Lotto's Andrei Greipel won the fourth stage of the Santos Tour Down Under.
There was a hint of rain in the air as race leader Cadel Evans after his superb victory yesterday, led out the riders on the 148km stage from Unley to Victor Harbor.
Omega Pharma Quick Step's Carlos Verona Quintanilla and Europcar's Perrig Quemeneur were two riders who had tried unsuccessfully to get away before Simon Gerrans, who had conceded the ochre jersey to Evans by twelve seconds, took the first sprint of the day after 25.5kms beating his Orica Green Edge team mate Matt Goss and fellow Aussie Nathan Haas of Garmin Sharp.
As Lotto Belisol's Olivier Kaisen abandoned, a break of Andersen, Domont Arashiro, Wurf and Sulzberger was fashioned and they were able to get four minutes ahead after 44kms, meaning that AG2R's Axel Domont was now the virtual leader of the race.
Domont extended his position by attacking with Cameron Wurf and the duo raced to a lead of 5.15 with 93kms to go and 1.35 over the chasing group.
The wind had got up, forcing the King Of The Mountains arch to be removed for the safety of all concerned and on the road was taking its toll on the riders.
With 60kms to go, Domont and Wurf were just over four minutes ahead of a pelotn which had the BMC team on the front.
Domont took the King Of The Mountains climb on Reservoir Road near Myponga Dam but their lead to a group of forty riders was dropping all the time. Adam Hansen was third over the summit and keeps the King Of The Mountains jersey as a result.
The wind forced Geraint Thomas, who was in the front split of about sixty riders onto the dry verge on the side of the road, something which is now against UCI rules which were brought in for the start of the season. Thomas appeared to have no other option in order to avoid a crash with Andrei Greipel and Cadel Evans.
Now only 1.20 ahead with forty two kilometres to go, Domont and Wurf time at the front was ended with 40.4kms left as the peloton geared themselves up for the second sprint of the day.
Simon Gerrans, in the blue sprinters jersey finished behind Nathan Haas in the second sprint after 116kms to put him seven seconds behind Cadel Evans who pulled out of the sprint with a mechanical and then was nearly hit as hew pulled over to the left to try and get to a service car.
Drapac, working for Jonathan Cantwell came to the front to take their turn, heading through the 500kms of racing in the Tour Down Under so far mark as the race headed towards the Southern coast and the finish at Victor Harbour.
The second half of the peloton was now seven and a half minutes behind the front group which continied to have Lotto, Drepac and Garmin doing the work to keep the pace at 63kmh.
Cannondale sent a rider in Cameron Wurf up the road for another attack but he was pulled back going into the final four kilometres.
Jan Bakelants, a Tour De France stage winner and Serge Pauwels of the Omega Pharma Quick Step team went clear. on the run in to Victor Harbour.
Lotto hit the front but the duo had a handful of seconds lead going under the flam rouge. They were caught and Greipel hit the front and took his fifteenth win in the Tour Down Under in 3.33.07 ahead of Jurgen Roelandts, Viviani, Gerrans, Haas, Impey, Bouet, Trusov, Roux Gavazzi, Von Hoff, Cantwell and Cadel Evans in thirteenth place.
Greipel told Paul Sherwen: "This was the first opportunity for sprinters. "It was nervous all day. "We had six guys so we could put the pressure on and I am really happy with the win."
Cadel Evans leads the race by seven seconds from Simon Gerrans. Geraint Thomas is fifth.