaquin Rojas.
The 136 riders set off in temperatures of thirty one degrees and after a couple of early attacks, Will Clarke, the first stage's most agressive rider, Boy Van Poppel and Uni Sa's Campbell Flakemore got away and were 2.10 clear after 16kms.
After 25.8kms, there was the first Adam Internet sprint and Van Poppel was first to grab the five points and three seconds time bonus ahead of Flakemore and Clarke.
The trio then headed onto the climb at Golden Grove, as two riders attacked the peloton, Will Clarke took the Skoda King Of The Mountains points beating Flakemore and Van Poppel.
At the 54km mark, there was the second Adam internet Sprint at Checkers Hill watched by massive crowds and this time, Flakemore took the full compliment of points, before adding six more points at the second and final King Of The Mountains climb after 56.3kms, which Clarke took to go level with Adam Hansen on KOM points.
The lead of the trio was 2.20 on a stage won by Tom Slagter in 2013, as they rode into the Kenton Valle to Balhannah for the next Adam Internet Sprint which Clarke won, taking the five points and the three seconds ahead of Flakemore and Van Poppel.
Through Hanhndorf with a lead of 2.10, the trio continued at an average of 37.2kmph for the first 95kms, taking in the finish line in Sterling for the first of three visits.
The gap was under a minute with 36kms to go as the speed for kilometres 105-115 went up to 42kmph due to some good work on the front of the peloton by Team Sky and Orica Green Edge.
Clarke, who was 8.14 down and Van Poppel at 2.15 down on leader Simon Gerrans went away from Flakemore with a lead of 1.20.
On the steady climb to the bell for final lap, the lead of Clarke, who was awarded the most competitive rider of the day for the second day running and Van Poppel was slashed to 26 seconds.
Clarke and Van Poppel just made the bell but the peloton with 13 miles left to race were right behind them and with 20.8kms to go, the duo were passed.
Seven riders including Team Sky's Irishman Phillip Deignan, Jack Bauer of Garmin-Sharp, Simon Clarke of Orica-GreenEdge and BMC's Steve Moribito took over on the front but were deemed to dangerous to let go and they were brought back.
Andrei Greipel suffered a front wheel puncture with 15kms to go whilst at the front, Tinkoff Saxo, in their bright yellow kit were on the front, driving the peloton on.
The German sprinter was soon back in the peloton and quickly worked his way up to the front as did the race leader with 6.3kms remaining.
Garmin Sharp took their turn at the front as quite a way behind him, there was a crash with a Katusha rider going down. Ian Stannard brought up Richie Porte but it was Impey, followed by Cadel who attacked but on the right up crept Lampre's Deigo Ulissi to win in 3.52.14 ahead of SImon Gerrans and Cadel Evans, followed by Gavazzi, Gesink, Porte, Hermans, Felline, Moreno and Darryl Impey.
Deigo Ulissi told Paul Sherwen: "It was great to win and it was my type of race and great preparation for the Milan-San Remo. it was unbelivable to win and the crowd were phenomenal."
Simon Gerran continues to lead the race ahead of Ulissi by seven seconds, eleven seconds ahead of Andrei Greipel and thirteen ahead of Cadel Evans,