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Two years after he won the Tour Down Under on countback, a one-second lead is more than enough for Australian cycling star Simon Gerrans.
Gerrans is poised to become the first three-time winner in the Tour’s 15-year history and continue his outstanding start to the season.
A fortnight ago, Gerrans beat fellow Australians Cadel Evans and Richie Porte in a pulsating national championships road race.
Now the 2006 and ’12 Tour champion will carry his narrow lead over Tour de France winner Evans into Sunday’s sixth and last stage.
Gerrans regained the lead from Evans on Saturday when he finished third in the decisive fifth stage at Willunga.
Porte won the stage to move up seven places into fourth overall, while Evans was unable to stay with Gerrans to the hilltop finish and placed sixth.
A combination of Gerrans’ four-second time bonus for third place and Evans finishing four seconds behind cost the Tour de France champion dearly.
Two years ago, Gerrans was locked on the same time with Spanish star Alejandro Valverde going into the last stage.
His Orica-GreenEDGE team controlled the final stage superbly to ensure he won and they are expected to do the same this year.
“One second is a lot better than I’ve had in the past, so I’m thrilled and I’m really confident with the team I have around me going into the final stage,” Gerrans said.
Orica-GreenEDGE will keep a close watch on Evans and Italian Diego Ulissi, who is in the third place overall at five seconds.
They will aim to make sure the the pair do not gain any time bonuses at the two intermediate sprints or the finish.
Stage six is on a new street circuit through the Adelaide CBD.
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