Mads Pedersen survived a gruelling final climb and bunch sprint to get Denmark riders back-to-back stages in the Herald Sun Tour at Buninyong on Friday.
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He edged out Australian sprinter Steele Von Hoff (Bennelong SwissWellness) by centimetres in a hectic finish after a 210km ride from Warrnambool.
Australian national champion Alex Edmondson (Mitchelton-Scott) again showed his liking for the Mt Buninyong circuit with third.
Pedersen followed in the footsteps of countryman Lasse Norman Hansen, who took out stage one in Warrnambool on Thursday – also beating Von Hoff
“It is nice to have a victory,” the 22-year-old Dane said.
Pedersen, who finished second in the prologue on Wednesday, said his Trek-Segafredo team had worked really well. “It was great to finish it off for the win.”
Norman Hansen survived a fall in the opening 15km to retain the tour leader’s yellow jersey.
While Pedersen took the major honours, Ballarat brothers Liam (Drapac EF) and Nick White (Olivers Real Food) put in two of the biggest performances of the day.
They were part of a seven-strong breakaway which formed 30km into the stage and made the running until the start of the Buninyong climb – leading the last four remaining riders in the group into the final phase.
The break led by as much as three minutes and then sat on a one-minute advantage for about 25km into Buninyong.
The stage was extended by 10km after roadworks forced the route to be modified.
The stage has two more days to run.
Saturday features a 218km stage from Mitchelton Winery to Lake Mountain, which finishes on a substantial climb.
The tour concludes on Sunday with a 152.1km stage at Kinglake, which includes four climbs.