Rohan Dennis’ stunning attack at Paracombe is a massive boost for Cadel Evans as he aims for a fairytale Tour Down Under title.
Dennis holds the overall lead after winning stage three and Evans, his BMC team captain, is positioned perfectly at second overall.
Evans showed he is also in strong form by finishing second on Thursday and is only seven seconds behind Dennis ahead of Saturday’s decisive fifth stage at Willunga.
Evans now holds the whip hand and his rivals must counter-attack.
He can cover the moves as opponents try to crack Dennis and potentially make his own bid for victory.
This is the 2011 Tour de France champion’s last WorldTour race before he retires on February 1.
“We work to stay where we are and maintain it,” Evans said.
“It’s not easy – we still have a lot of racing to go and particularly Saturday on Willunga is going to be more of the same.
“But we can look at the guys in the first five or six – it narrows it down who we have to watch.”
Evans then deadpanned: “We have a reasonable GC rider in the wings, ready to take over if he (Dennis) can’t hold it together.”
The Tour’s debut stage finish at Paracombe in the Adelaide Hills lived up to expectations, with the final 800m climb providing the expected fireworks.
Evans and fellow race favourites such as compatriot Richie Porte (Sky) and Dutchman Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) were leading with a few hundred metres left.
Then Dennis, who will make an attempt on the world hour record in Switzerland on February 8, came from out of nowhere with a withering sprint.
He beat Evans by three seconds and took the overall lead from compatriot Jack Bobridge (UniSA), who finished 25th on Thursday at 38 seconds.
The pair are former track teammates and Bobridge is also making a world hour record attempt in Melbourne on January 31.
Dumoulin finished third and is third overall at nine seconds and Porte was sixth.
Porte is fourth overall, leading a group of five riders at 15 seconds behind Dennis.
“Willunga is a different story,” warned Porte, who won that stage last year.
“I guess they (BMC) are in a good position, but I don’t think it is all over yet.”
The one-two was perfect for BMC after Wednesday’s blow, when young Australian teammate Campbell Flakemore suffered a broken collarbone in a crash while riding back from the stage finish.
It remains to be seen whether having one less teammate hurts Evans.
But Porte said Evans is definitely in good form.
“When Cadel kicks, he kicks like a mule,” Porte said of Evans’ climbing form at Paracombe.
“Its not easy to hold his wheel in that sort of finish.
“I guess it was handy for him having a teammate.”
BMC should protect their lead through Friday’s fourth stage from Glenelg to Mt Barker, which is expected to be one for the sprinters.
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