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The Tour leaves Launceston on stage eight, an 80.2 kilometre ride to George Town on Tasmania's north coast.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
The peloton cross the Tamar River as they leave Launceston on stage eight of the Tour.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
The peloton on narrow roads beside the Tamar River near Rosevears early into stage eight.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
The peloton descend towards the Tamar River and a popular fishing spot near Deviot.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
The peloton hit the Batman Bridge beneath clear blue skies on the penultimate day of the Tour.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Riders cross the Batman Bridge with the A Frame in the background a unique feature of the bridge that was named after John Batman, one of the founders of Melbourne in Victoria.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
The peloton was still covering all the road near Rosevears beside the Tamar River as the race headed towards George Town.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Riders made their way towards the Batman Bridge which crosses the Tamar River near Deviot before leaving West Tamar and riding into the East Tamar region.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Brendan Brooks (Shortis Cycle & Tri Avanti Plus) went on the attack after the field headed onto the roads of the East Tamar region near Hillwood.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
(l-r): Brendan Brooks (Shortis Cycle & Tri Avanti Plus), David Pell (Savings and Loans), and Rhys Pollock (Drapac Porsche) sneak away from the peloton around the half-way mark of the stage.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Brendan Brooks (centre) of Shortis Cycle & Tri Avanti Plus works hard in the lead group with David Pell (left) of Savings and Loans and Rhys Pollock (Drapac Porsche)(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Cameron Jennings (Budget Forklifts) gets away from the peloton and attempts to reach the leading trio.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
David Pell (Savings and Loans) drives the leading trio on roads under construction near Hillwood.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Rhys Pollock (Drapac Porsche) was wearing the Goodstone Group most aggressive jersey from stage seven and was doing the jersey proud as he attacked again on stage eight.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Country Club Criterium Championship leader Jonathan Cantwell (Fly V Australia) went to the front of the peloton and gave chase to the leading quartet.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
CAT Tour of Tasmania leader Bernard Sulzberger (Fly V Australia) was familiar with the roads on stage eight; Sulzberger can often be found with younger brother Wes and a few others training in this region.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
The peloton pass another one of the Tour's major sponsor's piece of machinery that was in action during construction on the roads of the East Tamar.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Joseph Lewis (far left) of Drapac Porsche knew he had stage eight in the bag well before the line in George Town.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Keep punching: Drapac Porsche's Joseph Lewis takes out stage eight in George Town.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Stage eight podium (l-r): Peter Braunsteins (2nd,Apollo Bicycles), Joseph Lewis (1st,Drapac Porsche), and Charles Howlett (3rd,Cycle City-Felt).(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Peter Braunsteins (Apollo Bicycles) is presented with his Goodstone Group most aggressive riders jersey by a CAT representative in George Town.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Nathan Haas (DiscoverTasmania.com/TIS) from Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory remains in the Tall Timbers King of the Mountains Championship jersey after eight stages.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Richard Lang (Budget Forklifts) from New South Wales holds onto the BOC Sprint Points Championship jersey after stage eight.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
Bernard Sulzberger (Fly V Australia) is the Tas Gas leading Tasmanian rider…hard to knock him off when he is leading the Tour overall!(Image credit: Shane Goss)
And here he is, the CAT Tour of Tasmania leader, Bernard Sulzberger (Fly V Australia) from Flowery Gully in northern Tasmania.(Image credit: Shane Goss)
A run of near misses came to an end for plucky New South Welshman Joseph Lewis in stage eight of the Caterpillar Underground Mining Tour of Tasmania on Saturday.
Prior to today's victory, Lewis' best result had been a second placing in the 2008 Australian Grand Prix time trial behind South Australian Chris Jongewaard. But on the 80 kilometre stage to Launceston to George Town, he proved he can compete with the very best.
Originally from Gloucester in New South Wales, but now based in Canberra, Lewis was part of a seven man breakaway group that would fill the major podium positions for the day.
"I am stoked to have won," said an ecstatic Lewis said post race. "I have never won a stage of the Scody Cup before and I am really happy."
"The Tour of Tasmania, like all events in the Scody Cup series is well organized and riders love supporting them. It's even better when you win one," he continued.
Lewis out-sprinted 19-year-old Peter Braunsteins and Charles Howlett, in the action packed dash to the line.
Lewis, Braunsteins and Howlett imposed no real threat to the tour leaders and, in particular, Bernard Sulzberger, who has held the prized Number 1 jersey all week.
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Sulzberger, racing in his "back yard" featured in a couple of the early intermediate sprints and in fact extended his overall lead from 32 seconds to 0:38, over his Fly V Australia teammate Ben Day. Current Australian road champion Peter McDonald lost eight seconds to Sulzberger and is now 40 seconds in arrears and appears unlikely to reel him in.
The bad luck that flattened Englishman Kristian House in Thursday's Burnie to West Mooreville stage continued in today's morning stage when he suffered another front wheel puncture and lost more time and distance.
