Double delight for Ewan in Nagambie

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Caleb Ewan (Orica-GreenEdge) cantered to stage three victory of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour ahead of Tyler Farrar (MTN-Qhubeka) and Steele von Hoff (KordaMentha Australia) for a carbon copy of yesterday's result which featured the same finish.

Ewan avoided a crash in the final four kilometres of the race as the peloton swept up the two remaining riders of the day’s breakaway, Adam Phelan (Drapac) and Cameron Bayly (serach2retain/health.com.au), with Sam Bewley delivering him to position after the U-turn with 400 metres to the line.

"It's great to get another win," Clarke said. "It was pretty hectic in the final with the big wide road, straight down for seven days, it was a bit hectic there with a few near crashes and I am happy to come out unscathed."

"I think they feel the same," Ewan said of which win felt better. "Same finish line, same result so I am really happy with both of them. Hopefully we can do for four in a row tomorrow."

Will Clarke (Drapac) launched an attack into the final corner, hoping to get a jump on the sprinters but Ewan explained he was never worried that it would be anything else but a bunch kick despite a different approach to the last 400 metres.

"He went pretty early and was always going to die in the end," Ewan said of Clarke. "There were some good sprinters there so I wasn't too worry about that."

"I didn't know what to think coming into the last corner because yesterday I was the first sprinter out and today I was a few riders back. It worked pretty well as I got a lead out."

While teammate and defending champion Simon Clarke was one of the many crash victims of the day, Cam Meyer retained his overall race lead and Ewan is ready to turn domestique to help secure the win tomorrow afternoon on Arthurs Seat.

"Tomorrow is all about going for yellow," Ewan said. Unfortunately Clarkey crashes today but hopefully he pulls up ok. Cam is feeling pretty good and he has a few easy days so hopefully he can hold onto it."

Ewan's next opportunity for victory will be at Tour de Langkawi where he will link up with his two key lead out men, Adam Blyth and Leigh Howard, describing it as the "perfect race for us to ride together."

However tomorrow is all about ensuring Meyer wins overall and the race leader is feeling confident ahead of the 122km stage.

"I feel good," Meyer said. "I got through the last two days relatively unscathed and without doing much. I feel like I have spent as less energy as I could and I should be right to go tomorrow.

"I think it will be a tactical race, yellow is definitely first priority and if the stage is there to be taken well I will definitely sprint for that."

How it unfolded
The forecast of 35 degree weather never eventuated with riders rolling out of Mitchelton Winery under grey skies with the thermomotor registering mid 20's for the 146km stage. While a fast and ferocious start was predicated as today was the last opportunity for teams get into the break and salvage their race before tomorrow's GC showdown, a six-man group formed inside the first 10km and lasting until the final 10km.

Represented in the break was Adam Phelan (Drapac Professional Cycling), Jacob Kauffmann (Team Budget Forklifts), Cameron Bayly (Search2retain-health.com.au Cycling Team), Jayden Copp (Charter Mason Giant Racing Team), Ben Hill (Charter Mason Giant Racing Team) and Ryan Thomas (Data #3 Symantec Racing Team p/b Scody).

Their lead quickly reached the three minute mark as the rain begun to fall while the sun continued to shine. At the first sprint point in Seymour after 25km, the six-man break rolled over the line with no contest as they would for the two KOM's and second sprint point in Seymour.

Back in the peloton it was MTN-Qhubeka, UnitedHealthcare and Orica-GreenEdge at the front controlling the pace as the break was holding a steady two and half minute advantage.

The race skirted the Goulbourn River with kangaroos and emu's punctuating the course, offering a distraction to the established state of affairs on the run in to the two category two climbs of the day. With the majority of the stage taking place in near perfect racing conditions, there was no opportunity for the likes of Avanti to split the race in crosswinds leaving the race to play out for a classic catch the break in the final kilometres before a sprint finish.

On the first KOM the six leader's advantage had dipped to two minutes but with a crash in the peloton bringing down Simon Clarke, they continued up the climb with no pressure from behind.

As the second climb started immediately after the descent of the first, it was the same scenario with the six riders rolling over the KOM point with a tad over two minutes to the peloton.

Having collected lunch at the feed zone, the next point of interest was the second sprint of the day into Seymour. The break's advantage was down to a minute and half with the peloton beginning to show interest in reeling them in with 40km to.

Despite the long flat run into Nagambie, some nervy riders in the bunch touched wheels bringing down Tyler Spurrell (Data #3 Symantec Racing Team p/b Scody), Robert Power (Jayco-AIS Under-23 National Team), Michael Torckler (Team Budget Forklifts) and Brodie Talbot (Team Budget Forklifts). Power appeared to be worst off, with skin missing on his left side and an elbow requiring an x-ray to determine the damage done. 

With 25km to go, the advantage of the breakaway was back down to two minutes. Phelan, sensing the break was doomed, attacked his companions bringing Bayly with him at 15km to go. The duo's advantage was a slender 45 seconds at the 10km mark and was being slimmed by the metre with GreenEdge working to set up Ewan.

Another touch of wheels approaching final three kilometre's brought down more riders, including Alistair Donohoe (Search2retain-health.com.au) who was taken to hospital having fallen hard on his head.

With Phelan and Bayly caught, the final run in saw no more falls and besides Will Clarke's last attack, it was deju vu for Ewan as he took out the win in similarly easy fashion to day previous.

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