Team Sky's Geraint Thomas won the second stage of the 15th Stantos Tour Down Under.
Today's stage saw a 116.5km (73 miles) stage from Mount Barker to Rostrevor, comprising of two sprints and the Corkscrew climb some seven kilometres from the finish line, and again the weather was good as the riders set off.
Jayco Herald Sun Tour winner UniSA's Calvin Watson was the first to attack and he took Will Clarke (Argos - Shimano), Guillaume Bonnafond (AG2R) and Chris Juul Jensen (Saxo - Tinkoff) with him.
With 15 kilometres gone, the quartet had opened up a lead of 2.10 as the peloton fractured into three groups.
The peloton was back together as the riders came to the first Jayco Sprint of the day Echunga after 32.1km. Will Clarke took the three points on offer, ahead of Watson and Bonnafond.
The crowds were out in Main St in the German enclave of Hahndorf to see the four escapers pass through.
BMC and Swiss Champion Martin Kohler, Orica Green Edge's Luke Burbridge and Bernie Eisel of Team Sky were leading the peloton which was now 2.10 as it went through Kangeroo Country.in the Adelaide Hills.
At half race distance of 58km, the quartet were 1.50 clear. They came back through Hahndorf before turning off for Valley Road in Oakbank.
This was where the second sprint after 71.9kms was and this time, the front four all sprinted and it was Will Clarke who took the three seconds over Bonnafond and Jensen.
The Corkscrew is a Category One 9% climb which is 3kms long and seven kilometres before the riders started on it, Watson, Clarke, Bonnafond and Juul Jensen, who was the most aggressive rider of the day, were caught.
There was a crash at the back of the peloton and UniSA's Damien Howson went down. He got back up as Orica Green Edge with Stuart O'Grady, Astana and BMC took to the front through the Flinders Ranges.
The riders climbed up to Kangaroo Creek Damm, the highest point of the stage, before a fast descent down to Castambul and the left hand turn onto Corkscrew Rd.
Lampre's Matthew Lloyd, Ben Radio Shack's New Zealander George Bennett and Team Sky's Geraint Thomas, were first to start on the Corkscrew.
Thomas, now looking to prove himself on the road after a year of track cycling in which he won an Olympic Gold Medal, shot away and took the points at the top of the climb.
The Welshman was caught on the descent by Javier Moreno of Movistar and two Radio Shack riders.in Bennett and Ben Hermans. Eleven riders went after them with just over three kilometres to go.
Under the flam rouge, the quartet were ahead by a few seconds. Bennett lead them out and Geraint Thomas (pictured below) raced away to win and take the leaders ocre jersey ahead of Moreno and Hermans..
As the peloton came in, there was a crash with fifteen riders going down including World Champion Phillippe Gilbert.
Picture copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/KM